What is a good internet speed for gaming?

Key takeaways

When searching for the best internet for gaming, focus on high speeds, low latency and unlimited data
Fiber is the best type of internet connection for gaming
AT&T fiber is our choice for the best gaming provider

If you’re a gamer, you likely know that live gaming requires a better internet connection and faster speeds than most other online tasks. Without a proper connection, you end up enduring internet lag and buffering, which makes gaming impossible.

Due to the high demand of gaming, you need an internet provider and an internet plan that offers some of the best download speeds, upload speeds, reliability, data allowance and latency available. With these five criteria in mind, we have broken down the top 5 internet providers for gaming that are most widely available nationwide.

What should you look for in a good gaming connection?

High speeds – Determine what speeds you need for your gaming experience, but make sure to factor in both download and upload speeds since both are essential for preventing buffering and lagging.
Low latency – The best latency is the lowest latency. If your latency time is too slow, you will experience lag when gaming, so look into what technology your provider uses to find out latency speeds.
Data caps – Live gaming uses a significant amount of data and overage fees can become expensive, so make sure your plan provides enough data for your gaming needs.

how to improve your connection for gaming

How to choose an internet speed plan for gaming

A good rule of thumb to follow when selecting an internet plan is to divide the number of devices you will have connected to the internet at a time by the speed plan you are considering (speed plan/number of devices). For heavy gamers, you will want the result of that equation to be between 40 and 75 Mbps. Therefore, if you plan to have four devices connected to the internet, all performing heavy-bandwidth tasks, you will want a plan around 300 Mbps (300 ÷ 4 = 75).

Expert tip: Some providers that say they offer unlimited data will still throttle your speeds

Before committing to an internet provider and plan, make sure you ask about internet throttling. A handful of providers, especially in more rural areas, will throttle (slow down) your internet speeds if you have reached a certain data limit for the month. It’s worth asking your internet provider if internet throttling is a possibility, even with an internet plan with unlimited data.

#1 internet provider for gaming: AT&T fiber

AT&T plan	Starting price*	Download speed†	Upload speed	Allconnect score
Fiber 100	$45.00/mo.	100 Mbps	100 Mbps	3.83 / 5
Fiber 300	$55.00/mo.	300 Mbps	300 Mbps	4.21 / 5
Fiber 500	$65.00/mo.	500 Mbps	500 Mbps	4.25 / 5
Fiber 1000	$80.00/mo.	1,000 Mbps	940 Mbps	4.30 / 5
2 GIG	$125.00/mo.**	2,000 Mbps	2,000 Mbps	3.77 / 5
5 GIG	$155.00/mo.***	4,700 Mbps	4,700 Mbps	3.67 / 5
AT&T Internet	$60.00/mo.	10 – 300 Mbps	1 – 20 Mbps	2.75 / 5

*Plus taxes (w/ eligible Autopay & Paperless bill). Price after $10/mo discount with eligible Autopay & Paperless bill (w/in 2 bills). Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. See offer details below. One time install chrg may apply. Ltd. avail/areas. Updated as of 01/23/26.
**Price after discounts: $20/mo discount for new residential customers and $10/mo w/ elig. Autopay & Paperless bill. (w/in 2 bills). Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. One time install chrg may apply. Ltd. avail/areas.
***Price after discounts: $90/mo discount for new residential customers and $10/mo w/ eligible Autopay & Paperless bill (w/in 2 bills). Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. One time install chrg may apply. Ltd. avail/areas.
†Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds may vary. For 5GIG, single device wired speed maximum 4.7Gbps. For more info, go to www.att.com/speed101.

Overall, AT&T received first place for best internet provider for gaming because it offers a reliable internet connection for some of the best prices around. A symmetrical download/upload internet plan is key for a good gaming experience, otherwise there will be lags and buffering issues when interacting with other players online. AT&T’s fiber plans offer symmetrical upload/download speeds ranging from 300 Mbps to its 5 GB plan. AT&T also has some of the lowest latency, with a median latency of 22 ms, which helps prevent lags.

What we like

Symmetrical download/upload speeds
Uses fiber technology
No data caps
Low latency
Competitive prices

Things to consider

Fiber plans aren’t available everywhere
Price increases after one year
Additional fees

Recommended plan: AT&T 300 unless you live in a larger household

If you plan to live game and stream from more than four devices at a time, then you will want to upgrade to the AT&T 500 or 1000 plan. However, for the average household, the 300 Mbps plan is more than sufficient for all of your gaming needs.

