Best Internet Providers in Kenya (2026 Comparison Guide)

Gone are the days when cyber cafes were the only way to get online, but today the battle of your living room is between Fibre, 5G, and even Satellite internet.

The big question remains for those who want a fast, reliable, and affordable internet: should you get a stable Safaricom fibre connection, the affordable Zuku/Poa bundles, or the Flexible Airtel 5G?

Transparency Note: I have only used Safaricom and Airtel 5G as my daily drivers. I have used Safaricom Fibre for 9 years and Airtel 5G for almost 2 months. For Zuku, Faiba, and Poa, this review aggregates current market data, user sentiments from Kenyan Forums and Fair usage policy to give you a complete picture.

The "Hands-On" Reviews

Safaricom Home Fibre: The "Safe Bet"

For the past 9 years, I have been using Safaricom fibre, and let me tell you Maina, the internet was excellent. I have had slight hiccups with it; however, the issues were resolved promptly. Speaking of which, their customer service is very good, no complaints there.

The installation of Safaricom is straightforward; you can do so by visiting any Safaricom shop or by going to their website and filling out the form.

New users will get 25 percent off for the 15Mbps and 50 Mbps packages only for business fibre, so if you are installing Safaricom fibre for the first time, here is what the installation package will look like.

Package	Speed	Standard Price (Monthly)	Best Usage
Bronze	15 Mbps	Ksh 2,999	Web browsing, Social Media, SD Streaming
Silver	30 Mbps	Ksh 4,100	HD Streaming, 3 Connected Devices
Gold	80 Mbps	Ksh 6,299	4K Streaming, Online Gaming, CCTV
Diamond	500 Mbps	Ksh 12,499	Heavy Gaming, Multiple 4K Streams
Platinum	1000 Mbps	Ksh 20,000	8K Streaming, Home Automation, Ultra Heavy Use

On the performance side of things, the Safaricom fibre was stable most of the time, and I could go for months without experiencing any issues.

The speeds have been stable, and since I downgraded from the 15Mbps package to the 7Mbps package, I have had no issues as well.

Safaricom upgraded its Fair Usage Policy across all plans to 15TB, which is more than enough for most people.

Payment is done through M-Pesa, and the paybill number is on the router for easy convenience.

Airtel 5G / ODU (Outdoor Unit): The "Flexible Alternative"

I have been ranting about the Airtel ODU for a while now, and to be honest, I am in love with it. Thumbs up, Airtel!

It comes with an Outdoor Unit, which is mounted outside for better signal reception (I have mounted mine inside my office), and the router, which is placed inside the house.

The setup process is pretty straightforward; you apply online on the Airtel website, and a technician will come to your place to do the installation for you and configure your router.

Performance on this thing is not the best out there, especially in comparison to the Safaricom 5G router, which had exceptional performance, but the price was a bit higher.

I have the 15Mbps package for Airtel ODU, which goes for KES 1,999, and the speeds have been stable for the better part, but the ping has been on the higher side, especially on the uploads, averaging 800+ms, but the ping on the downloads has been stable.

Package	Speed	Price (Monthly)	Data Cap (FUP)*	Best Usage
5G Home 15	15 Mbps	Ksh 1,999	1 TB (Then 2Mbps)	Students, Renters, Singles (1-2 devices)
5G Home 30	30 Mbps	Ksh 2,999	1 TB (Then 2Mbps)	Small Families, HD Streaming

*Note: Airtel 5G has a Fair Usage Policy. After you use 1 Terabyte (1,000GB) of data, speeds reduce to 2Mbps until the next month.

About whether the ODU is affected by weather changes, such as rain, I am not particularly sure since my ODU is inside my office, but according to Airtel, they claim the ODU is IP 68 dust and water-resistant.

Pros

Cheaper than other alternatives

It’s stable if you live in an area where Airtel reception is great.

Cons

A long Ethernet cable, which can make the place look untidy

Higher latency than fibre, and the signal depends heavily on the proximity of the mast.

