CNET recommends Spectrum Internet as the best overall provider in Mankato. It’s widely available throughout Mankato, with coverage extending to about 90% of the city, according to the FCC. Spectrum offers download speeds up to 1 gigabit per second, with plans starting at $50 for 500 megabits per second. However, upload speeds won’t match those of fiber providers like Fidium Fiber.
Fidium Fiber offers the fastest speeds in Mankato, with symmetrical download and upload speeds up to 2,000Mbps. Its fiber plans are competitively priced, starting at $25 per month, translating to just four cents per Mbps. Covering about 82% of the city, Fidium Fiber may not be available at every address but it’s an excellent option if you can get coverage at your address.
For budget-conscious residents, PCs for People offers internet for $15 per month with speeds ranging from 12Mbps to 40Mbps. Fidium Fiber is the second cheapest option with an entry-level plan at $25 monthly for 100Mbps, although the price increases to $70 after the first year. Spectrum offers a similar deal at $50 for 500Mbps, which also rises after 12 months.
Mankato internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment | Data cap | Contract | CNET review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Communications | DSL | $54-$74 | 10-100Mbps | $8 (optional) | None | None | n/a |
| Fidium Fiber | Fiber | $25-$85 | 100-2,000Mbps | $10 (optional) | None | None | n/a |
| Midco | Fixed wireless | $39 | 100Mbps | None | None | None | n/a |
| PCs for People | Fixed wireless | $15 | 12-40Mbps | None | None | None | n/a |
| Spectrum Read full review |
Cable | $50-$70 | 500-1,000Mbps | $10 (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 with eligible phone plans) | 87-415Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Mankato?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCs for People | $15 | 12-40Mbps | None |
| Fidium Fiber | $25 | 100Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Midco | $39 | 100Mbps | None |
| Fidium Fiber | $45 | 300Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Spectrum Read full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with an eligible phone plan) | 87-318Mbps | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with an eligible phone plan) | 50-85Mbps | None |
| Consolidated Communications | $52 | 10Mbps | None |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Mankato
The best internet deals and top promotions in Mankato depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Superior internet providers, like Spectrum and Fidium Fiber, may offer lower introductory pricing. Others, however, including T-Mobile and Verizon Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round. Verizon recently rolled out a new slew of streaming add-ons and bundles for just $10 extra monthly, which may sweeten the deal for potential 5G internet customers.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide to the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Mankato
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speeds | Max upload speeds | Data Cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidium Fiber | $85 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Fidium Fiber | $65 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Spectrum Read full review |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
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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 quick connection with dependable download and upload speeds. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines: 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 person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Mankato
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 pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data 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. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Mankato FAQs
What’s the best internet service provider in Mankato?
Spectrum Internet is the best internet service provider in Mankato because of its wide coverage of the city, competitive introductory prices and solid internet speeds. Spectrum offers two plans, from 500Mbps to 1,000Mbps. Prices start at $50 monthly and go up to $70. Just keep in mind that Spectrum increases prices after one year by $30.
Is fiber internet available in Mankato?
You can get a fiber internet connection in Mankato from Fidium Fiber, the only fiber provider in this midwestern city. Fidium Fiber has an introductory tier for 100Mbps symmetrical download and upload speeds for just $25 monthly, which increases to $70 after one year of service. All Fidium Fiber plans increase after the first year of service, but even with the price increases, the average cost per Mbps across all plans is just 12 cents. There are no data limits, required contracts or equipment ees.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Mankato?
Most internet providers in Mankato begin at $45 to $50 monthly. Fidium Fiber offers one of the cheapest plans at $25 a month for quick speeds of 100Mbps symmetrical download and upload speeds. With PCs for People, a local fixed wireless provider, you can pay just $15 monthly for max speeds of 40Mbps download and 10Mbps upload. You may qualify for discounts from internet providers like Spectrum or Verizon if you meet low-income household qualifiers, or you can lower your monthly internet price by bundling a phone plan with internet, as is the case for T-Mobile and Verizon.
Which internet provider in Mankato offers the fastest speeds?
As in many cities, the fastest internet provider in Mankato is a fiber provider: Fidium Fiber. With speeds that top out at 2,000Mbps, a middle tier of 1,000Mbps and affordable pricing for all tiers, Fidium Fiber is one of the most cost-efficient providers in the city. You can get online with fast speeds without paying over $100 monthly.
