Xfinity vs. Spectrum | 2021

Xfinity and Spectrum are two of the largest internet service providers (ISPs) in the United States. In fact, Xfinity is the largest ISP with over 31.5 million customers, and Spectrum is a close second with 31 million customers. While these internet giants share some similarities, they differ in a few important ways. To help you determine which internet provider is best, we compared each company on pricing, internet speeds, bundles, customer service and more.

*Better Business Bureau (BBB) information is accurate as of August 2021.

Though Xfinity is the largest ISP in the United States, Spectrum offers coverage in one additional state than Xfinity.

Spectrum is available in 42 states and doesn’t provide services in the following states:

• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Delaware
• Iowa
• Oklahoma
• Rhode Island
• South Dakota
• Utah

Xfinity offers its services in 35 states and Washington D.C. It does not feature services in the following states:

• Alaska
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Rhode Island
• South Dakota
• Wyoming

Available services from internet service providers change from ZIP code to ZIP code, so we recommend contacting both Xfinity and Spectrum to learn what services are available in your area.

Both companies offer comprehensive speed options that meet most consumers’ needs. Xfinity offers four more plans than Spectrum and provides more variety in internet speeds. Xfinity and Spectrum both offer plans around 400 Mbps, which is plenty of speed for a mid-sized home that engages in streaming HD video, online gaming and browsing social media.

Both companies also offer fiber internet plans that feature speeds of 1,000 Mbps and more, which is plenty of speed for multiplayer online gaming, streaming movies on HBO Max, video conferencing and browsing on multiple devices at the same time.

Here are Xfinity’s download and upload speeds for all of its plans:

Below are Spectrum’s download and upload speeds for each of its internet plans:

Xfinity and Spectrum both offer competitive pricing on their internet plans. When comparing the same internet speed between each company, the plan pricing is similar with Xfinity being slightly cheaper than Spectrum.

Another notable distinction between the two companies is that Spectrum does not require any contracts, while Xfinity requires contracts on certain plans. Xfinity’s 400 Mbps and 800 Mbps plans have a one-year contract, and its fiber-optics internet plans have two-year contracts.

Outside of your monthly plan costs for the first 12 months, Xfinity charges equipment fees for its modem and router, the xFi Gateway, for an additional $14 per month. If you want a technician to install your system or you require wiring, it costs a one-time fee of $90. If you exceed Xfinity’s 1.2 TB data cap, Xfinity charges an extra $10 for every 50 GB you go over.

Here’s an overview of Xfinity’s plan costs and contract requirements:

Spectrum provides its services on a month-to-month basis. There are no term agreements involved. If you’re locked in a contract with another ISP, Spectrum offers contract buyouts for up to $500. Similar to Xfinity, the costs you see listed in this guide are for the first 12 months of a plan, and after 12 months Spectrum will apply standard rates to your internet plan.

Additional hidden fees to be aware of with Spectrum are its installation fees of $50 for professional installation or $10 for self-installation. Spectrum provides its modems for free, but it charges an extra $5 per month for its Wi-Fi routers.

Here’s a breakdown of the starting cost for each of Spectrum’s plans:

Both companies offer bundles as a way for customers to receive various services at a reduced price. Xfinity is known for the other services it provides, such as cable TV service, and it offers more bundling options than Spectrum.

Xfinity offers a variety of bundle options that you can mix and match on the Xfinity website. Xfinity TV features over 210 channels, popular streaming platforms like Netflix integrated into it via its Xfinity Flex box, 150 Hours of DVR Service and other unique features such as voice controls. Xfinity Voice is Xfinity’s home phone service and features unlimited calling to nearly half the world, readable voicemail and three-way calling.

You can also bundle with Xfinity Home Security. Similar to other home security systems, Xfinity Home allows customers to receive 24/7 video recording for six cameras, professional monitoring and integration with other smart-home devices such as smart lights, locks and thermostats.

Here’s a rundown of some bundles we created with Xfinity:

Spectrum customers can mix and match additional services in a similar manner to Xfinity, but they have limited options. When you bundle Spectrum Internet with Spectrum TV, you save an extra $5 on your monthly cost. Spectrum TV provides 200+ channels, 60,000+ On-Demand titles and the ability to stream live TV anywhere through the Spectrum TV app.

Spectrum Voice provides over 28 home phone features, including readable voicemail, instant tracing to 911, unlimited nationwide calling, caller ID on Spectrum TV and more. It doesn’t include added taxes and fees.

Below is a breakdown of each of Spectrum’s bundles:

Each company provides a variety of customer support tools to allow customers to reach both customer service and tech support. Both Xfinity and Spectrum offer online customer portals, online chats and smartphone apps. Customer service is also available 24/7 with both companies. Overall, Xfinity features higher customer satisfaction scores than Spectrum.

Xfinity currently has an A- rating on the BBB and has received positive customer reviews from the BBB and other popular review sites like Yelp and Trustpilot. Comcast, Xfinity’s parent company, is currently undergoing a government action lawsuit for allegedly overcharging consumers, charging consumers for unordered products and failing to deliver promotional Visa gift cards in exchange for signing up in the state of Minnesota.*

Here are a few reviews from Xfinity customers:

We pay [$70 per month] for the fastest [Wi-Fi] ONLY and it hardly works. Every day I have to unplug my router to make it work. Even with call outs from technicians, this is still the best they can give me. Also, it has a monopoly in our area. How is that legal? — Randi B. via BBB

My service was interrupted mid-morning and through the cooperation of all the procedures Comcast has in place, the process to repair [the service] was seamless and my service was back online by early afternoon. Throughout the process, everyone was courteous and knowledgeable in their job. The technician was very courteous and personable and double-checked his work to make sure the repair was complete. I was very satisfied with the service. — Rhonda H. via BBB

*BBB information is accurate as of August 2021.

Spectrum currently holds a B+ rating on the BBB. It features lower scores than Xfinity on popular customer reviews sites, such as Yelp and the BBB. The company also has a pending government lawsuit over it allegedly defrauding New Yorkers over internet speeds and performance.*

Learn what some Spectrum customers had to say about their experiences with the company:

I’m experiencing…outages at least once a day. Some last for hours, like the one I’m in now as I type this review. I was in the middle of a call with a customer and my call dropped. Sure enough, I checked my modem and it’s blinking and the router is red. The notification shows it’ll be out for at least 2 hours! It’s beyond ridiculous when your job is on the line and this is the only internet in your area. — Tekayla P. via BBB

I recently added Spectrum Mobile to my existing services and I’m very happy with the service. I don’t have any issues with signal and my data usage is lower than before because my company building has a Spectrum Wi-Fi hotspot so I can use that and not pay for such a big plan. I find it very affordable and can’t tell the difference in their network vs. my previous provider. — L. M. via BBB

*BBB information accurate as of August 2021.

Xfinity and Spectrum are both solid choices for an ISP. We found Comcast Xfinity to be the best overall provider of those we evaluated, offering one of the largest selections of internet speeds, plans, bundling options and well-regarded customer service. If you’re looking for one of the most inclusive and comprehensive internet service providers on the market, look into Xfinity.

We named Charter Spectrum as the best company for high data use, and it’s a great option for those who constantly use the internet. If you play online multiplayer games often, stream a lot of HD video content or work from home, we recommend Spectrum due to its lack of contracts and data limits.

Our Advisor team has created a detailed methodology that we use when we rank and research internet service providers. We have analyzed ISPs on their cost, speeds, connection types, additional perks, service availability and more.

Here’s a breakdown of the factors we consider when rating companies. Our top picks score well across all these factors.