An Honest Optimum Internet Review: Is It Worth Your Money? (2024)

Optimum regular internet prices

*Plan prices w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill plus taxes & equip. Charges. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.

At first glance, Optimum has a lot going for it: a wide variety of internet speeds—all at prices that won’t make your piggy bank squeal.

We like to see a lot of choices when it comes to internet speeds because it’s more likely you’ll find a plan that fits your needs. And you won’t overpay for unneeded speed or consider swapping to those AOL internet CDs because your connection is too slow.

The prices shown in the table are Optimum's promotional prices. Check the disclaimers for package prices before bundling. To get these promotional low-cost internet plans even lower, you'll want to bundle with Optimum Mobile. Optimum Mobile offers unlimited talk, text, and data. It also comes with 5 GB mobile hotspot data.

If you’re asking, “What’s the catch?” right now, you’re not alone. As with most ISPs, Optimum imposes price increases after a year. Though the introductory pricing is quite affordable, you'll pay more after the initial 12 months. We're not surprised, though, as this is pretty standard practice for most ISPs.

But if you switch and bundle with Optimum Mobile between December 4th and January 7th, you'll get a two-year price lock.*

Optimum lists that prices are "subject to change," so you won't know exactly how much prices will increase, just that they will after a full year of service.

Need help paying for Optimum internet?

If your budget is blown and you still need internet, there are a couple of options that can help you pay for Optimum:

1. Altice Advantage Internet: A low-cost internet plan billed at $14.99 a month for speeds up to 50 Mbps.

Where is Optimum internet available?

The map above shows states where Optimum internet service is available. Darker blue means it’s more likely you can get Optimum in that state, while lighter blue means Optimum is available only in small areas of that state.

Most of Optimum’s internet service is available in New Jersey, while New Yorkers and Connecticut residents are also likely to have it as an internet option. Residents of Matamoras, Pennsylvania, can also get Optimum internet service.

If you want to compare Optimum to more accessible internet providers, check out how Optimum compares to T-Mobile 5G Home Internet or Google Fiber.

Compared to other internet providers in the Northeast, Optimum’s prices and speeds are right in line. Depending on what internet speed you need, Optimum might be the cheaper route.

Here’s a quick look at how Optimum’s minimum and maximum prices and speeds compare to , Astound Broadband, powered by RCN, and Verizon Fios Home Internet.

One thing to note is that Optimum’s lowest price is for 300 Mbps download speeds.

You’ll notice in the table below that Optimum’s price for its 300 Mbps internet is cheaper than AT&T Fiber, Astound Broadband, and Verizon Fios Home Internet. So if the Optimum 300 plan is available in your area, we say listen to the Steve Miller Band’s advice and go on, take the savings and run.

And if you need gig speeds, Optimum’s 1 Gig plan is the cheapest around, matched only by Astound Broadband (formerly RCN).

To recap, here’s how Optimum Internet compares to AT&T Fiber, Astound, and Verizon Fios Home Internet:

• AT&T Fiber: AT&T Fiber’s slower plans, like Internet 300, are almost a match with Optimum in terms of value. But at faster speeds of 940 Mbps, Optimum provides more value with a lower monthly price.
• Astound Broadband, powered by RCN: In New York, Astound Broadband is another great value pick. Though, some of Astound’s plans, like the 600 Mbps plan, cost slightly more per month than Optimum’s plans with the same download speeds.
• Verizon Fios Home Internet: Verizon’s monthly cost is a tad higher than Optimum’s, but you’ll get a slightly faster download speed. But if you’re looking at grabbing internet speeds of 400 Mbps or faster, Optimum quickly becomes a better choice.

Want to read more about Optimum and other ISPs in the Northeast? Check out these reviews:

• Optimum vs. Verizon Fios Home Internet
• Astound Broadband, powered by RCN Internet Review
• Verizon Fios Home Internet Review

Optimum offers a wide range of internet speeds, making it easy to find a plan that fits your needs without charging you a boatload more.

We recommend 300 Mbps download speeds as a good starting point for most small families, and Optimum West and East offers 300 Mbps plans with its cable and fiber service.

If you need faster speeds for a larger household or an at-home business, Optimum’s internet goes up to 940 Mbps. That’s plenty of speed to keep you working, gaming, and streaming efficiently.

Upload speeds, on the other hand, might cause you trouble. Optimum’s 300 Mbps plan comes with 20 Mbps upload speeds, which is the bare minimum recommendation for uploading large files and using Zoom.

