Best High Speed Internet Options for Rural Areas 2023

From satellite to fixed wireless, explore the top internet providers and technologies that offer reliable and fast internet for those living in rural communities.
Best overall
HughesNet
HughesNet
4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2
  • pro
    Available nationwide
  • pro
    25 Mbps download speed
  • pro
    $54.99–$149.99/mo.*
Best rural DSL internet
Centurylink
CenturyLink
4 out of 5 stars
4
  • pro
    Unlimited data
  • pro
    Up to 100 Mbps
  • pro
    $50.00/mo.**
Best rural LTE internet
T Mobile
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
  • pro
    No contracts
  • pro
    72–245 Mbps
  • pro
    $50.00/mo.***
Best for RV internet
Visible
Visible phone plan
4 out of 5 stars
4
  • pro
    $30.00–$45.00/mo.
  • pro
    Unlimited data
  • pro
    Verizon network
Best fixed wireless rural internet
Rise Broadband
Rise Broadband
3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5
  • pro
    Wireless (no infrastructure required)
  • pro
    25–50 Mbps download speed
  • pro
    $35.00–$65.00/mo.

Data as of 12/21/20. *Promotional price is for the first 3 months. Regular internet rate applies after 3 months. **Paperless billing or prepay required. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges apply. Get the fastest internet speed available at your location (max speed is up to 100 Mbps). *** Price is with paperless billing and auto pay discount applied. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.


Cara Haynes
Managing Editor
June 01, 2023

Best internet in rural areas

We’ve picked HughesNet as your best rural internet provider overall because it's available everywhere (even way, way off the grid) and delivers broadband speeds at better prices. HughesNet is also our pick for the best satellite internet for rural areas.

But if you need faster speeds than HughesNet's 25 Mbps, check out our other suggested rural internet options like CenturyLink DSL, Rise Broadband if you want fixed-wireless internet, Verizon 4G LTE Home Internet, and even Visible's mobile broadband data plan if you want internet in your RV. 

Enter your zip code to find more internet providers near you

Best internet options for rural areas

Provider
Price
Download speeds
Data cap
Availability
Get it
$54.99–$149.99/mo.†Up to 25 MbpsUp to 75 GBNationwide
$50.00/mo.*Up to 100 MbpsUnlimited16 states
$40.00–$60.00/mo.**25–50 MbpsUnlimited48 states
$30.00–$45.00/mo.Up to 5 Mbps on unlimitedUnlimited50 states
$35.00–$65.00/mo.25–50 Mbps250 GB–Unlimited16 states

Data as of 12/21/2021. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. †$10 off for 6 months. 24 mo. commitment required. Pricing not available in all areas. Offer valid 6/31/22-8/31/22 *Rate requires paperless billing and excludes taxes. Additional fees apply. Speeds may not be available in your area. **Price for Verizon home internet plan is $40/mo. with a mobile phone plan or $60/mo. without other Verizon services.

Here are the best rural internet options that will keep you connected to that sweet rural Wi-Fi—no matter where you are.

Best overall: HughesNet

Best overall
HughesNet
HughesNet
Our Rating
4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2
pro Price: $54.99–$149.99/mo.*
pro Speed: 25 Mbps
pro Data: Up to 75 GB/mo.
pro Availability: Nationwide

Data as of 8/4/22. *$10 off for 6 months. 24 mo. commitment required. Pricing not available in all areas. Offer valid 6/31/22-8/31/22

Pros
pro Nationwide availability
pro Better prices than Viasat
Cons
con High latency
con Max 25 Mbps download speed

We recommend HughesNet because it has better prices and lets you rollover purchased data, unlike its satellite competitor, Viasat. Even if it's not super fast, HughesNet's 25 Mbps is plenty to search the web, pay bills or shop online, and even stream TV.

Both HughesNet and Viasat limit your data usage based on the plan you pay for, but neither cuts you off once you exceed your data allotment for the month. That’s the “unlimited” satellite internet each brand advertises, but it’s not truly unlimited, either. After you use up all your full-speed data, your speeds slow to 1 to 3 Mbps. 

