Best Internet Providers in Kansas City, Missouri

What's the best internet provider in Kansas City?

Kansas City (the Missouri side) has many nicknames, both formal and informal: City of Fountains, Paris of the Plains and the Barbecue Capital of the World. The place knows how to do it right regarding food, music and celebrating its history. Whether you’re a longtime resident or just moving to town, you want fast, reliable internet for remote work, gaming and streaming all those Chiefs games.

This guide is geared to the Missouri side of the city, but you may find similar ISP options if you’re shopping for internet from Kansas. Google Fiber is our pick for the best internet provider in Kansas City, but it’s not the only game in town. Different providers offer different plans, starting as low as $15 a month. Stream your favorite jazz or blues (or hit play on hometown hero Burt Bacharach’s catalog) and let’s check out the best choices for home internet in Kansas City. 

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

All available Kansas City residential internet providers

While Google Fiber, Spectrum and Verizon 5G Home Internet made it to the top of our best list of ISPs in Kansas City, there are other options out there. AT&T Fiber, if available to you, is one to consider as a close competitor to Google Fiber. 

• AT&T Fiber: Google Fiber eclipsed AT&T Fiber on our best list, thanks to wider availability across Kansas City. But check to see if AT&T services your address. A variety of plans and max speeds of 5,000Mbps in some spots make it a compelling competitor for your internet dollar. It's especially strong in the southwestern reaches of the city and around Independence.
• T-Mobile Home Internet: T-Mobile didn't quite squeak by Verizon on our best ISP list for Kansas City, but it's worth a look if you're shopping for no-fuss fixed wireless. Speeds range from 72 to 245Mbps for $50 per month ($40 with an eligible phone plan). Check this out if you're an existing T-Mobile phone customer looking for a home internet bargain, or if Verizon 5G Home Internet doesn't have a slot open for your address.
• Xfinity: Cable provider Xfinity sneaks some coverage into Kansas City proper, but it's especially strong around Independence and the suburb of Raytown. It's a direct competitor to Spectrum. Plans start at $20 for 150Mbps service and go as high as $80 for 2,000Mbps. Be sure to scrutinize the plan details for contract terms and whether or not equipment is included. Also, keep an eye on the 1.2-terabyte data cap. There are options to pay for unlimited data or rent equipment with unlimited data included as a perk.
• Wisper Internet: Wisper is a fixed wireless provider focused on rural and remote areas. If that sounds like your house, then it could be an option to consider along with satellite internet. Prices start at $50 per month for 25Mbps service, but depending on your location, you may be able to get speeds up to 400Mbps for $135 per month. There's a $100 installation fee, but you can get $50 off if you sign up for autopay.
• Satellite internet: Satellite internet from Starlink, Viasat and Hughesnet has been a lifeline for rural and underserved areas with few options for getting online. If you live in Kansas City, however, you're likely to have faster and more affordable plans from Google, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Check into satellite if you're outside town and the usual suspects don't service your address.

Kansas City broadband at a glance

For most Kansas City residents, the biggest decision you have to make is whether to go with fiber or cable. Google and AT&T have strong fiber coverage across the town, so that may be your ideal choice, especially if you need fast upload speeds. Cable ISPs Spectrum and Xfinity make a case with affordable plans, while fixed wireless competitors Verizon and T-Mobile will tempt you to bundle your phone service and get home internet at a discount.

Pricing details on Kansas City home internet service

With both Google's and Spectrum’s lowest-cost plans in the mix, the average starting price for internet in Kansas City works out to under $50. Fiber starts as low as $55 per month from AT&T, but the more widely available Google Fiber 1,000Mbps plan will cost you $70 per month. That’s a pretty good deal for gigabit fiber.

Cheap internet options in the Kansas City metro area

Google Fiber’s $15-per-month 100Mbps plan is one of the cheapest internet rates you’ll find, but it’s only available in certain areas of Kansas City that have been traditionally underserved. One clever way to get cheap home internet is to bundle an eligible Verizon, Spectrum or T-Mobile phone plan with internet service. That puts Verizon at as low as $35 per month and T-Mobile as low as $40 per month. 

What's the cheapest internet plan in Kansas City?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Kansas City

The best internet deals and top promotions in Kansas City depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals. 

Fastest internet providers in Kansas City

Homes that are in the right places can enjoy fiber internet speeds of up to 5,000Mbps from Google or AT&T. That’s a big part of why Kansas City ranks in 10th place on Speedtest by Ookla's listing of internet speeds for the 100 most populous cities in the US. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) KCMO pulls down a median download speed of 269Mbps, with Google Fiber taking the prize for the city’s fastest provider at a median download speed of about 303Mbps. Zippy.

Depending on what part of town you’re in, you’ll look to Google Fiber or AT&T Fiber to fuel your online adventures. Both have plans up to 5,000Mbps, but you can save money and still pull down fast speeds if you look at the 2,000Mbps tier from either provider. Here’s what you need to know about the best multigigabit plans you can buy.

What are the fastest internet plans in Kansas City?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines -- and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

• 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics -- browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Val Verde Park

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? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for 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 publication. 

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. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Kansas City?

Your first choice when shopping for internet in Kansas City should be fiber from either Google or AT&T. It’s speedy up and down and reasonably priced, especially around the 1-gig level. When it comes to cable, Xfinity has a wide choice of plans and some affordable prices on the lower end. When the budget is tight, consider bundling an eligible phone plan to get discounted home internet from Verizon or T-Mobile.

Internet providers in Kansas City FAQs