AT&T vs. Xfinity

Compare AT&T vs. Xfinity

• • Internet starting price: $35-$60/mo.
  • Download speeds: 5-940 Mbps
  • Data cap: 1 TB DSL, unlimited fiber
  • Internet equipment rental: $10/mo.
  • Contract: None
  • ACSI customer satisfaction score 2020: 68/100
• • Internet starting price: $29.99-$299.99/mo.
  • Download speeds: 25-2,000 Mbps
  • Data cap: 1 TB
  • Internet equipment rental: $14/mo.
  • Contract: One or two-year may be required for lowest pricing
  • ACSI customer satisfaction score 2020: 66/100

AT&T vs. Xfinity highlights

• Xfinity has faster speeds, but you’ll pay more for gig service: Xfinity’s fastest plan comes with speeds up to 2,000 and plenty of sticker shock with a starting price of $299.99/mo.* Their more reasonable gig plan offers speeds up to 1,000 Mbps, but has a starting price $20/mo. higher than AT&T’s Fiber 1000 plan. 
• Xfinity offers bundle discounts: One of Xfinity’s biggest selling points is that the more services you bundle, the more you save. Xfinity lets you save $10/mo. for every service you bundle together. AT&T no longer offers any bundle discounts.
• AT&T boasts slightly higher customer satisfaction ratings: The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) scored AT&T higher than Xfinity for internet service in 2020. AT&T received a 68/100 while Xfinity came in at 66/100. However, AT&T’s score declined one point from 2019 to 2020 whereas Xfinity’s score increased five points over the prior year.

Is AT&T or Xfinity better for you?

Compared to AT&T, Xfinity internet has a lower starting price, plus higher max speeds in many areas. If you’re looking for faster speeds, AT&T internet is likely to be the cheaper option as their higher-tiered plans are likely to come at a lower monthly price than similar Xfinity plans. Additionally, monthly equipment fees are lower with AT&T than Xfinity, that is unless you opt to use your own Xfinity compatible modem. 

If you are trying to decide between AT&T or Xfinity services for your home, looking at their plans side by side is a good idea. Below, we compare AT&T vs. Xfinity pricing, plans and features. 

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AT&T vs. Xfinity internet prices

Provider	Starting price*	Speed range	Connection type	Data cap
AT&T Fiber	$35.00/mo.	300-940 Mbps	Fiber optic	None
Xfinity internet	$24.99/mo.	25-2,000 Mbps	Cable	1 TB/mo.

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 04/18/21.

Internet technology

AT&T now uses a 100% fiber optic network, and the service type you are eligible for depends on your location. Note: In October 2020, AT&T announced their copper DSL service, with speeds up to 6 Mbps, will no longer be available to new customers.

Xfinity primarily uses a cable network, but some areas may have access to their cable/fiber hybrid network which can deliver faster, more reliable speeds. 

Xfinity primarily uses a cable network, but some areas may have access to their cable/fiber hybrid network which can deliver faster, more reliable speeds. 

Data caps

If you have DSL service from AT&T, you’ll have a data cap of 1 TB/mo. Exceeding your data cap can result in a $10 additional charge for each 50 GB block needed to compensate for your overage, with a max fee of $50. AT&T Fiber customers, on the other hand, can enjoy unlimited data with any plan.

Xfinity internet plans come with a 1 TB/mo. data cap. Northeastern states like Virginia, Maryland and New York now have a data cap of 1.2 TB/mo. as of October 2020. Exceeding your limit will result in added fees similar to AT&T’s, or you can sign up for unlimited data for an extra $30/mo.

Contracts and fees

Contracts are not necessary with AT&T internet plans, but if you do sign a one-year agreement, you’ll enjoy promotional pricing until it expires. If you do sign that agreement and decide to cancel early, you’ll incur an early termination fee of $15/mo.* for each remaining month in your contract. That’s a bill of up to $180.

Term agreements for Xfinity are less black and white. Some regions, such as the West and Northeast, may not require a contract to get the lowest pricing on select plans. Others, such as the Central and South regions may require a one or two-year contract to get the lowest monthly pricing. If you have a contract and cancel before it expires, you may be charged an early termination fee. The termination fee will be prorated based on the internet plan you choose.

AT&T vs. Xfinity internet speeds

Are you looking for fast internet? The good news is both AT&T and Xfinity offer super fast internet speeds in many areas. AT&T and Xfinity offer gig-speed internet for internet users with multiple internet-connected devices and performing high-bandwidth activities, like online gaming, downloading large files and streaming music and movies simultaneously.

