Best Internet Plans for Veterans

Many military families are eligible for government help with their internet bill. The most important program to know about is called the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). With the ACP you can save money on plans with some of the best internet providers on the market.

Here are the details. 

The Affordable Connectivity Program got its start 2021 as part of the The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The program gives low-income families a monthly subsidy of $30 that can be used to pay your high-speed internet bill.

Many veterans (and others) are eligible for ACP. Here are some of the ways that you can qualify:

• If your income is 200% or less than the Federal Poverty Guidelines
• If you are on Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• If you receive Medicaid, SNAP, or veterans benefits

With the ACP benefit, there is free internet for disabled veterans, low-income veterans, and others who have a hard time paying their monthly bills. You can sign up by going to AffordableConnectivity.gov.

There may be other government programs that can help veterans pay for internet in your area, like the ReConnect Program. Those who are over 65 years old may also qualify for certain senior citizen discounts from their internet providers.

Want to pay less for your internet? Of course you do. With the AT&T internet discount for veterans you’ll get a full $15 a month off your monthly internet bill! You can apply that discount to any of the company's plans. Read on for all the details.

AT&T has one of the fastest and most reliable internet networks in the US. Much of the network is fiber optic, which means you’ll get unrivaled performance with symmetrical upload and download speeds. It’s the perfect ISP for gamers, work-from-homers, and big families.

AT&T offers plans with data speeds as low as 50Mbps (in areas without fiber) and going all the way up to 5,000Mbps (that’s way more internet than pretty much anyone needs). Basically, AT&T has got every kind of user covered.

AT&T’s prices aren’t really the cheapest (as you can see in the chart above). To get on one of the company’s fiber plans, you’ll spend at least $50 a month. Unless, of course, you’re an active-duty military family or a veteran, in which case you’ll get a nice discount.

The AT&T internet discount for veterans is $15 a month, applied to whichever plan you choose. You can save even more money if you decide to bundle up your internet, cable TV, and phone plans together.

Long story short: veterans who want the best performance possible should check out AT&T. Its prices might be a bit higher, but they’re reasonable once you apply your discount.

View AT&T Plans | Read Full AT&T Review

If you want to get the absolute best price on high-speed internet, then Xfinity is the way to go. It offers incredible prices on cable internet plans, and, if you’re a veteran who qualifies for the Affordable Connectivity Program, you can even get internet for free. 

Xfinity’s internet is powered by a high-speed cable internet network that can reach speeds over 1Gbps. That said, it won’t have the same upload speeds as fiber internet providers, like AT&T. But unless you’re a serious gamer or a very large household, that shouldn’t matter much.

Some of Xfinity’s cheapest plans come with a data cap, which means you may have to limit how much you use your internet (though a 1.2TB data cap is actually really high). All of the company’s higher-tier plans have an unlimited data cap, so you can go ahead and binge watch the entire run of Game of Thrones without a worry.

If you opt for one of Xfinity’s cheapest internet plans then you could end up with Comcast free internet for veterans. The Connect plan, for example, would cost $0 a month if you are eligible for the government run ACP subsidy of $30 a month.

Even if you aren’t eligible for ACP, Xfinity has an awesome range of cheap internet plans for veterans (and everyone else). While the faster plans, like Xfinity’s Gigabit Extra plan, may seem pricey, they tend to give you more than comparable plans from other ISPs.

Another way to save money with Comcast Xfinity is by bundling. When you sign up for Xfinity internet you can also add on a home security, cable TV, or a mobile phone plan to get a discount.

For example, Xfinity Internet customers can get an unlimited data plan on Xfinity Mobile for just $45 a month.

View Xfinity Plans | Read Full Xfinity Internet Review

Verizon Fios doesn’t offer free internet for veterans like Xfinity. But for those who are willing to shell out a little more money every month, it does offer the best internet performance on the market. Here’s what you need to know.