Only has two WI-FI packages

The "Market Analysis" Reviews (Aggregated Research)

Zuku Fibre (Wananchi Group)

Zuku has been known to be very affordable in many households, with many options to choose from. You also get Zuku triple pay, which is a  bundled service  that provides high-speed fibre internet, television (Premium TV channels), and a landline phone connection in one monthly package

The company has had its fair share of criticism, with users complaining of frequent downtimes and poor customer service.

I would give Zuku a 5/10. It’s great for families who want TV channels included, but requires patience with support.

Faiba Home (Jamii Telecom)

Faiba is one of the best ISPs in Kenya with a 24 percent market share, and it has often claimed the crown for the fastest internet in Kenya.

Faiba download speeds average 33.11Mbps and the upload speeds average 29.68Mbps. For Youtubers these matter a lot because the 29.68Mbps upload speeds determine how fast videos go online, and that’s fast enough for smooth 1080p/4k uploads and stable live streaming with fewer dropped frames.

For cloud backups, they rely heavily on upload speed; nearly 30Mbps means large files sync quickly and don’t take hours.

Video calls need downloads and uploads around 32/39Mbps which is more than enough for HD group calls, screen sharing, and multiple users at home without lag.

One of the main limitations of Faiba is that its coverage is still smaller than Safaricom and Zuku, and it requires one to pay for an ONU (Optical Network Unit), which brings Faiba internet to your place.

The Faiba internet is the best choice for content creators and heavy uploaders.

Poa Internet

Poa Internet is referred to as the “internet for everyone,” with the cheapest package starting at around 5Mbps, where you can opt to pay KES 450 weekly, KES 1,575 save package, which is a discounted monthly internet package, or the monthly package, which goes for KES 1,750.

This internet service provider primarily targets budget-conscious users, students, and low-income areas. Some reports indicate that average usage is 35GB per user, raising the question of whether it is really unlimited.

These lower speeds are very unsuitable for content creators and remote workers, and especially if you have many devices in your home connected at the same time, you wil experience a lot of throttling.

There have also been issues where Poa equipments were stolen, which Poa later ruled that their equioments were stolen by an external criminal in a targeted and coordinated effort.

I don’t recommend getting this ISP if you are a heavy user; it’s only for those who scroll social media, reply to emails, or make WhatsApp calls.

Starlink (The New Entrant)

When Elon Musk brought Starlink to Kenya, the market felt it immediately. Big players like Safaricom and Airtel Kenya had to reduce prices and increase speeds to stay competitive. 

With the Starlink Mini going for around Ksh 27,000 and a rental option of about Ksh 1,950 per month, satellite internet is no longer just for the rich, as it’s now a solid option for rural areas, especially with the Ksh 1,300 (50GB) plan. But in Nairobi, peak-hour congestion means it’s better for upcountry homes than a full fibre replacement in the city.

The main Starlink barrier, especially here in Kenya, is the high upfront cost, the monthly subscription price, and peak-time congestion, as well as installation and power needs.

Comparison Table

ISP	Best For...	Est. Price (Monthly)	Installation / Hardware
Safaricom	Reliability & Families	Ksh 3,000 - 20,000	Free (Usually)
Airtel 5G	Renters & Students	Ksh 1,999-2,999	~Ksh 3,000 (Router)
Starlink	Rural & Remote Areas	Ksh 1,300 - 6,500	~Ksh 2,000 (Rental)
Faiba (JTL)	Heavy Uploads	Ksh 20-6,000	Router Fee Applies
Zuku	TV Bundles	~Ksh 2,899-6,299	Free
Poa!	Strict Budgets	Ksh 450-1,750	Small Fee

Buying Guide: Which One Should You Choose?

Scenario A: You live in an apartment in Nairobi and work from home. -> Safaricom o Faiba.

Scenario B: You move houses often, or your landlord doesn't allow drilling? -> Airtel 5G.

Scenario C: You want cheap internet just for WhatsApp and TikTok? -> Poa Internet.

Scenario D: You live on a remote farm in Narok? -> Starlink.

Conclusion

There are other internet service providers that we haven’t talked about, but I have narrowed it down to the best that you can find within your budget.

Which ISP do you currently use, and what is your current speeds, let me know in the comments below.