• Xfinity Gigabit speed plans use a hybrid fiber-coax connection to offer speeds up to 2 Gbps, or 2,000 Mbps. 
• AT&T Fiber, which uses a fiber optic connection, offers speeds up to 1 Gbps, or 1,000 Mbps. 
• While Xfinity does offer faster speeds, their Gigabit Pro service comes at a much higher price than AT&T’s fastest internet plan.

Xfinity offers the fastest internet, but those blazing speeds will cost you a pretty penny. If you’re looking for something more affordable, Xfinity also offers a standard gigabit plan with speeds up to 1,000 Mbps for $80/mo.* 

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 04/18/21.

Cheapest AT&T and Xfinity internet plans

Here are three of the least expensive AT&T and Xfinity plans side by side. AT&T vs. Xfinity internet pricing varies by location, but the cheapest Xfinity internet plan is likely to come at a lower starting price than AT&T’s cheapest plan. However, the cheapest AT&T Fiber internet plan gives you more value than Xfinity’s cheapest plan, offering more speed for the money.

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 04/18/21.

AT&T vs. Xfinity bundles

Both AT&T and Xfinity have several popular TV and internet bundles. Xfinity has a variety of Double, Triple and Quad Play bundles which include home security. AT&T also offers Double and Triple Play deals, and you can choose between AT&T TV and DIRECTV in select areas.

Popular AT&T and Xfinity bundles side by side

Here’s a look at two comparable internet and TV bundles from AT&T and Xfinity. What makes these two plans so popular? They both have fast internet speeds to support a household of devices and have extended basic cable with popular channels, such as Animal Planet, Disney and HGTV.

Additional bundles with varying internet speeds and channel counts are available from both providers and can vary by location.

• AT&T Fiber 300 + AT&T TV

  • Starting at $84.99/mo.*
  • Speeds up to 300 Mbps
  • No internet data cap with AT&T Fiber
  • 65+ live streaming TV channels
  • Two-year TV contract required
    
    Bundled savings: $0/mo.*

• Xfinity Performance + TV Extra

  • Starting at $75/mo.*
  • Speeds up to 100 Mbps
  • Data cap varies by location
  • 125+ cable TV channels
  • One-year contract required
    
    Bundled savings: $20/mo.*

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 04/18/21.

What should you consider when selecting a bundle?

Shoppers in different regions of the U.S. will have varying options for internet speeds, TV packages and pricing, especially with Xfinity. Additionally, some TV packages and internet speeds from Xfinity may only be available with a bundle.

AT&T TV vs. Xfinity TV

AT&T TV offers more channels and TV package options than Xfinity. Plus, DIRECTV is part of the AT&T family, giving you more AT&T internet and TV bundle possibilities.

Xfinity has fewer TV plan options than AT&T, but they do have some cheaper alternatives. Available Xfinity TV packages vary by location, and some packages may only be available with an Xfinity bundle. 

AT&T TV vs. Xfinity TV packages and pricing

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 04/18/21.

AT&T TV, DIRECTV and Xfinity TV are ideal for watching TV at home and on the go. Each provider offers an app for streaming live and on-demand programming on your mobile device.

AT&T vs. Xfinity customer service and satisfaction

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) evaluates internet providers based on feedback from real customers and gives them an overall customer satisfaction score out of 100. Factors for determining a provider’s score include service quality, ease of understanding a bill and customer service experiences. Here’s how AT&T and Xfinity scored over the last three years for their internet and TV services.

AT&T vs. Xfinity ACSI ratings

AT&T Fiber vs. Xfinity availability

If you are trying to decide between AT&T and Xfinity service at your home, you are probably in an area where both services are available. And you’re not alone, because AT&T and Xfinity are two of the largest internet providers in the U.S. 

Xfinity’s main serviceable areas: the Great Lakes areas, the Northwest and Eastern U.S.

AT&T’s main serviceable areas: the South and Northeastern U.S., most of California and select areas of Nevada.

AT&T and Xfinity coverage overlaps in many metro areas in the South, such as Atlanta, Houston, Little Rock, Miami and Nashville. Residents of select areas in the Midwest, including Chicago, Detroit and Kansas City, may also have access to AT&T and Xfinity. Coverage also overlaps in parts of California, including Fresno, Sacramento and San Francisco.

Learn more about AT&T and Xfinity availability near you.