Xfinity internet offers a better range of plans and generally lower prices. But Spectrum’s unlimited data offering may make it a better option for big households and those who are online from dawn till dusk. We’ve got a lot more to say about these two companies, let’s get into the nitty-gritty details about prices, perks, performance, and more. Xfinity actually has three different price tiers, depending on which region you’re located in: Northeast, Central, or West. We’ll go over all of the plan prices for each area, but it’s probably easier to type your zip code into this tool to see what Xfinity plans are available in your specific area. Enough with the disclaimers, here are all of Xfinity’s internet plans, beginning with the Northeast region. Those living in Xfinity’s Central zone will see a similar set of plans, but the prices are a bit lower and there’s a Gigabit X3 option that’s just ludicrously fast. You might be wondering, where exactly do these zones begin and end? It’s a good question, and Xfinity doesn’t give anyone a straight answer. We were shocked to realize that Minneapolis, Minnesota was in the Western zone, for example. So, once again, we suggest you enter your zip code using the tool above to figure out what plans are available to you. Now, for the last set of plans from Xfinity: the Western zone. You might notice that these are almost exactly the same as the Northeastern plans, but that’s always subject to change. … and we’re back! Here are all of Spectrum’s internet plans. As you can see, these plans offer between 200—1,000 Mbps speeds and cost between $50—$90 a month. That’s a bit pricier than Xfinity, especially when you consider that Spectrum’s prices often go up after the first 12 months of service. But, on the plus side, you won’t have to worry about any data caps or pesky 1-2 year contracts. Differences between Spectrum vs. Xfinity plans at a glance:
Xfinity’s offers more plan options than Spectrum Spectrum doesn’t require a contract when you sign up, while Xfinity internet requires a contract for all of its plans Xfinity’s prices are generally cheaper Spectrum offers unlimited data, while Xfinity has a 1.2 TB cap on all of its plans Spectrum’s promotional prices will usually go up after the first year, while Xfinity’s prices are locked in for a 1-2 year contract period.
We’re not going to go too deep into all of the bundling options here, because there are many (you learn more about Xfinity bundles and Spectrum bundles in our separate reviews). But we will show you some of our favorite bundles from each ISP. Take a look for yourself. Spectrum internet’s speeds aren’t too shabby, either. The company can get you gigabit speed internet, which is more than enough bandwidth for most households. Here’s a chart that breaks down the upload and download speeds from both companies. If you do want to make sure you have the best upload speeds available, check out our favorite fiber internet service providers. While the average monthly data usage of US households is around 433 GB a month1, there are still plenty of heavy-use households that could exceed Xfinity’s 1.2 TB cap every once in a while. If you do go over your monthly data cap, Xfinity will charge you $10 for an extra 50 GB of data. You can circumvent the data cap completely by going unlimited for an extra $30 a month (or you could just use Spectrum). Luckily, Xfinity and Spectrum are actually pretty decent when it comes to customer service. The most recent telecommunications report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index2 puts Xfinity in 3rd place overall and Spectrum in 5th. Customers often have issues with outages, bill payment, and equipment failure. If you find that you’re having trouble with Xfinity or Spectrum internet service, check out our tips for getting useful help from a customer service agent. But Spectrum’s unlimited data plans are probably better for those who use a ton of data—like gamers, streamers, and big families.
Price: Xfinity. Xfinity offers a wider variety of plans at a wider variety of prices. It has 50 Mbps plans for as low as $20 a month, while Spectrum’s cheapest plan starts at $40 a month. Internet speed: Xfinity. While Spectrum’s speeds are enough for most people, Xfinity has plans that go up to 3,000 Mbps in certain areas! Data caps: Spectrum. Spectrum offers unlimited data on all of its internet plans, while Xfinity caps you at 1.2 TB. This makes Spectrum the obvious choice for heavy users. Customer service: Xfinity. Both companies do just fine in an industry plagued with bad customer service, but Xfinity is rated slightly higher.
