Internet Providers in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Top pick

$29⁹⁹- $164⁹⁹
Up to 987 Mbps

(855) 975-1644

Runner Up

$45⁰⁰- $80⁰⁰
Up to 140 Mbps

(888) 571-9936

Business pick

$69⁹⁵- $499⁹⁵
Up to 987 Mbps

(888) 895-6045

Written by Jessica Sims Published on September 13, 2017 Updated on October 15, 2017

Xfinity and CenturyLink are the biggest and most widely-available Internet options in Minneapolis, alongside smaller coverage footprints from companies like TDS, DISH, and Windstream.
The average speed for Internet in Minneapolis is 35.5 Mbps.
There are 18 Internet providers in Minneapolis, most of which also offer business broadband services.

Best Residential Internet Providers

Having compared all the providers in Minneapolis, we concluded that these were the best home and apartment options. Both provide flexible plans and strong speed-to-price value in wide coverage areas throughout the city.

XFINITY from Comcast - Top Pick

Pricing: $29⁹⁹- $69⁹⁹
Max Down: 987 Mbps
Max Up: 35 Mbps
Ratings:

Comcast Xfinity has one of the stronger networks in this area, and overall delivers the fastest and most reliable service quality. The company frequently offers customers additional packages once subscribed, and will often match competing rates to win or keep your business.

Regular network speed upgrades

Data caps on most plans

CenturyLink - Runner Up

Pricing: $45⁰⁰- $80⁰⁰
Max Down: 140 Mbps
Max Up: 80 Mbps
Ratings:

CenturyLink is widely available within city limits as well as the surrounding area, and their FTTN (Fiber to the Node) hybrid DSL network delivers speeds that used to be unheard of for DSL Internet. It’s a solid choice for families who value reliability and budget pricing over raw speed. Their Prism TV offerings include premium channels and sports packages.

Reliable network speeds

Slightly slower than cable alternatives

Residential Internet Providers Available in Minneapolis

Fiber availability is increasing in Minneapolis, although cable and DSL are still the main options for the average household.

Pricing	Availability	Rating	Phone
$49⁹⁹+	100% Satellite		(888) 604-8295
$50⁰⁰+	100% Satellite		(888) 604-7964
$29⁹⁹+	99% Cable		(855) 975-1644
$59⁰⁰+	97% Fixed Wireless		(877) 639-8372
$45⁰⁰+	96% DSL		(888) 571-9936
$19⁹⁵+	38% Fixed Wireless	N/A	(952) 253-3262
$29⁹⁵+	18% DSL		(866) 571-6662
$30⁰⁰+	11% Fixed Wireless	N/A	(507) 369-6669
$34⁹⁵+	4% Fiber	N/A	(952) 253-3278
$50⁰⁰+	2% DSL		(888) 604-4799

Residential Internet Service Providers

This table includes every provider that has filed with the FCC as providing residential service to zip codes in this area. Some of these providers also offer advanced services like business broadband or VoIP.

Best Business Internet Providers

While residential broadband plans can sometimes be workable for small low-traffic businesses, most medium-to-enterprise businesses in Minneapolis opt for dedicated business Internet plans. Here’s our top pick for flexibility at a good price point for common business needs like VoIP support, dedicated IP, and symmetrical upload/download speed metrics.

XFINITY from Comcast - Business Pick

Max Down: 987 Mbps
Max Up: 35 Mbps
Ratings:

Comcast’s Business services are well-regarded in the business Internet industry, and don’t get the same type of mixed reviews associated with their residential service. Medium-sized business owners will get dedicated 24-hour support and network reliability that can be counted on for important daily uses such as processing transactions.

Advanced VoIP features and integration with legacy phone systems

Premium prices on top-level plans

Business Internet Providers Available in Minneapolis

Business is all about customizability for your needs. Not one size fits all. Here’s the full list of options for biz Internet in Minneapolis.

Pricing	Availability	Rating	Phone
N/A	100% Satellite		(888) 604-8295
N/A	100% Satellite		(888) 604-7964
$69⁹⁵+	96% Cable		(855) 975-1644
N/A	99% Fixed Wireless		(877) 639-8372
$42⁰⁰+	97% DSL		(888) 571-9936
N/A	39% Fixed Wireless	N/A	(952) 253-3262
N/A	41% DSL		(866) 571-6662
N/A	16% DSL		(763) 797-7900
N/A	3% Fiber	N/A	(952) 253-3278
N/A	8% DSL		(888) 604-4799
N/A	4% Copper		(866) 364-6033

Small Business Broadband Service Providers

This table includes every provider we've noted that offers business-specific broadband service in this area. These providers are focused on the needs of small and medium-sized businesses.

Map of Broadband Internet Competition in Minneapolis

Here’s a rundown on other providers currently offering business service in city limits.

Provider Competition Map

COVERAGE CENSUS TRACTS

Minneapolis Internet Speed Overview

The average speed in Minneapolis is 35.5 Mbps. The average among the top 90% of speeds recorded is 88.63 Mbps. Thanks to increasing fiber coverage, these stats should continue to jump up in coming years.

Average Speed	90th Percentile Speed
35.5 Mbps	88.63 Mbps

Average Residential download speeds within Minneapolis

Top Factors to Consider When Shopping for Internet Service in Minneapolis

Data Caps

No one enjoys being told how much they can watch TV or use the Internet. So it’s no surprise that consumers have been up in arms now that most of the big Internet providers have imposed “data caps” on home broadband plans. The result: binge too hard on Netflix, and you could wind up with a big “overage fee” on top of your monthly bill.

What can you do about it as an Internet user? Unfortunately, not much. Be aware of how much data you’re using, and keep in mind that streaming video eats data at around 0.5–3 GB/hour, depending on resolution and screen size.

Minneapolis Network Technology

In most cases, we recommend that Internet shoppers opt for fiber if it’s available at a reasonable price in your area. Failing that, cable is the second-best option, with download speeds and ping suitable for most high-bandwidth activities like streaming video and gaming. While the upload speeds aren’t as impressive as fiber, the high download speeds make it easy to download large files.

DSL is our third pick for network quality. While not as reliable and zippy as cable, it gets the job done for most daily Internet needs. It’s a big step up from wireless options like satellite, within Minneapolis city limits, so far as speed and ping.

Local Information

Low-Income Internet Plans

Low-income locals in Minneapolis don’t have to go without Internet access. Free computer and Internet services are available at local libraries, as well as subsidized home broadband plans. Prices are a fraction of retail costs for basic speeds, giving those in need the resources they need to find employment, education, and communicate. EveryoneOn provides a tool for checking who can access these programs in the Minneapolis area.

Broadband Roadblocks in Minneapolis

Minneapolis residents often wonder if it would be possible to install a “municipal broadband” network, similar to what smart-grid cities like Chattanooga have done. The first problem with this approach in Minneapolis is that there isn’t an existing smart grid to piggyback on. The second problem is that cable lobbyists have encourage anti-municipal-broadband laws that require a supermajority of 65% to install any sort of publicly-owned communication service.

Experts

Ana De Castro

Ana De Castro cut her teeth as a SAP consultant for Deloitte during the original tech boom, and now works in a communications role in the telecom industry. When she isn’t explaining technical concepts to confused consumers, she enjoys traveling with her husband and two rambunctious kids.

James Webb

James Webb is a tech and gadgets expert with a focus on educational content development. He draws on his background in the startup world to make complicated technologies and topics easy to understand for normal folks.