#2 Verizon Fios

Plan name	Bundle price*	Download speed	Upload speed	Best for
300 Mbps	$34.99/mo.	300 Mbps	300 Mbps	Small households
500 Mbps	$59.99/mo.	500 Mbps	500 Mbps	Multiple users
1 Gig	$74.99/mo.	up to 940 Mbps	up to 880 Mbps	Heavy gamers, streamers
2 Gig	$94.99/mo.	1.5 Gbps – 2.3 Gbps	1.5 Gbps – 2.3 Gbps	Power users

*Price guarantee for 3-5 years, depending on the internet plan, for new and existing myHome customers. Auto Pay & paper-free billing required. Mobile + Home Discount: $15/mo savings on Verizon Home Internet plans when combined with any Verizon postpaid mobile phone plan (excludes business and data-only plans). Enrollment req’d for Fios Home Internet plans. $99 setup and other terms apply. Subj. to credit approval & may require a deposit. Fios avail. in select areas. Wired speeds advertised. Wireless speeds may vary due to device limits, multiple users, network & other factors. See Verizon.com/yourspeed for more info. © 2026 Verizon. Updated as of 01/23/26.

Verizon Fios is another great option for gaming, offering fast and reliable speeds for affordable prices. Additionally, Verizon offers exceptionally low latency scores of 15 ms and below for all of its fiber plans and symmetrical download/upload speeds. This means you will not have to worry about buffering and lagging with any of Verizon’s plans. Verizon Fios also leads the pack in the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s (ACSI) satisfaction benchmarks, ahead of other major providers like AT&T and Xfinity.

What we like

Symmetrical download/upload speeds
Low latency
No data caps
Positive customer service ratings

Things to consider

Limited availability

Recommended plan: Verizon internet 500

The 500 Mbps Verizon plan will guarantee you and your family members are able to live game from multiple devices at a time. If only one person in your household games or uses the internet heavily (live-streaming, working from home, etc.), the 300 Mbps plan is fine. You only need Verizon’s Gig plan if you have more than four devices at a time that are using the internet heavily.

#3 Frontier Fiber

Plan	Starting price*	Download/upload speeds
Fiber 200 Mbps	$29.99/mo.	200/200 Mbps
Fiber 500 Mbps	$29.99/mo.	500/500 Mbps
Fiber 1 Gig	$49.99/mo.	1,000/1,000 Mbps
Fiber 2 Gig	$64.99/mo.	2,000/2,000 Mbps
Fiber 5 Gig	$89.99/mo.	5,000/5,000 Mbps
Fiber 7 Gig	$109.99/mo.	7,000/7,000 Mbps
Frontier® Internet	$64.99/mo.**	Varies

*w/Auto Pay and Paperless Bill per month. Exclusive offer for qualified addresses. For new residential Internet customers only. Max speeds are wired, Fiber 1 Gig location dependent. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. Max speed capable range for Fiber 200 (180-200 Mbps download/upload), Fiber 500 (450-500 Mbps download/upload), Fiber 1 Gig (846-1,000 Mbps download, 792-1,000 Mbps upload), Fiber 2 Gig (1,800-2,000 Mbps download/upload) and requires 2 Gbps capable devices and wiring. Fiber 5 Gig (4,500-5,000) and requires 5 Gbps capable devices and wiring. Fiber 7 Gig (6,300-7,000) and requires 7 Gbps capable devices and wiring. Performance details: frontier.com/internetdisclosures. Requires Auto Pay or $10/mo fee applies. Printed bill available for $2.99/mo. Fee does not apply to select customers. A $50 equipment restocking fee per household applies when Internet is disconnected. A fee up to $150 per device for Fiber 500, 1 Gig, and 2 Gig, and up to $400 for Fiber 5 Gig also applies if equipment is not returned. Other applicable charges and additional services are extra. Subject to availability. Price and terms subject to change. Cannot be combined with other offers. Other restrictions, Frontier policies and service terms apply. Updated as of 01/23/26.
**For new residential Frontier Internet customers only. Frontier Internet service is not provided based on speed tiers or other level of performance and Frontier does not guarantee that you will be able to perform any particular internet activity with the service. For details see: frontier.com/internetdisclosures. Requires Auto Pay or $10/mo fee applies. Printed bill available for $2.99/mo. Fee does not apply to select customers. Activation ($85) and other applicable charges, additional services and taxes are extra & subject to change during & after the promo period. A $50 equipment restocking fee per household applies when Internet is disconnected. A fee up to $150 per device also applies if equipment is not returned. Service subject to availability. Price and terms subject to change. Cannot be combined with other offers. Other restrictions, Frontier policies and service terms apply.

