The true cost of internet over 3 years (2026 study)
Advertised prices are for month one. This study adds up what you'd pay over 36 months.
Over three years, the plans we could price range from $1,260 (Verizon 5G Home with a Verizon phone line) to $2,520 (AT&T Fiber and gFiber 1 Gig). Long locks make the biggest difference: Astound's Price for Life 1 Gig totals $1,620.
Three-year cost by plan
One-time costs to add
- Installation: $0 at AT&T Fiber; $100 for Frontier Fiber 500 expert installation; $99 Fios setup unless you join Mobile + Home; $99 Starlink pro install on the 100 Mbps plan.
- Equipment: included at most fiber providers and on new Xfinity plans; Tracfone's router is about $70; Total Wireless's is $14.99 with a phone plan.
- Leaving: Frontier charges a $50 restocking fee plus up to $150 per unreturned device ($500 on 5 and 7 Gig).
What we found
- Locks beat promos over three years. Astound's Price for Life ($1,620) and Mediacom's 3-year lock ($1,800) cost less over 36 months than AT&T Fiber at $70, even though AT&T has no year-two jump.
- 5G is cheapest but not equal. Mint and Verizon 5G Home come in lowest, with speeds that vary by signal and can be deprioritized.
- Missing plans. Spectrum, Frontier 1 Gig, Fios, Ziply and Kinetic don't publish a full three-year price for 1 Gig, so they're not in the table. Spectrum's 1 Gig is $60 for the first year, then standard rates.
See the 2026 Price Lock Index and how to read your bill.
Questions
How much does internet cost over three years?
For the plans we could price, $1,260 to $2,520 over 36 months before taxes: from Verizon 5G Home with a Verizon phone line to AT&T Fiber and gFiber 1 Gig at $70/mo.
What is the cheapest gigabit internet over three years?
Among published 1 Gig plans, Astound Price for Life at $45/mo ($1,620) and Sparklight's published schedule ($1,620 to $2,040, by location) came in lowest.
Cite this study: ShopHighSpeed, "The true cost of internet over 3 years (2026 study)," Oct 2026, https://shophighspeed.com/guides/true-cost-of-internet-3-years/
- Plan pages and Broadband Facts labels from Home MINTernet, Verizon 5G Home, Astound Broadband, Sparklight, T-Mobile 5G Home, Mediacom, AT&T Internet Air, Optimum, checked Oct 2026
- Retailer and manufacturer product pages, prices checked Oct 2026
Prices and offers change often; confirm at your address before you order. How we research
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 ranks providers on what they actually deliver, not on what they advertise.
