High-speed internet is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity. From education to online shopping, staying entertained and engaged, everything requires a decent internet connection.

Over the last few years, we have seen more internet brands offering their services in the US. The goal of these internet service providers is to make the internet accessible for all at affordable prices. This high competition has pushed brands to offer the best services and features at a decent rate.

So, based on the requirements of the household, users get a lot of different options. However, even with this evolution in the internet market, low-income families and households still struggle to pay their internet bills.

Why?

Well, most people are either not earning enough, the internet in their area is not affordable, or they are subscribed to an expensive package.

Either way, they are trying to find cheap internet options. And if you’re one of them, you’re at the right place. This write-up will help you explore some of the best internet service providers offering inexpensive internet services.

Cheap Internet Options and How It All Started

During the COVID outbreak, when the majority of the world shifted online, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) realized that low-income households were suffering. These households were earning less, putting them at a higher risk of unsubscribing from their provider.

Moreover, cutting them off from the outside world meant they would not be able to get the right information about the ongoing pandemic situation.

That is when most of the providers started their low-income plans. These plans were not just for the families earning less, but also for students, veterans, senior citizens, people on public housing programs, and individuals on the Nutrition Assistance Program.

Although most of these internet programs have been discontinued by the ISPs now, if you are struggling financially, you can still seek guidance about cheap internet providers and plans.

How to Get a Cheap Internet for Your Home

When you start looking for cheap internet, always focus on the availability of the service in your area. In some cases, connectivity options (fiber, cable, satellite, DSL) are limited in remote or distant areas. So, before you start focusing on price, it is better to check the availability first.

For this, you can use the availability map for each brand or simply enter your zip code to search for the internet in your area.

Now that you have the list of all the brands, it is time to check each brand for affordable packages. While most people will tell you to look for these packages online, my recommendation is to contact the customer support.

In most cases, when the user directly contacts the customer support, it is much easier to ask questions and negotiate a price.

When you talk to the customer support agent, do not just focus on free price bumps. Instead, your goal should be to explore cheap options. Moreover, if the ISP does not offer any free internet plan, you can negotiate the price, tell them about your income, and then ask them to accommodate you.

Cheap Internet Options to Explore

As I mentioned earlier, your house location and address matter a lot while picking an affordable or cheap internet brand. In most cases, you will come across a brand offering free service, but they might not serve in your area. Similarly, in some cases, brands serving within your area might have expensive internet plans.

To avoid this hassle, here are some of the top brands that you can consider if they serve in your area.

Optimum Internet

Optimum Internet offers the Optimum Advantage plan that aims to offer decent speed and free equipment at an affordable price. This plan is not free, but you will be paying much less.

Xfinity Internet

Xfinity offers an affordable internet plan via its Internet Essentials program. Keep in mind that this plan is cheap but not free. In case you do not want to pay anything, you can get the bill covered with the Lifeline program.

AT&T Internet

This brand mainly targets and offers services for the low-income families who are already eligible for SNAP, SSI benefits, NSLP (National School Lunch Program), and Head Start. While these packages were introduced during COVID, you can still ask for cheaper packages. Apart from this, if you are eligible for ACP, you might end up with a free plan and free equipment.

Cox Internet

Cox also offers cheap internet plans via their ConnectAssist program. This plan mainly targets individuals who are already on a government assistance program or any other income-based assistance like SNAP, TANF, WIC, Medicaid, etc. Keep in mind that the plans offered by Cox Internet are not free, but you can qualify for a cheaper plan.

Mediacom Internet

Mediacom provides cheap internet plans via its Xtream Connect program. To ensure that your household qualifies for this plan, you need to verify your data via SheerID. In case you are already on CEP (Community Eligibility Provision), Title 1/LAP, any Government Assistance program, or getting SNAP Benefits, then you have a much higher chance of landing an affordable plan.

Simply put, finding free internet is a hassle. However, if you are willing to pay less, the above-mentioned companies will help you get into their cheap internet plans.