So, yeah, the data situation isn’t ideal with satellite internet. But HughesNet’s biggest advantage is its availability. It’s often the only available internet connection in rural communities as an alternative to cable and DSL phone lines. 

All HughesNet internet plans chug along at a minimum of 25 Mbps. That’s not super fast, but its plans are a better value than Viasat’s cheapest plans, which start at 12 Mbps, and it’s significantly cheaper than Viasat’s most expensive plans and their ensuing price hikes, which can get your monthly cost up to $299.99 a month. HughesNet prices stay the same for 24 months.

So as long as you have a plan with enough data for your needs, HughesNet internet speeds should support most online activities—barring multiplayer online gaming, 4K TV streaming, or tons of teleconferencing. Satellite internet generally has a hard time with these internet-heavy activities, especially with its higher latency and when weather interferes with the satellite connection.

Viasat satellite internet

We recommend HughesNet our of all satellite providers first because of its availability and affordable prices, but if you want fat data caps and even fatter speeds, Viasat satellite internet is a good runner up. Just keep in mind that its prices are also pretty fat. 

For more on Viasat Wi-Fi, check out our Viasat Internet Review

What about Starlink?

Starlink has the best speeds and lowest latency of available satellite internet providers, and most rural internet options for that matter, but Starlink availability is also highly limited, not to mention its suffering from network congestion and has raised its prices every year, while also going back on its promises of unlimited data caps.

Once Starlink’s satellite constellation is fully built out with Elon Musk's net-generation technology, Starlink speeds could continue to increase, and network congestion could blance out. Read our Starlink review to decide if it’s right for you.

For now, keep in mind that in the next few years, HughesNet and Viasat will both be launching new satellite systems that will deliver increased internet speeds, reduced latency, and more data to their customers, making them possibly even better alternatives than Starlink despite Elon Musk’s best efforts.

Rural-Internet-Speeds graphic

Best rural DSL internet: CenturyLink

Best rural DSL internet
Centurylink
CenturyLink
Our Rating
4 out of 5 stars
4
pro Price: $50.00/mo.*
pro Speeds: Up to 100 Mbps
pro Data cap: Unlimited
pro Availability: 16 states
*Rate requires paperless billing and excludes taxes. Additional fees apply. Speeds may not be available in your area.
Pros
pro Decent speeds
pro No data caps
Cons
con Prone to slowdowns
con Not available in all rural areas

CenturyLink is your best bet for DSL internet in a rural area, mostly due to its contract-free plans and unlimited data caps. You won’t have to pay early termination fees (ETFs) if you choose to switch providers at any point during your subscription. 

Plus, its lack of data caps means you can skip out on overage charges at the end of the month—regardless of how much data you use. This is good news for streamers and online gamers. 

DSL is an older internet technology that relies on telephone lines. So, if you live in a remote rural area where there’s no infrastructure, CenturyLink is likely not on the table for you. DSL usually tops out at 100 Mbps, which is the fastest speed you can expect from a CenturyLink DSL plan. This is enough speed for one person to do most things they want to do online easily, but things could get sluggish if multiple people are sharing the connection—especially if you experience a slowdown, which is common with DSL.

That said, for how much speed and data you get for $50 per month, CenturyLink is much cheaper than even HughesNet (which admittedly has wider availability) and other rural internet providers. If you live in a rural area and CenturyLink is available, we recommend you go with that over satellite providers to get the most for your money.

Info
Heads up: You might see CenturyLink offering speeds up to 940 Mbps.

If you’re browsing CenturyLink’s site and stumble upon its 940 Mbps plan, don’t be shocked.

By augmenting the DSL line with a fiber connection, many ISPs—CenturyLink included—can offer gigabit speeds. Don’t get your hopes up just yet though. If you live in a rural area, it’s quite likely you won’t get these fiber-based speeds. Bummer, we know. Still, it’s always worth checking.

See all your rural internet options using our database of 1,200+ providers.