Verizon Fios’ internet service is usually the best of the best, where it’s available. It runs on a totally fiber-optic network, which means amazing download speeds, incredible reliability, and symmetrical upload speeds.

In certain cities, Verizon also offers 5G Home Internet. This is a wireless internet service that works through a super-fast mobile 5G network. It’s often cheaper than other plans with comparable speeds and you don’t have to deal with any fussy wires.

There are really only three plans to choose from with Verizon Fios, ranging in price from $50 to $90 a month. If you opt for 5G Home Internet, there’s only one plan—the price ranges depending on where you live.

Verizon’s internet prices are definitely not the cheapest. They are pricier than Xfinity’s and they are about on par with AT&T. But if you’re a veteran or part of an active military family, you can get a nice little discount.

Verizon’s veteran discount will depend on what plan you have. Here’s the breakdown:

300 Mbps plan: $5 off a month

500 Mbps plan: $10 off a month

Gigabit Connection: $15 off a month

View Verizon Fios Plans | Read Full Verizon Fios Review

Veterans in big cities and suburbs can easily get high-speed internet through a cable or fiber connection. But what if you live out in the middle of the desert or back in some mountain hollow? In that case, Viasat is the best option.

The other major satellite internet company is HughesNet, which is worth considering. But generally Viasat’s prices and performance are better.

Wired internet—like cable or fiber—will always outperform satellite internet like Viasat’s. But, if you get the right plan, your satellite internet can reach speeds of 100Mbps or more. That’s plenty of bandwidth for most users, allowing you to stream HD video on multiple screens, Zoom in to a meeting, or even do some light gaming.

Many customers will be fine with even lower speeds. Viasat’s 12 Mbps plan should, for example, be enough to watch your favorite show on HBO’s Max or sign into a video conference for work.

One of the biggest drawbacks to satellite internet is the data caps. Even the highest tier of plans have these and they can be annoying. If you stream TV all day or download huge files for work, you could easily breeze through your data cap in just a few days.

Satellite internet is pricier than wired internet. There’s no way to get around that. But Viasat’s prices are probably the best you’ll find. You can get a 12 Mbps plan for $70 a month, which will be enough bandwidth for most couples or single individuals. Bigger families might need more speed.

Unfortunately, Viasat’s pricing includes price hikes that usually kick in after the first three months. These price hikes can be steep (like an extra $20 a month!). So make sure that you read the fine print on any contract before you sign it.

While Viasat doesn't offer any special discounts for veterans or active military personnel, you may be able to save a chunk of change with ACP. If you qualify for the government program, you can get up to $30 off your bill each month.

View Viasat Plans | Read Full Viasat Review

There are many high-speed internet service providers on the market right now. But only a few offer special benefits for veterans. These four companies have the best military internet plans.

• Best military discount If you’re looking for the best military discount on high-speed internet, AT&T is the way to go. It can get you a lightning fast fiber connection for a great price.
• Best free internet: If you qualify for the ACP, you can get a totally free internet plan from Xfinity. Even if you don’t qualify, the company’s cable internet prices are pretty much unbeatable.
• Best performance: When it comes to overall speed and reliability, Verizon Fios is the best ISP in the game. It also offers a small discount for veterans.
• Best for rural internet: Viasat’s satellite internet plans are the best option for veterans who live in rural areas where wired internet connections are not available.

That wraps up our review of the best internet for veterans. But here’s a little extra information for those who want a peak under the hood, so to speak.

When we write reviews like this one, we start by looking at all of the options on the market. Using our vast database of internet plan metrics and our own personal testing experience, we narrow down the options based on the following criteria:

• Price
• Download speeds
• Upload speeds
• Overall reliability
• Discounts and promotional deals
• Availability
• Customer service

Once we’ve got a final list of the best providers, we make our recommendations. We try to make several recommendations so that every user can find an option that works for them. Thanks for trusting us as you look for the perfect internet plan!

Got a few lingering questions about internet for veterans? Well, we’ve got answers (to at least a few of them).