If you’re hunting for an internet service provider in Boise, Idaho, you might easily get overwhelmed by all the options. Between cable, fiber, wireless and satellite options, there’s a lot to choose from — all at wildly different prices.
We’ve done the homework for you and found that T-Mobile Home Internet is the best overall service for most people, thanks to its low price and simple setup. But there are plenty more to consider, especially if you’re interested in superspeedy fiber or dirt-cheap wireless.
Best internet providers in the City of Trees
You have a lot of options for internet providers in Boise, from fiber to satellite to fixed wireless plans. They come in a wide range of prices and speeds too. All prices listed on this page reflect available discounts for setting up paperless billing. If you decide not to go with automatic monthly payments, your price will be higher.
Note: The prices, speeds and features detailed in the article text may differ from those listed in the product detail cards, which represent providers’ national offerings. Your particular internet service options — including prices and speeds — depend on your address and may differ from those detailed here.
Internet providers in Boise overview
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Download speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CenturyLink/Quantum Fiber Internet | DSL/fiber | $50-$75 | 20-940Mbps | $15 for modem/router rental (optional) | None | None | 6.7 |
| CTC Telecom/Wilderness Wireless | Fixed wireless | $49-$95 | 10-100Mbps | Router included | N/A | ||
| EarthLink Home Internet | DSL/fiber | $50-$90 | 15-1,000Mbps | $13 equipment rental fee | None | 1 year | 6.3 |
| Rise Broadband | Fixed wireless | $45 | 25-50Mbps | $10 modem; $5-$15 router (optional) | 250GB or unlimited | None, but required for some promotions | 6.2 |
| Sparklight | Cable | $25-$80 | 100-940Mbps | $13 modem rental (optional) | 700-1,500GB, or unlimited | None | 6.9 |
| SpeedyQuick Networks | Fixed wireless | $60-$165 | 5-40Mbps | None | None | 1 year | N/A |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50 | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| White Cloud | Fixed wireless | $55-$150 | 10-200Mbps | $8-$12 (optional) | Unlimited | None (but installation fee is charged if you cancel before 12 months) | N/A |
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All available Boise residential internet providers
In addition to the top providers we listed above, there are a few more options in Boise that might be worth considering:
- CTC Telecom/Wilderness Wireless: This company provides internet service to customers in Idaho and Eastern Oregon. There are no contracts required. The base plan is $49 per month, and the top-tier plan is $95 monthly.
- Satellite internet: These services are available virtually everywhere. Two options for this type of provider are HughesNet and Viasat. Viasat features plans from $70-$300 monthly, customers can expect speeds from 12-100Mbps. It requires a two-year contract. HughesNet plans will run from $65-$125 monthly, with an available speed of about 25Mbps. This also requires a two-year contract and equipment rental or purchase.
- SpeedyQuick Networks: This is another wireless provider serving the Boise region, with plans costing anywhere between $60 and $165 per month. Download speeds range from 5-40Mbps.
- White Cloud: This is an Idaho-based company that offers residential internet in Boise. It’s a wireless connection, and plans range from $55-$150 monthly.
Pricing info on Boise home internet service
Most of the internet options in Boise start around $50 per month. Prices quickly rise as internet speeds increase, so you very much get what you pay for.
Cheap internet options in the Boise metro area
The absolute cheapest internet plan you’ll find in town is $25 per month, which is the base plan from Sparklight with 100Mbps download speed. The best values, however, are Sparklight’s larger data packages and CenturyLink, whose base plans give you the most Mbps for the dollar.
You might also be eligible to get a price reduction on your internet plan through the Affordable Connectivity Program, a federal discount of up to $30 monthly intended for low-income households (and up to $75 for households on tribal lands).
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Boise?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparklight | $25 | 100Mbps | $13 modem rental (optional | None |
| Rise Broadband | $45 | 50Mbps | $10 modem; $5-$15 router (optional) | None |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | $50 | 245Mbps | None | None |
| CenturyLink/Quantum Fiber Internet | $50 | 500Mbps | $15 for modem/router rental (optional) | None |
| EarthLink Home Internet | $50 | 15Mbps | $13 | 1 year |
| White Cloud | $55 | 10Mbps | $8-$12 (optional) | None (but installation fee is charged if you cancel before 12 months) |
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Fastest internet providers in Boise
There are only a handful of high-speed options available in Boise. The cable and fiber providers’ top-tier plans are your best in that department.
Three providers tie for the fastest internet in Boise: EarthLink, Sparklight and CenturyLink/Quantum Fiber, which all top out at about 1,000Mbps, and show some of the highest ranges on speed tests.
What are the fastest internet plans in Boise?
| Provider | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Starting price | Data cap | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EarthLink | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $90 | None | 1 year |
| CenturyLink/Quantum Fiber Internet | 940Mbps | 940Mbps | $75 | None | None |
| Sparklight | 940Mbps | 50Mbps | $80 | None | None |
What’s the final word on internet providers in Boise?
Boise has a good range of internet providers, meeting lots of different customer preferences. You can opt for a cheap wireless plan or go all in on a top-of-the-line fiber plan. Either way, you’re likely to find reliable, fast service for your home in the metro area.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Boise
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’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time 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.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Boise FAQs
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