Best Internet Providers in Santa Cruz, CA
All 10 providers, ranked by coverage, speed and customer ratings
Find internet availability by address in Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz has 10 internet service providers, they are sorted by coverage, available speed, and customer rating from our unbiased internet provider report. Fiber, Cable, Fixed Wireless, and DSL internet are available in the city. Reviews are grouped by provider and the type of service they offer, covering all 4 available internet technologies in Santa Cruz.
Ranks compare Santa Cruz with the 749 US small cities (50,000 to 99,999 people), the tiers of our fastest-cities rankings.
The Best Internet in Santa Cruz, CA at a Glance
Santa Cruz Internet Providers, Ranked by Coverage, Speed and Customer Ratings
XFINITY
Connection
Customer Rating
Cable
EarthLink
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
DSL
Fixed Wireless
AT&T
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
DSL
Fixed Wireless
Cruzio Internet
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Fixed Wireless
Providers with less than 1% coverage in this city are excluded from the list. To see if one of these providers is available at your home, please use the address search above.
Speed and technology may vary by address for all providers. Please note we may have a financial relationship with some of the providers above, which does not impact the customer ratings displayed. Customer ratings listed above are national ratings, local Santa Cruz ratings may vary and are shown below.
Who is the Best Internet Provider in Santa Cruz, CA?
EarthLink is the highest-rated internet provider in Santa Cruz based on 615 California customer reviews, and T-Mobile Home Internet has the highest rating nationwide. The provider information above and the information immediately below can help you decide. Compare provider ratings and review counts above.
or call 1-877-418-2092
Which Providers are Available at my Home in Santa Cruz?
Coverage changes block by block. Pick a provider and a technology to see where its service reaches: the darker the area, the larger the share of homes it covers. For your exact address, use the address search above.
Coverage map for each provider in Santa Cruz
- AT&T - fiber coverage map
- EarthLink - fiber coverage map
- XFINITY - cable coverage map
- Cruzio Internet - fixed wireless coverage map
- Verizon - fixed wireless coverage map
- T-Mobile Home Internet - fixed wireless coverage map
- Spectrum - cable coverage map
- GeoLinks - fixed wireless coverage map
- Cruzio Internet - fiber coverage map
- AT&T - dsl coverage map
- EarthLink - dsl coverage map
- AT&T - fixed wireless coverage map
- EarthLink - fixed wireless coverage map
- Etheric Networks - fixed wireless coverage map
- surfnet communications - fixed wireless coverage map
How Santa Cruz Compares to Places Its Size
Santa Cruz's report card score is tied 422nd of 749 and its connectivity index is tied 260th of 749.
| Measure | Santa Cruz | Rank among US small cities (50,000 to 99,999 people) | Santa Cruz County | California | US | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISP Report Card inputs: what providers offer here | ||||||
| Fiber availability | 62.9% | Tied 536th of 749 | 51.1% | 62.4% | 71.5% | Aloha, OR and Shawnee, KS (100.0%) |
| Average top speed | 3,637 Mbps | 358th of 749 | 3,122 Mbps | 3,834 Mbps | 3,486 Mbps | Layton, UT (9,808 Mbps) |
| Providers at a typical address | 7.7 | Tied 331st of 749 | 8.4 | 8 | 7.1 | Guaynabo, PR (14.3) |
| Connectivity index inputs: how much households need and use the internet | ||||||
| People per household | 2.5 | Tied 456th of 749 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.7 | Pacoima, CA and Spring Valley, NY (4.3) |
| Workers who work from home | 22% | Tied 141st of 749 | 19% | 17% | 15% | Danville, CA and Potomac, MD and 2 more (39%) |
| Homes with a computer, tablet or phone | 98% | Tied 115th of 749 | 97% | 97% | 96% | Atascocita, TX and Eastvale, CA and 8 more (100%) |
| Homes with internet | 95% | Tied 183rd of 749 | 94% | 94% | 91% | Centreville, VA and Danville, CA and 2 more (99%) |
| Homes on fiber, cable or DSL | 82% | Tied 281st of 749 | 78% | 79% | 76% | Flower Mound, TX and Johns Creek, GA and 1 more (93%) |
| More about the households here | ||||||
| Homes with a desktop or laptop | 92% | Tied 88th of 749 | 85% | 84% | 81% | Sammamish, WA (99%) |
| Median household income | $113,699 | 221st of 749 | $116,189 | $111,728 | $93,246 | Potomac, MD ($227,882) |
| Residents in school (6th grade to college) | 27% | Tied 30th of 749 | 21% | 17% | 16% | East Lansing, MI (58%) |
Fiber reaches 62.9% of homes in Santa Cruz, against 51.1% across Santa Cruz County and 62.4% across California. Households in Santa Cruz are smaller than the US average (2.5 people against 2.7); 22% of workers work from home (US 15%); and the median household income is $113,699 (US $93,246).
