I grew up just north of Boulder, Colorado, but I may be biased, but I consider it to be one of the region’s most unique and beautiful locations. From its brilliant college football team, the Colorado Buffaloes, to its beautiful trails and hills, Boulder has a lot to sell. Beyond the sights and sports, it also stands out for the frequency of its internet connections equivalent to the rest of the condition.
If you live in Boulder ( or plan to move it ), you have a couple of options, but the two most commonly applicable internet service providers are Xfinity and Century Link. CNET’s choose for the best general internet service provider in Boulder is Xfinity because of its extensive policy across the town and wide selection of ideas. Other choices include Century Link, which is commonly available but confined to slower DSL plans, along with fibre from Quantum Fiber and 5G apartment online from T-Mobile— and to a lesser degree, Verizon.
Best online in Boulder in 2025
Boulder residents can expect median download speeds of approximately 318 megabits per second, according to Ookla Speedtest data— comparable to Colorado‘s statewide median 316Mbps ) and the national median ( 291Mbps ). ( Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis. ) Never very dirty.
Boulder online suppliers compared
| Provider | Internet technologies | Regular cost collection | Speed collection | Regular equipment costs | Data seal | Contract | CNET assessment report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CenturyLink Read full review |
DSL | $55 | 3-100Mbps | $ 15 ( optional ) | None | None | 6.7 |
| Quantum Fiber | Fiber | $50-$95 | 500-2,000Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
| Fixed wireless | $35-$40 | 25-100Mbps | $ 10 router; $ 5-$ 15 router ( optional ) | 250GB or limitless | Nothing, but required for some offers | 6.2 | |
| Fixed wireless | $ 50-$ 70 ($ 35-$ 55 with eligible phone plans ) | 87-415Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 | |
| Fixed wireless | $ 50-$ 70 ($ 35-$ 45 with eligible phone plans ) | 50-250Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 | |
| Xfinity Read full review |
Cable | $55-$85 | 400-2,100Mbps | $ 15 ( optional ) | 1.2TB | None | 7 |
Show more ( 2 items )
Origin: CNET analysis of supplier data.
Another available internet companies in Boulder
Though we think Xfinity, Quantum Fiber and T-Mobile are the best companies in the area, Boulder has another ISP options to consider.
- Life Wire Networks: This Colorado-based fixed wireless operator serves nearly 95 % of the Boulder place. Plans range from 35Mbps ( for$ 25 per month ) to 150Mbps for$ 120 monthly. Equipment leasing is included, and there are no files hats or contracts required.
- Rise Broadband: This fixed wireless operator serves about 15 % of the Boulder place. There’s a bag of presence just northwest of Washington Village, but it ’s generally an option for remote areas beyond town limits. You can get speeds upwards to 100Mbps with infinite data.
- Satellite online: CNET recommends avoiding dish online in places with cheaper and faster choices. That noted, if you live in a rural area where wires and grain links aren’t available, Starlink, HughesNet and Viasat are the practical satellite companies in the Boulder place.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Similar to T-Mobile, Verizon uses its cellular network to provide fixed wireless home broadband. Though it may offer higher max download speeds than T-Mobile ( the 5G Home Plus plan features “typical download speeds of 300-1,000Mbps ” to T-Mobile’s max of 245Mbps ), it ’s available to less than 37 % of households in Boulder.
Pricing info on Boulder home internet service
The average starting price for internet in Boulder is just under$ 42 per month– less expensive than the national average but just a few dollars more per month than its bigger sibling to the south, Denver, which comes in at$ 39.
Cheap internet options in Boulder
The cheapest internet plan in Boulder is Rise Broadband’s 25Mbps or 50Mbps plan for$ 35 per month. There are plenty of caveats, however. That promotional price lasts for only one year and these speeds are pretty low if you plan to have heavy internet usage.