T-Mobile Home Internet: Best rural 5G internet

Best rural 5G internet
T Mobile
T-Mobile 5G home internet
Our Rating
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
pro Price: $50.00/mo.
pro Speeds: 72–245 Mbps
pro Data: Unlimited
pro Availability: 90% across the US
Pros
pro Unlimited data
pro Solid average speeds
Cons
con Only available in areas with cell phone service
con Patchy coverage in some rural areas

T-Mobile Home Internet

T-Mobile offers 5G home internet to 90% of the US, with speeds averaging 72–245 Mbps for an easy, clean $50 a month. If 72–245 Mbps doesn't sound as impressive as its competition (Verizon says it can deliver up to 1,000 Mbps), just remember that T-Mobile's more honest in that these speeds are the average range experienced by its users. Verizon could promise 1,000 Mbps but almost never deliver, by contrast. And T-Mobile's range is a good internet speed that should support just about every internet activity.

T-Mobile sweetens the deal further by promising that your $50 bill will never increase. Plus, T-Mobile home internet has a 15-day trial window, so if within that timeframe you decide the service isn't working for you, you can cancel, return, and get your money back.

Check out our T-Mobile Home Internet review for more details on this internet service provider. 

Pricetag
Save money by signing up for paperless billing and autopay.

Many internet providers offer you monthly discounts if you sign up for paperless billing and autopay. Usually it’s to the tune of $5–$10 per month, which adds up fast.

Other wireless home internet providers

If you're in an area with few traditional internet service provider options but good cell coverage, wireless internet services are a great choice for you. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is our first choice, but here are some noteworthy runners-up.

Verizon LTE Home Internet

For folks who live away from cable and fiber infrastructure but within cell phone coverage areas, 4G LTE internet from Verizon is an excellent runner-up option to T-Mobile. It gives you average download speeds of 25 to 50 Mbps, with speeds up to 1,000 Mbps in some areas, and of course that blessed unlimited data. 

But where things really start to get good is if you already have Verizon cell service. If you add Verizon 4G LTE Home Internet to a qualifying mobile phone plan, you can get a pretty steep discount per month. Just a heads up though: you’ll need to buy Verizon’s $240 modem/router up front. Also, like T-Mobile's home internet service, Verizon LTE Home Internet service is tied to your location, so it isn’t portable.

AT&T Wireless Internet

AT&T Wireless Internet offers an average of 25 Mbps speeds with a 350 GB data cap per month for $59.99 a month (if you bundle services, that is). If you can get either Verizon home internet or T-Mobile Home Internet, we'd suggest going with those instead, since AT&T Wireless Internet is more restrictive and has slower speeds than both.

Best for RV internet: Visible mobile hotspot

Best for RV internet
Visible
Visible
Our Rating
4 out of 5 stars
4
pro Price: $30.00–$45.00/mo.
con Speeds: Up to 5 Mbps
pro Data: Truly unlimited
pro Availability: 99% across the US
Pros
pro Portable and works nationwide
pro Truly unlimited data
pro Affordable prices
Cons
con 5 Mbps speed max when hotspotting

Visible Wireless is a favorite among RVers because of its low price, Verizon network that offers 99% coverage, and great deals that sweeten the sign-up process. Plus, unlike other MVNOs and cell providers, Visible Wireless offers truly unlimited data, so you won't find yourself slowed to a snail's space after 15 GB. 

True, Visible's phone plan offer only up to 5 Mbps when you use the service as a hotspot—you can get up to 100 Mbps when just use data on your phone—but 5 Mbps is actually plenty to stream TV and even make Zoom calls (though not at the same time).

Visible's hotspot data is restricted to one device connection at a time, but we fortunately know the best way to take advantage of that. If you get yourself a travel router for your RV and hook it up to your Visible hotspot, it counts as the one device. Then, you can sync your other devices to that router and get your unlimited data and 5 Mbps speeds on everything from a ring doorbell to your laptop.

So Visible Wireless might not have blazing speeds, but it does have limitless data and enough speed to satisfy even the traveling Netflix binge-watcher.