Our demographic data is sourced from the latest 5-year release of the American Community Survey by the US Census Bureau.
Fiber, 5G, Cable and DSL Internet in Santa Cruz
Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Santa Cruz?
EarthLink Fiber in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
61.0%
Customer Rating:
(6)
Avg. Download Speed
4,690 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fiber service to 61.0% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, EarthLink Fiber has speeds up to 4,690 Mbps, with speeds from 1,000 Mpbs up to 5,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds are symmetrical, meaning they are exactly the same as download speeds for EarthLink Fiber. EarthLink Fiber is rated about the same as other types of internet service available in Santa Cruz from EarthLink in terms of customer satisfaction.
AT&T Fiber in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
61.0%
Customer Rating:
(542)
Avg. Download Speed
4,690 Mbps
AT&T offers Fiber service to 61.0% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, AT&T Fiber has speeds up to 4,690 Mbps, with speeds from 1,000 Mpbs up to 5,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds are symmetrical, meaning they are exactly the same as download speeds for AT&T Fiber. AT&T Fiber is rated lower than other types of internet service available in Santa Cruz from AT&T in terms of customer satisfaction.
Cruzio Internet Fiber in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
1.9%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Cruzio Internet offers Fiber service to 1.9% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, Cruzio Internet Fiber has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Santa Cruz?
Cruzio Internet Fixed Wireless in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
84.4%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
782 Mbps
Cruzio Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 84.4% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, Cruzio Internet Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 782 Mbps, with speeds from 50 Mpbs up to 1,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds are symmetrical, meaning they are exactly the same as download speeds for Cruzio Internet Fixed Wireless.
T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
73.7%
Customer Rating:
(342)
Avg. Download Speed
76 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 73.7% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 76 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 14 Mbps throughout the city.
Verizon Fixed Wireless in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
63.8%
Customer Rating:
(362)
Avg. Download Speed
204 Mbps
Verizon offers Fixed Wireless service to 63.8% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, Verizon Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 204 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 300 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 6.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 15 Mbps throughout the city.
EarthLink Fixed Wireless in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
36.0%
Customer Rating:
(4)
Avg. Download Speed
35 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fixed Wireless service to 36.0% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, EarthLink Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 35 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 5.3 Mbps throughout the city.
AT&T Fixed Wireless in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
36.0%
Customer Rating:
(205)
Avg. Download Speed
35 Mbps
AT&T offers Fixed Wireless service to 36.0% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, AT&T Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 35 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 5.3 Mbps throughout the city.
GeoLinks Fixed Wireless in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
21.8%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
98 Mbps
GeoLinks offers Fixed Wireless service to 21.8% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, GeoLinks Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 98 Mbps, with speeds from 50 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds are symmetrical, meaning they are exactly the same as download speeds for GeoLinks Fixed Wireless.
surfnet communications Fixed Wireless in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
10.3%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
100 Mbps
surfnet communications offers Fixed Wireless service to 10.3% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, surfnet communications Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 100 Mbps
Etheric Networks Fixed Wireless in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
4.2%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
250 Mbps
Etheric Networks offers Fixed Wireless service to 4.2% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, Etheric Networks Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 250 Mbps
Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Santa Cruz?
XFINITY Cable in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
90.5%
Customer Rating:
(2077)
Avg. Download Speed
1,496 Mbps
XFINITY from Comcast offers Cable service to 90.5% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, XFINITY Cable is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 1,496 Mbps, with speeds from 1,200 Mpbs up to 2,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 35 and as high as 250, with an average of 115 Mbps throughout the city.
