Guides · Business

Business vs. residential internet: what's the difference?

Business plans cost more than the residential line down the hall — but the extras are real. Here's what you're paying for and when it's worth it.

Jean Gilles · Founder & editor
Published Jul 12, 2026 · Updated Jul 23, 2026 · 3 min read
A small office relying on its internet connection. Click to edit this caption.
The short answer

Business internet costs more but adds an uptime SLA, static-IP options, symmetrical speed and priority support. It's worth it when downtime costs you money, you host services, or several staff depend on the connection. A solo home office can usually stick with residential.

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Founder & editor

Jean founded ShopHighSpeed after trying to find one straight answer about business internet in his own town. He has been a Comcast and Verizon Fios customer, and builds the site’s rankings from the availability data providers file with the FCC rather than from provider marketing.

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