Frontier Fiber offers three fiber internet plans that range from 500 Mbps to its new 2 GB service. Like AT&T and Verizon, Frontier also offers symmetrical download/upload speeds so that no matter what task you are performing online, you will have equally fast speeds. Frontier has a median latency of 17 ms, making it a great option for gamers.

What we like

Symmetrical download/upload speeds
Good value
Low latency
No data caps

Things to consider

Limited fiber availability
Low customer satisfaction ratings

Recommended plan: Frontier Fiber 500 Mbps plan

Frontier’s 500 Mbps plan is best for households that are using the internet heavily on more than four devices at a time. If you have more than 10 devices connected at a time, you will want to upgrade to Frontier’s 1 Gig plan.

#4 Xfinity internet

Plan	Five-year deal price*	Download speed
300 Mbps	$45.00/mo.	300 Mbps
500 Mbps	$60.00/mo.	500 Mbps
1,000 Mbps**	$70.00/mo.	1,000 Mbps
1,200 Mbps**	$100.00/mo.	1,200 Mbps
2,000 Mbps***	$100.00/mo.	2,000 Mbps

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Updated as of 01/23/26.
**2 gig speed not available in all locations. 1.2 gig speed will take place of top speed if 2 gig not available.

Xfinity is one of the most widely available internet providers in the country and offers some of the fastest cable speeds, as well as unlimited data. Xfinity is primarily a cable provider; however, its fastest plans use fiber technology. Since Xfinity is a cable provider, it has slower upload speeds than fiber internet options, so keep this in mind when searching for the right plan for gaming.

What we like

Widely available
Fast cable speeds
Bundling discounts available

Things to consider

Slower upload speeds

Recommended plan: Xfinity 500 Mbps internet

Xfinity offers a 500 Mbps download speed plan, which is well-suited for mid-sized homes or medium to heavy internet users. Xfinity also offers plans with 1,000, 1,200 and 2,000 Mbps download speeds if you are worried about not receiving the speeds you need for your gaming experience.

#5 Google Fiber

Plans	Price*	Download speeds	Upload speeds	Best for
Core	$70.00/mo.	1,000 Mbps	1,000 Mbps	Best for standard-sized homes with moderate to high online activity
Home	$100.00/mo.	3,000 Mbps**	3,000 Mbps	Best for tech-savvy households and high-performance gaming
Edge	$150.00/mo.	8,000 Mbps**	8,000 Mbps	Best for ultra-connected homes that demand nonstop speed

*5 and 8 Gig plans are not available in all locations.

Google Fiber is a fiber internet service with fast multi-gigabit plans that are perfect for heavy gamers. Unlike most providers, Google Fiber’s plans start out at 1,000 Mbps. This speed would be enough for most gamers, but if you want even faster speeds, Google Fiber also has a 2,000 Mbps plan and 5,000 and 8,000 Mbps plans in select locations. Google Fiber’s availability is limited, but it continues to expand service to cities across the country.

What we like

Multi-gigabit plans
Fast starting speed tiers
Value

Things to consider

Limited availability
No lower speed options

Recommended plan: Google Fiber 1000

Google Fiber’s lowest speed tier is 1,000 Mbps, which is more than enough to support a large, connected household and a heavy gamer. All of Google Fiber’s plans have symmetrical upload and download speeds, so even with its lowest tier, you get a great connection speed.

Best routers for gaming

If you’re a heavy gamer, then having a gaming-specific router can help level up your experience. These routers tend to have higher speed capacity and unique gaming features that can help prioritize your network traffic.

When looking for a gaming router, make sure you find one that with low latency, network prioritization and high speeds that can support your internet plan. Here are a few of our favorites:

Learn more about the best routers for gaming.

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Our methodology

In order to determine the top 5 internet providers for gaming, we assessed a total of 16 internet providers based on speeds, reliability, latency, data caps, number of plans, customer satisfaction, value, affordability and availability. The five providers chosen are some of the most widely available internet providers in the country that offer great speeds at an affordable rate.

Providers that offer symmetrical download/upload speeds and used fiber technology were ranked the highest since these two factors provide the greatest likelihood of a fast and reliable internet connection without any lags or buffering. We also didn’t include any providers that impose data caps lower than 1 TB/mo. or that didn’t offer a Gig speed internet plan. You can be sure, therefore, that whichever provider you pick from this list, you will have at least one plan available that meets your gaming needs.

Learn more about our methodology