If you use video chat to keep in touch with family or coworkers or run your home business, you may want to bump up to the Optimum 500 cable internet plan. Or better yet, grab an Optimum fiber internet plan if it’s available in your area.

Data caps

Optimum makes data easy: you get an unlimited amount of data no matter which plan you pick. That’s a huge benefit when pretty much every electronic device uses data—including your home security system and cell phone.

• Optimum data cap: Unlimited

Need to change your internet plan to a cheaper one? Need more speed to keep up with new roommates? No worries. Optimum doesn’t require a contract, so you can change your internet service as needed with no penalty.

As for equipment and installation, Optimum’s fees are pretty standard. Here’s a closer look at its rental equipment and fees.

Equipment

Optimum’s modem-and-router gateway rental is included with most internet plans whether you have its cable or fiber internet service. That’s pretty great—most other internet providers charge $10 to $15 a month for their equipment.

Other equipment options include Smart Wi-Fi Extenders and Optimum Stream. The Wi-Fi extenders are a cheap addition to help your Wi-Fi reach even the furthest corners. Optimum Stream is a great way to stream all your apps in 4K, along with 50+ free channels.

• Optimum Gateway 6 fee: Included
• Wi-Fi extenders: $3 a month per extender
• Optimum Stream: $5 a month

Screenshot by author

Service fees

Optimum’s fees are comparable to other large internet providers in the US. We recommend signing up for service online, because sometimes Optimum offers discounted installation.

• Installation: $99.00-$149.99
• Service restoration fee (1–2 products): $10.00
• Service restoration fee (3+ products): $15.00
• Home wiring: $80.00 one-time fee if your home requires cables or wiring so the technician can install your internet
• Late payment fee: $10.00

Screenshot by author

Optimum’s customer satisfaction rating on the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) report dropped from 60 out of 100 to 59 out of 100 to a new low of 58.

This score puts this internet provider at the bottom of the list regarding how satisfied customers are.

Poor customer service is an issue that most internet providers need to work on.

While the ISPs are getting their act together, here are some tips on dealing with internet customer service reps that should keep you from throwing your cell phone across the room in anger.

• Optimum's customer service number: 1-(888)-467-8468
• Instagram: @alticeusa
• Facebook: Altice USA

On a somewhat related note, one excellent feature we saw on Optimum’s website was a full set of accessibility adjustments. These range from settings that affect the visibility of text and images, a keyboard navigator, and an ADHD-friendly mode.

This is a feature we hope to see on more sites.

Recap: Is Optimum internet good?

Optimum Internet is an excellent choice for most residents of the Northeast. It provides good value in terms of pricing, speeds, and data, including some of the cheapest prices in the region.

• Prices and plans: Optimum’s internet plans are budget-friendly, and none of the plans come with an automatic price hike after a certain amount of time. Compared to AT&T Fiber, Astound Broadband (formerly RCN), and Verizon Fios Home Internet, Optimum’s internet prices are right on the money, if not cheaper. And you can get Optimum plans even cheaper when you add a mobile plan.
• Speed: Optimum offers a wide range of download speeds, meaning you won’t need to pay more for speeds you don’t need or suffer through speeds that are too slow. But watch out for slow upload speeds on its cable internet plans.
• Data caps: All Optimum Internet plans come with unlimited data, so there is no need to worry about overage fees.
• Contracts, equipment, and fees: Optimum doesn’t require contracts, plus its equipment and service fees are reasonable.
• Customer service: Optimum, like most internet providers, could improve in the customer service department. But we do like the customer-friendly accessibility options on its site.

Recommended Optimum Internet plan

Methodology

To provide a thorough review of Optimum Internet, we considered the following features:

1. Price
2. Download and upload speed
3. Number of different plans to choose from
4. Data cap
5. Availability
6. Any additional fees or contract requirements
7. Customer service

We then compared these features to other internet providers serving the same area to get an idea of whether or not Optimum offers good value with its internet service. Comparing, reviewing, testing, and researching is something we've been doing for 8+ years at Reviews.org.

Optimum Internet has one of the best dollar-to-Mbps, offering faster-than-fast speeds with unlimited data caps. And we also like how there are at least four internet plan options in each area it services.

But we had to dock it down because it's only available in a handful of states in select areas. Internet providers, like Xfinity and Spectrum, are widely available across the US.

*w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill, plus Mobile taxes. Terms apply. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may
vary. Not available in all areas.