The average monthly internet bill in Iowa is $59.75 which is well below the national average of $77.37

Depending on where you live in Iowa you can connect via traditional broadband cable, super-fast fiber optic cable, mobile fixed wireless 5G or 4GE, satellite internet, or via DSL internet over phone lines. Fiber optic cable is the fastest internet possible and tends to be available in metropolitan areas but some regional providers also offer it.

Iowa has more than 15 Internet Service Providers (ISPS) including the partial list below.

Speeds are the maximum achievable on the plan but aren’t always guaranteed. Where a range is shown, the higher speed may be attached to a more expensive plan. Some providers require contracts while others do not. Data allocations can be unlimited or capped.

Each active member of the household may need 10 Mbps of speed, so for a household with 5 active users, a plan with 50 Mbps plan or above would be ideal. However, those speeds may not be available at your location. The other consideration is your budget. Some providers quote plan rates that are part of a promotion. When the promotion ends rates can increase, sometimes dramatically, and that higher number is the one to consider when budgeting.

Larger households or heavy users may need unlimited data. Check directly with providers to confirm service options at your address. Plan details can change. Rates excludes additional fees and taxes and may require autopay plus paperless billing:

• CenturyLink offers fiber plans starting at $50/mo. for 940 Mbps (similar to 1 Gbps).
• Mediacom plans start at $24.99 for 100 Mbps up to $54.99/mo. for 1000 Mbps.
• Mi-Fiber plans start at $59.95/mo. for 100 Mbps up to $99.95/mo. for 1 Gbps.
• Rise Broadband Fixed Wireless Plans start as low as $27 for 25 Mbps of speed up to $75 for 50 Mbps.
• Sparklight Cable or Fiber plans start at $39/mo. for either 25-300 Mbps (cable) or 1 Gbps (fiber), up to $85/mo. for 940 Mbps (cable).
• T-Mobile 5G Home Internet Fixed Wireless: Plans are $50/mo. for the internet via 5G (5th Generation) cellular network; up to 245 Mbps.
• Windstream (Kinetic) DSL, Fiber plans start at $39.99/mo. for a range of 50 Mbps – 200 Mbps depending on the connection type, up to $299/mo. for 8 Gbps.
• Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association DSL-Fiber plans start at $40/mo. for 25 Mbps up to $250/mo. for 1 Gbps.
• Verizon 5G Home Internet Fixed Wireless plans start at $29.95/mo. - $90/mo. for 300 Mbps - 940 (1 Gbps) Mbps.
• Satellite Internet providers include HughesNet, Viasat and Starlink: HughesNet and Viasat require 2-year contracts starting at about $65/mo. with speeds up to 25 Mbps but higher speeds of 100-150 Mbps are available in more expensive plans depending on location. Starlink has no contract and costs $115/mo. with speeds of 25-220 Mbps depending on location and network conditions.

Households that qualify for the government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) can request a discount from the provider. Most major providers comply with it but not all. The FCC website has a list of ISPs that comply.