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More ways to stay connected

For more ways to get reliable internet on the road, check out our How to Get Internet in Your RV guide

Best fixed wireless rural internet: Rise Broadband

Best fixed wireless rural internet
Rise Broadband
Rise Broadband
Our Rating
3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5
pro Prices: $35.00–$65.00/mo.*
pro Speeds: 25–50 Mbps
pro Data cap: 250 GB–Unlimited
pro Availability: 16 states

*Speeds and prices may vary and are subject to change. Prices are with a 12-mo. agreement, plus taxes & equip fees

Pros
pro Cheaper than satellite internet
pro Lower latency
Cons
con Prone to slowdowns
con Unavailable in some rural areas
con Low data caps on cheaper plans

Rise Broadband offers speeds up to 50 Mbps. That’s not bad, considering we’ve seen DSL speeds of about 2 Mbps while visiting family in rural Wisconsin.

Fixed wireless internet service is slowly replacing DSL in rural America, which is a good thing. It’s more widely available, doesn’t require a phone line, and offers faster speeds than DSL in many cases.

If this is the first time you’re hearing about fixed wireless, you should know that it functions differently than a hotspot or satellite internet. But it’s still just as viable of an option for rural America. In a nutshell, fixed wireless providers beam your internet connection from a fixed location to an antenna installed on your roof. This signal then goes to your router, which broadcasts a home Wi-Fi network. It’s a cheaper way to bring faster internet speeds to rural areas rather than waiting on big ISPs to install expensive and labor-intensive underground cabling.

One downside to Rise Broadband and fixed wireless in general is that some plans have data caps, depending on your plan and how much you’re willing to pay. Most fixed wireless data caps are not as low or limiting as satellite internet’s data caps that start at 10 GB per month, but several fixed wireless providers do charge you extra if you hit your max, rather than just slowing you down like satellite internet does.

AT&T fixed wireless internet availability

If Rise Broadband isn't available in your area, other fixed-wireless providers still might be. Fixed-wireless is a great rural internet option, so we'd definitely suggest looking at all the fixed-wireless providers in your area before giving up on the internet type altogether.

AT&T fixed wireless plans start at $59.99 a month for an average of 25 Mbps download speeds. That makes it typically slower than Rise Broadband (especially since 25 Mbps is average, so it goes lower), but for the price, 25 Mbps in a rural area isn't too bad. Not fantastic, but not bad.

Of course, AT&T internet availability depends on where you live. We suggest using our zip check feature below to find out if it's available in your area.

Simplify your rural internet provider search with our database of over 1,200 internet providers.
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Best rural internet for gaming
Starlink
Starlink
Our Rating
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
pro Prices: $110.00–$500.00/mo.*
pro Speeds: Up to 300 Mbps
pro Data cap: 1 TB
pro Availability: Limited

Bonus: Starlink is the best rural internet for gaming 

If you're lucky enough to have Starlink internet available near you, we recommend it as the best rural internet for gaming.

With significantly lowered latency than geostationary satellite internet providers like HughesNet and Viasat, Starlink is also able to deliver faster speeds with a much bigger data cap that a lot of rural internet providers. The big drawback, unfortunately, is that a lot of people still don't have access to it. 

We could have also suggested T-Mobile Home Internet or  Verizon Home Internet pick for great gaming internet, but both have situational drawbacks that don't make them perfect matches for rural gamers. T-Mobile has restrictions on peer-to-peer gaming, for one, and if you live in an area where several people are using the same cell tower for internet, your speeds can drastically slow.

Plus, latency is still an issue with wireless internet, and it gets worse the further from the cell tower you are. With all those things taken into account, we couldn't recommend either as the best rural internet for gaming, even if either could also work if you were close enough to a cell tower that's not overused (and didn't care about peer-to-peer gaming, of course).

What should you look for in a rural internet provider?

The best rural internet provider for you will offer rural internet access where you need it, have good download speeds, and come with data caps that are generous enough to do what you want online.

But let’s keep it real. If you’re a rural resident, we don’t need to tell you that rural internet options are disappointing compared to what you can get in more crowded areas, so it’s important to start your search with the right expectations. With rural internet, just know upfront that you’ll be paying more each month for less speed and less data than you would in the city. This can be particularly frustrating if you're looking for Los Angeles County internet and have few options when there's a bustling metropolis with infinite internet options just miles away.