Spectrum Cable in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
4.3%
Customer Rating:
(1739)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Spectrum offers Cable service to 4.3% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, Spectrum Cable is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Santa Cruz?
EarthLink DSL in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
75.2%
Customer Rating:
(5)
Avg. Download Speed
24 Mbps
EarthLink offers DSL service to 75.2% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, EarthLink DSL has speeds up to 24 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 4.0 Mbps throughout the city. EarthLink DSL is rated higher than other types of internet service available in Santa Cruz from EarthLink in terms of customer satisfaction.
AT&T DSL in Santa Cruz, CA
Availability:
75.2%
Customer Rating:
(304)
Avg. Download Speed
24 Mbps
AT&T offers DSL service to 75.2% of Santa Cruz homes. Across the city, AT&T DSL has speeds up to 24 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 4.0 Mbps throughout the city. AT&T DSL is rated about the same as other types of internet service available in Santa Cruz from AT&T in terms of customer satisfaction.
Internet in Santa Cruz by Neighborhood and ZIP Code
Fiber reaches from 35.7% of homes in Westside to 68.1% in Central Santa Cruz; by ZIP code, from 55.3% in 95065 to 80.8% in 95062. Each row links to that place’s page.
Neighborhoods in Santa Cruz
| Neighborhood | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westside | 19,222 | 35.7% | 3,374 Mbps | 7.9 | B | 77/100 |
| Live Oak | 17,216 | 67.8% | 3,807 Mbps | 8.2 | B+ | 76/100 |
| Central Santa Cruz | 8,136 | 68.1% | 3,614 Mbps | 8.2 | B+ | 67/100 |
ZIP codes in Santa Cruz
How Santa Cruz Compares to Nearby Places
The 10 places nearest to Santa Cruz that have their own pages are all within 10 miles. Among them, Capitola has the most homes with fiber (66.1%) and Ben Lomond the fewest (0.0%); Santa Cruz has 62.9%.
| Place | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz (this page) | 99,163 | 62.9% | 3,637 Mbps | 7.7 | B | 79/100 |
| Scotts Valley | 16,576 | 27.0% | 2,080 Mbps | 8.6 | B- | 84/100 |
| Aptos | 15,760 | 55.0% | 3,325 Mbps | 9.3 | B | 76/100 |
| Soquel | 12,517 | 39.0% | 2,940 Mbps | 8.9 | B | 75/100 |
| Capitola | 9,825 | 66.1% | 3,462 Mbps | 9.6 | B+ | 68/100 |
| Rio del Mar | 9,333 | 46.1% | 2,960 Mbps | 8.4 | B | 83/100 |
| Felton | 7,278 | 5.6% | 1,782 Mbps | 5.9 | C | 79/100 |
| Ben Lomond | 6,391 | 0.0% | 1,597 Mbps | 6.4 | C- | 76/100 |
| Brookdale | 1,637 | 0.0% | 1,200 Mbps | 6.9 | C- | 49/100 |
| Mount Hermon | 1,138 | 0.0% | 1,769 Mbps | 5.4 | C- | 77/100 |
| Lompico | 1,034 | 34.3% | 3,130 Mbps | 6 | C+ | 72/100 |
Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Santa Cruz?
According to unbiased feedback from real internet customers, they reported being happiest with speeds provided by EarthLink. On the other hand, based on data provided by the internet providers to the FCC, AT&T and EarthLink should have faster speeds at a local level. While we typically put more weight on real-world customer ratings, we display both satisfaction and technical maximum information for customers to decide for themselves.
Data Reported to FCC by ISPs: Average Maximum Available in Santa Cruz
| AT&T | 5,000 |
|---|---|
| EarthLink | 5,000 |
| surfnet communications | 2,500 |
| XFINITY from Comcast | 2,000 |
| Cruzio Internet | 1,000 |
| Spectrum | 1,000 |
| Verizon | 300 |
| Etheric Networks | 250 |
| Viasat | 100 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | 100 |
| GeoLinks | 100 |
| HughesNet | 25 |
How fast is your internet?
Test your connection here and see it next to the speeds providers advertise in Santa Cruz. It takes about 20 seconds and, on a fast line, can move a few hundred MB of data.
