Cheap Internet Compare the cheapest internet in San Antonio

Data Usage for Popular Online Activities

Here's a quick overview of how much data certain online activities use up. This is based on if you're only using the internet for one of these activities regularly, so if you're doing more than one of these or you're sharing your connection with multiple people in your household, then opt for a higher data allowance. 

For example, if you only use your home internet for emailing, then you should be fine with 50GB per month. If you use your internet for both emailing and YouTube, and your spouse also shares the connection, you should probably look at either the 500GB or unlimited data plans.

What Internet Speed Do I Need?

When choosing the best cheap internet plan for your home, you not only need to decide how much data you need, but what upload and download speeds you need. To figure this out, you'll need to consider a few things, including:

• What you mainly use the internet for at home
• How many people/devices will be using the internet at the same time

Use the table below as a guide to help you decide what internet speeds you will need.

Main Use for Internet

If you only need the internet for the basics, such as sending emails and browsing the web, then you'll likely only need the basic internet speeds—a plan with a 10Mbps download speed should be all you need. On the other end of the spectrum, if you stream high definition movies and TV shows, regularly play online games, or work from home and need a quick and reliable internet connection, you will probably want to pick a plan with download speeds of at least 40Mbps. 

Number of People Sharing

The more people and devices that share your home internet connection the more likely you'll experience lags in connection and speeds, so you'll want to pick a plan with faster speeds that can handle this kind of traffic. 

How Do I Keep My Costs Down?

If you're looking for a cheap internet plan in San Antonio, there are a few things you should keep an eye out for before signing up for what may seem to be a cheap plan at first glance. As mentioned above, make sure you're buying a plan with the right amount of data and speeds for you. In addition to this, you need to be aware of any other hidden fees or additional costs you may incur after you sign up. These include:

• Installation fees
• Cancellation fees
• Increases in monthly rates

Installation Fees

Unfortunately most ISPs in San Antonio will charge you some sort of installation fees for fixed wireless plans which can range anywhere from $50 to upwards of $400. Although installation fees are a one-time only charge when you first sign up, they can really put a dent in your bank account if you didn't budget for this kind of expense. We clearly show you how much you'll be paying in up front fees (which include installation fees) when you use our WhistleOut search tool. 

Cancellation Fees

Luckily, most of the cheap internet plans available in San Antonio don't require you to be on a contract, which means you are free to cancel whenever you like without being charged an early termination fee. There are still some internet plans that lock you into a 24-month contract (i.e., most satellite internet plans) and these are the ones you need to be careful about. If there's a chance you might cancel your internet service before the end of your contract—whether you move to a new house or your internet needs change—be aware that you'll be charged a hefty cancellation fee which can cost more than $400. 

Increase in Monthly Rates

Don't make the mistake of signing up for a cheap internet plan only to find out a few months later that your rates are going up. There are some internet plans in San Antonio that increase in price after a few months to a year. We've done our best to make this rate increase clear when you use our comparison tool, so there aren't any nasty surprises after you've signed up for a cheap internet plan.

Mobile Internet

If you change address quite regularly, never staying in the same place for very long, then mobile internet might be a good option for you. A mobile broadband plan lets you take your internet with you where ever you go by using a WiFi modem. In San Antonio, you can get a cheap mobile internet plan from:

• Sprint
• T-Mobile
• AT&T
• Verizon

Plans start at just $15/month and you can still get fast speeds of up to 90Mbps. Be careful though, all of the mobile broadband plans available in San Antonio have a data cap, including some that will charge you extra if you go over your data allowance for the month. If you are looking for a super cheap internet plan and don't use the internet much at home, then mobile broadband might be for you, otherwise, if you need a lot of data each month, mobile broadband probably isn't your cheapest option. 

Fiber, DSL, Cable or Satellite: What's the Difference?

It can be confusing picking an internet plan that fits your needs if you don't know the difference between the types of connections you can choose from. Here are some general guidelines to make it easier for you. 

Which is Best for My San Antonio Home?

When deciding between cable, DSL, fiber and satellite internet, you'll need to consider what it takes to install your internet connection in your apartment, especially if you're renting. 

Cable and DSL

Cable and DSL are all generally easy for your internet service provider to install, since they use cables and a conveniently sized modem and router. These two options are usually your bet best when it comes to a cheap internet plan.

Fiber

Fiber internet requires an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) which is bigger than your standard modem and may need to be mounted to a wall. This could become a problem if you need to repair the wall when you move out of your San Antonio home. This may not even be something you need to consider since fiber internet is not yet available in most of the city.

Satellite

Although it has the best coverage, satellite internet might be the most difficult option when it comes to installing equipment, especially if you're currently living in an apartment. As you might imagine, satellite internet requires a satellite dish to be installed outside of your apartment. In San Antonio, you're allowed to install a satellite dish in your private space as long as it is less than 1 meter (3.3 feet) in diameter. 

If you don't have your own outdoor space, like a balcony or patio, it's illegal to install the dish in a common area like the roof or exterior wall that you don't personally own or rent. Your landlord might also have additional guidelines you need to follow when installing a satellite dish in your San Antonio apartment, so this is probably your most difficult option.

Do I Need to Buy a Modem?

San Antonio internet providers offer a variety of options when it comes to modems. They will either:

• Let you use one of their modems for free while you are on one of their internet plans
• Require you to bring your own modem (or give you the option to)
• Let you buy or rent a modem from them. 

Check your cheap internet plan details carefully so you know whether you need to buy your own modem or not. If you are bringing your own modem, make sure it's compatible with your internet service provider first.

Do I Need a Router?

If you want to connect to your home internet wirelessly, then yes, you'll need a router. Most internet service providers will provide you with a modem/router combo for a monthly rental fee, so that's probably the easiest option if you don't want the hassle of buying your own router. You'll just need to return the equipment if you cancel your internet plan. 

If you don't want to pay rent for your router, you can always buy your own which is probably your cheapest option if you're thinking about long-term savings. 

When choosing a router, make sure you buy one that is compatible with the types of speeds you will get on your internet plan. There's no point in getting an internet plan with speeds of up to 50Mbps if your router will only provide you with 11Mbps speeds. 

On the flip side, your wireless router can only go as fast as your internet service. So if you have a super fast router that allows speeds of up to 100Mbps, but you've picked a cheap internet plan that only allows speeds of up to 50Mbps, then you'll only ever have speeds of up to 50Mbps. 

San Antonio Cheap Internet Providers

In San Antonio, there are a number of internet service providers to choose from as well as a number of different types of service to choose from—DSL, cable, fiber and satellite.

Can I Bundle Internet with TV?

There are a number of providers in San Antonio—including AT&T, CenturyLink and Spectrum—that offer bundling packages for your internet, home phone and TV service. If you were already wanting TV and/or a landline, then adding this to your internet plan is the cheapest way to go. ISPs will discount your plan as you add services, making a bundle cheaper than buying two or three services separately.

Related Articles

• Home Internet: Which Type is Best for You?
• How to Find the Best Internet Plan in Your Area
• Test Your Internet Speed
• What Internet Speed Do I Need?
• Internet Data Usage Guide