That said, it truly is amazing just how far rural internet coverage can go—especially with nationwide providers like HughesNet and Viasat. And finding the best rural internet provider for you can make your life possible, whether you want to work remotely from your farm in Montana or travel the country in your RV for the summer. 

Once you know which rural providers are available, the next step is finding a plan that’s the right balance of speed, data, and price. You don’t want to pay for more speed or data than you need to if monthly cost is an important factor for you.

Our verdict: Go with HughesNet unless CenturyLink is available.

We recommend HughesNet as the best rural internet option for the most people. Its nationwide (and even overseas) availability combined with excellent prices make it a great solution for anyone living in a rural community, from the local bar owner to your Instagram browser. 

That said, satellite internet is inherently expensive and offers less data for the price. So if you’re someone who needs data more than speed and doesn’t want to fork out more than $50 a month for internet service, go with CenturyLink DSL. It’s often the only landline internet option available for rural residents—if it’s available at all.

Of course, your best bet is to check all your internet options where you live first and then make your final decision from there.

Simplify your rural internet provider search with our database of over 1,200 internet providers.

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FAQ about the best rural internet options

What is the fastest internet for rural areas?

The fastest internet for rural areas is Starlink or Viasat, although Viasat's rural internet speeds are more dependable and far more expensive. Starlink advertises internet speeds up to 500 Mbps while Viasat advertises 100 Mbps speeds. 

Why aren’t there more rural internet options?

There aren’t many rural internet options because internet infrastructure is expensive to build in rural areas. The best internet options are usually based on fiber or cable, and it takes a significant investment from internet companies to lay down the necessary infrastructure for these internet types. Usually that investment is worthwhile only if the new infrastructure can reach a lot of people in a small area, which is difficult to achieve in rural areas.

That said, unlimited internet service in rural areas has become a goal for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and many politicians, who have passed the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and proposed additional measures to expand rural internet options with unlimited data.

What is the best internet service for rural areas?

The best internet service for rural areas is satellite internet from HughesNet or Viasat, but we’d recommend HughesNet for its better prices and lack of prices. Plus, if you need to purchase more data, HughesNet lets you roll it over for as long as it lasts, unlike Viasat. 

Other good rural internet options include 4G LTE home internet, DSL, and fixed wireless. Although satellite internet is often the best option, we recommend checking all your options first before signing up just in case a landline provider like CenturyLink or Xfinity happens to be available in your area.

What alternatives to satellite internet are there?

The best alternative to satellite internet is 5G/4G LTE home internet service from Verizon or T-Mobile or fixed wireless service from Rise Broadband. DSL internet is also a cheaper alternative to satellite internet. But if you live in a remote area, satellite internet might be your only (and best) option.

Should I get fixed wireless internet service?

You should get fixed wireless internet service if it’s available in your area and if you want a cheaper alternative to satellite internet. Often the prices are quite affordable in comparison to other types of rural internet service, and as long as you don’t need download speeds faster than 50 Mbps, you’re good to go on speed too.

Do Viasat or HughesNet offer unlimited satellite internet?

Yes, technically HughesNet and Viasat both offer unlimited satellite internet plans, but your speeds will be significantly slowed once you hit your data allotment. So far, Starlink is the only satellite provider promising truly unlimited data, but its availability is still limited.

Can I use my cell phone as a hotspot for my home internet?

If you’re a very light data user, hotspotting off your mobile phone can be a solution (assuming you can get a cell phone signal at your house). But mobile phone plans usually don’t give you much hotspot data. Check out the best unlimited mobile hotspot data plans if you want more data.

Cara Haynes
Written by
Cara Haynes
Cara Haynes is the managing editor for SatelliteInternet.com. She cares deeply about helping people choose rural internet solutions that are right for them. She graduated with a BA in English and a minor in editing from Brigham Young University, and she has over 5 years of experience researching and writing about hundreds of rural and residential internet providers. She often daydreams about living and working from a cabin in Montana, close to Glacier National Park. Although still firmly anchored to suburbia, she’s committed to researching the best ways for rural Americans to get online—no matter where they live or play.