Customer Ratings for Santa Cruz Internet Providers
Based on 615 reviews from California internet customers, EarthLink is the best internet service provider for Santa Cruz residents. EarthLink was rated at an average of 2.50 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. T-Mobile Home Internet wins for second-place in California, with 4.11 out of 5 stars and 73.7% coverage in Santa Cruz.
At a national level, based on 6552 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, T-Mobile Home Internet is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.02 out of 5.
Local, State, and National Ratings for all Santa Cruz Internet Providers
The table below shows average customer ratings from customers in Santa Cruz, California, and customers throughout the country.
| ISP / Tech Type | Santa Cruz Overall | California Overall | National Overall | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EarthLink | (0) |  (2) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (1) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (0) | (228) | (1949) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (27) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (28) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (1) |  (12) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (1) | (119) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| XFINITY |  (1) | (211) | (2379) | View Plans | ||
| GeoLinks | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Etheric Networks | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Surfnet Communications | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Cruzio Internet | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Santa Cruz
Based on data reported by Santa Cruz ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the city are available through AT&T and EarthLink. These internet providers offer speeds up to 5,000 Mbps in Santa Cruz. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 3,313 Mbps if they’re willing to purchase the fastest subscription tier available at their homes.
Additionally, actual customers rated their satisfaction with internet speed highest with EarthLink. This indicates EarthLink reliably delivers speeds expected by the customer based on the plan they are paying for.
| ISP / Tech Type | Santa Cruz Speed | California Speed | National Speed | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EarthLink | (0) |  (2) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (1) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (0) | (228) | (1949) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (27) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (28) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (1) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (1) | (119) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| XFINITY | (1) | (211) | (2379) | View Plans | ||
| GeoLinks | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Etheric Networks | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Surfnet Communications | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Cruzio Internet | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Santa Cruz?
Of the providers in Santa Cruz, customers rate XFINITY from Comcast the best for price. Data comes from customers rating their satisfaction with pricing: in Santa Cruz where enough of them have reviewed a provider, otherwise across California or the country. This feedback is valuable because it considers price changes and whether the speeds paid for are worth it.
XFINITY from Comcast is rated 4.00 out of 5 for price, which is higher than the average across all internet providers in the country. EarthLink is rated second for affordability, with an average price rating of 2.00 out of 5.
The table below shows how customers in Santa Cruz, California, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.
Rated Affordability in Santa Cruz
| ISP / Tech Type | Santa Cruz Affordability | California Affordability | National Affordability | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XFINITY | (1) | (211) | (2379) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (2) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (1) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (0) | (228) | (1949) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) |  (27) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (28) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (1) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (1) | (119) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| GeoLinks | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Etheric Networks | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Surfnet Communications | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Cruzio Internet | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Customer Reviews for Internet Service Providers in California
Customer Reviews
A Santa Cruz, CA Customer
AT&T DSL
April 09, 2023 A Santa Cruz, CA Customer
XFINITY Cable
January 10, 2023 My son is a gamer and so he's constantly complaining about the internet speed and how laggy it is while he's playing Roblox and other such games. At times the service even drops so low that the websites and games literally freeze and he can't continue playing. Or I have to unplug and replug the modem in to try and reset the connection. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't. Overall I'm pretty disappointed with the service we receive.
Steve
ting Fiber
November 13, 2026 Slow, 1/10th the speed they advertised
Robert
Verizon Fixed Wireless
November 10, 2026 Was cut off with .out notice due to upgrade and was not provided connection to upgrade from the same location (tower). Causing further problems in service and added cost.
ISPReports User
AT&T DSL
November 08, 2026 Lousy
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Which ISP Should You Choose in Santa Cruz?
The right ISP for you depends upon your needs, but in general we can make the following suggestions:
- The best all-around internet service provider in Santa Cruz is EarthLink.
- The fastest internet provider should be AT&T and EarthLink. Considering speed for the money and reliability in speeds, EarthLink may be a better choice based on real-world local customer feedback.
- The most affordable internet provider in Santa Cruz is XFINITY.
- XFINITY from Comcast, Viasat, and HughesNet has the broadest coverage in Santa Cruz, available to 90.5% of homes, and is most likely to cover your home. To find out exactly what’s available at your home, please use our address search tool.