WOW! is one of the fastest (and cheapest) ISPs in the Midwest and Southeast.
Fast speeds
WOW!
Editorial rating (3.4/5)
$30.00–$185.00/mo.
Fast internet speeds
Inexpensive plans
Average TV prices
Limited availability
View plans
$30.00–$185.00/mo.
Fast internet speeds
Inexpensive plans
Average TV prices
Limited availability
Data as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
By Bill Frost and Logan Jones
Is WOW! any good?
WOW! provides no-contract fiber internet service to nine states in the eastern half of the US, despite the acronym standing for “Wide Open West.” Its internet plans are fast and relatively cheap ($30.00–$185.00/mo.). So far, so good for WOW!
WOW! has other perks besides fast, inexpensive internet, like no-contract plans and whole-home Eero mesh Wi-Fi upgrades. In the world of home internet, WOW! is a viable contender among larger companies like Xfinity and Spectrum (and the name is more fun, too).
Curious what other internet providers are in your area?
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WOW! internet plans and prices
| Package | Price* | Download speeds up to | Upload speeds up to | Data cap | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber 100 | $30.00/mo. | 100 Mbps | 100 Mbps | Unlimited | View plans |
| Fiber 500 | $50.00/mo. | 500 Mbps | 500 Mbps | Unlimited | View plans |
| Fiber 1 Gig | $80.00/mo. | 1,000 Mbps | 1,000 Mbps | Unlimited | View plans |
| Fiber 3 Gig | $100.00/mo. | 3,000 Mbps | 3,000 Mbps | Unlimited | View plans |
| Fiber 5 Gig | $185.00/mo. | 5,000 Mbps | 5,000 Mbps | Unlimited | View plans |
*Price per month with AutoPay & paperless billing. Additional equipment, taxes, and other fees extra.
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
WOW! doesn’t bother with plans below 100 Mbps of download speeds, which is essentially the baseline for keeping an internet-hungry household humming. The chances of encountering data logjams between multiple users decrease as speeds increase, which makes WOW!’s 1 Gig plan pretty attractive for the price.
With fiber-optic internet, you get equal download and upload speeds, allowing for easier and faster transfers of large files and smoother video conferencing. Fortunately, WOW! now offers majority fiber internet plans, so you can rest assured your internet plans will be both speedy and reliable.
Their Fiber 300 and 500 plans should be plenty fast for a household of scrollers, streamers, and gamers, but for the true internet speed demons out there, the bump up to Fiber 1 Gig would be worth it. Their Fiber 1 Gig plan is cheaper than Verizon Fios’, too.
WOW! internet plus TV bundles and prices
| Package | Price* | Download speeds up to | Channel lineup | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber 100 + Youtube TV | $92.99/mo. | 100 Mbps | 100+ | View plans |
| Fiber 500 + Youtube TV | $112.99/mo. | 500 Mbps | 100+ | View plans |
| Fiber 1 Gig + Youtube TV | $142.99/mo. | 1,000 Mbps | 100+ | View plans |
| Fiber 3 Gig + YouTube TV | $162.99/mo. | 3,000 Mbps | 100+ | View plans |
| Fiber 5 Gig + YouTube TV | $247.99/mo. | 5,000 Mbps | 100+ | View plans |
*With enrollment in AutoPay and paperless billing. Equipment and speed availability vary by area. Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
While WOW! offers traditional cable TV services, it tends to steer customers away from this service. WOW! recommends you use its fast internet speeds to enjoy affordable streaming live TV services instead.
But if you have your heart set on WOW!’s cable TV, you can talk to a WOW! customer representative to sign up. Your options are Small TV (exclusively local channels), Medium TV (some basic cable channels), and Large TV (includes premium cable channels).
Although WOW! tv+ isn’t the cheapest cable TV service we’ve seen, we’d ultimately recommend Medium TV if you’re interested in bundling services. With the package, you’ll still have a decent selection of basic cable channels and fast internet for only $139.89 per month.
WOW! also offers bundles with YouTube TV (see chart above). Alternatively, you can sign up with third-party live internet-streaming TV outlets (specifically fuboTV, Sling TV, or Philo) during the checkout process. You can also bundle WOW! internet with digital VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) landline phone service for an extra $9.99 a month.
Get WOW!
WOW! internet equipment
As with most internet service providers, WOW! gives you the option of renting a modem/router from them ($14.00 a month) or buying your own compatible third-party equipment. If you plan on being with WOW! for more than a year, we recommend buying your own modem/router—it’ll more than pay for itself in the long run.
WOW! also offers Eero whole-home mesh Wi-Fi for an extra $9.99 a month. If you’re unfamiliar, mesh Wi-Fi works like a range extender (or multiple range extenders) but doesn’t appear as separate Wi-Fi points—you’re always connected to the same network. They’re good for larger homes, but this is another piece of gear you could buy on your own instead of renting.
WOW! deals and promotions
For new customers, WOW! regularly offers free installation, Visa prepaid gift cards, and a 30-day money-back guarantee on its internet service. WOW!’s packages are also contract-free.
Is WOW! worth it?
The prices are right, and so are the speeds—WOW! is a sweet deal if you’re in an area to take advantage of it. WOW! is comparable to, and in some cases cheaper than, their fiber internet competition. And unlike the others, WOW! doesn’t lock you into a multi-year contract—a big win.
WOW!’s cable TV packages are serviceable options, and we also see WOW!’s third-party outsourcing as a plus. It gives you more choices, and more choices are always good (in addition to WOW!’s four livestreaming TV suggestions, know that Hulu + Live TV and DIRECTV STREAM are also available).
Get WOW!
WOW! FAQ
WOW! offers two Wi-Fi services: you can rent a combo modem/Wi-Fi router from WOW! for $14.00 per month or get its mesh Wi-Fi Whole-Home WiFi package starting at $9.99 per month.
WOW! covers nine midwestern and southeastern states, including these cities and areas:
- Auburn, AL
- Dothan, AL
- Huntsville, AL
- Montgomery, AL
- Valley, AL
- Panama City, FL
- St. Petersburg, FL
- Augusta, GA
- Columbus, GA
- Fort Gordon, GA
- Chicago, IL
- Evansville, IN
- Detroit, MI
- Cleveland, OH
- Columbus, OH
- Charleston, SC
- Knoxville, TN
Why you should trust us
We analyzed each of WOW!’s internet and TV plans and bundles to see how they stacked up against the competition, rating each package on areas including cost, channel selection, and value. For more information on our methodology, check out our How We Rank page.