Take our quiz
T-Mobile Home Internet, which starts at$ 50 monthly, drops to$ 35 per month when you bundle an eligible cellphone plan, such as Go5G Plus and Magenta Max.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Boulder?
| Provider | Starting monthly price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35 | 25-50Mbps | None | Nothing, but required for some offers | |
| $40 | 100Mbps | None | Nothing, but required for some offers | |
| Quantum Fiber | $50 | 500Mbps | None | None |
| $ 50 ($ 35 with eligible phone plans ) | 318Mbps | None | None | |
| $ 50 ($ 35 with eligible phone plans ) | 85Mbps | None | None | |
| $55 | 400Mbps | None | None | |
| $60 | 600Mbps | None | None | |
| CenturyLink Read full review |
$55 | 100Mbps | $ 15 ( optional ) | None |
Show more ( 4 items )
Origin: CNET analysis of supplier data.
Boulder broadband speeds
Just all Boulder households have access to broadband internet speeds of 250Mbps down and 25Mbps upload and 94 % have access to 1,000Mbps down and 100Mbps upload. As we mentioned earlier, Boulder residents see much higher median download speeds than the rest of the state.
What are the fastest internet plans in Boulder?
| Provider | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Starting monthly price | Data seal | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantum Fiber | 2,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $95 | None | None |
| 2,100Mbps | 35Mbps | $85 | None | None | |
| 1,300Mbps | 35Mbps | $85 | None | None | |
| 1,100Mbps | 35Mbps | $65 | None | None | |
| Quantum Fiber | 940Mbps | 880Mbps | $75 | None | None |
Show more ( 1 item )
Origin: CNET analysis of supplier data.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Boulder
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC. gov.
This guide leverages an in-house artificial intelligence tool called RAMP, which is trained on our own writing and uses our database to generate content about specific internet service providers that our writers can use in determining and presenting our picks for a given guide. Check CNET’s AI policy for more information about how our teams use ( and don’t use ) AI tools.
Because our database isn’t exhaustive, we go to the FCC’s website to check the primary data for ourselves and make sure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. Plans and prices also vary by location, so we input local addresses on provider websites to find the specific options available to residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J. D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of our prepublication fact-check.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions :
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes ” on all three are the ones we recommend. To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
What’s the bottom line on internet providers in Boulder?
Xfinity covers nearly every address in the city and features the widest array of plan choices of any provider in the area. That’s why it gets our nod for the best ISP in the city. However, Boulder households have other viable options, including fiber plans from Quantum Fiber and a fixed wireless connection from T-Mobile Home Internet.
Internet providers in Boulder: FAQs
Which is the best internet service provider in Boulder?
CNET’s pick for the best ISP in Boulder is Xfinity. It covers almost the whole area, gives customers a wide variety of plans from which to pick and also features the fastest download speed in the city. Quantum Fiber offers only three plans, but its strength is it’s the only provider in the area offering symmetrical download and upload speeds.
Is fiber internet available in Boulder? & nbsp;
Yes. Quantum Fiber offers three plans: the lowest at 500Mbps for$ 50 per month and the highest at 2,000Mbps for$ 95 monthly.
Which is the cheapest internet provider in Boulder? & nbsp;
The provider with the cheapest plan in Boulder is Rise Broadband, whose 20 and 50Mbps start at$ 35 per month. However, that plan isn’t very fast for households with heavy internet use. You would be better off going with Quantum Fiber’s 500Mbps plan for$ 50 per month, including equipment rental. That may not be the cheaper plan on sticker price, but it ’s a far better value.
Which Boulder internet provider offers the fastest plan? & nbsp;
Xfinity offers the fastest plan in Boulder with its 2,100Mbps plan. However, many addresses max out at 1,300Mbps through Xfinity, so the fastest option available will depend on where you live. Quantum Fiber offers a 2-gig plan for$ 95 per month, which is a close second and may be available at addresses that can’t access Xfinity’s fastest speeds.
English 
Romanian