Cox vs. CenturyLink 2022 comparison

Is Cox or CenturyLink better for you?

By Ari Howard Last updated: March 29, 2022

We’ve researched Cox and CenturyLink for you so you can easily compare and choose the best provider and services for your home. Overall, Cox is best for customers looking for the cheapest starting prices available; however, CenturyLink is ideal for customers who want the best deal for Gig internet. 

• Cheapest internet: Cox offers the cheapest internet plans available, with prices starting as low as $19.99 to $29.99/mo. for 25 Mbps, depending on where you live. 
• Best Gig plan: CenturyLink offers a more affordable Gigabit internet plan than Cox, with pricing starting at $65/mo. for speeds up to 940 Mbps. 
• Best customer satisfaction: Cox internet scored slightly higher than CenturyLink over the past three years, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

On this page: Click the category below to learn more about what sets these two providers apart.

Cox vs. CenturyLink internet overview

Cox gives customers more plan options with up to five plans available in nearly all service areas. 

CenturyLink customers are limited by the available connection type in their area. If their DSL service is available, it’s possible that you will have a couple plan options to choose from (though they will all have the same starting price) with max speeds up to 100 Mbps. If CenturyLink Fiber is available, the only plan option is their gigabit service.

Provider
Price range	$29.99/mo. – $99.99/mo.*	$50/mo. – $65/mo.*
Speed range	50 – 1000 Mbps	20 – 940 Mbps
Data cap	1.25TB/mo. on 50 Mbps plan, Unlimited on others	Unlimited
Allconnect score	3.47/5	3.95/5

*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 03/29/22.Rate requires paperless billing and excludes taxes. Additional fees apply. Get the fastest internet speed available at your home (max speed is up to 100 Mbps).

Cox internet plans

*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 03/29/22.

CenturyLink internet plans

*Rate requires paperless billing. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges apply. Offer Details

CenturyLink vs. Cox equipment, data caps and contract details

Speed and price are the two main considerations when comparing internet services, but you’ll also want to take into account other factors that can affect costs and service quality.

Equipment rental – Cox is cheaper

Cox’s equipment rental fee is a little lower at $13/mo. compared to the $15/mo. you’ll pay with CenturyLink, but Cox waives the fee on its three fastest plans. Both providers give you the option to use your own compatible equipment. Find out which CenturyLink and Cox compatible modems you can use.

Data caps – CenturyLink offers unlimited data

While Cox imposes a data cap of 1.25TB/mo. on its 50 Mbps plan, CenturyLink offers unlimited data. Exceeding your data limit with Cox will likely result in a $10 fee for every 50GB required to satisfy your overage, up to $50.

Contract – CenturyLink does not require contracts

CenturyLink does not require a contract with any internet service. Contract requirements with Cox can vary by plan and location, but most areas require a one-year contract to get the cheapest rate on the 50 Mbps plan.

Cox vs. CenturyLink cheap internet plans

The cheapest internet plan in your area will likely be a Cox internet plan unless you are looking for gig speeds. If you want gigabit speeds, CenturyLink offers a better deal.

• Cox cheapest internet plan

  • $19.99-$29.99/mo.* for up to 50 Mbps
  • $0.80/Mbps
  • $13/mo.* Panoramic Wi-Fi router rental (optional)
  • $75 professional installation, $20 for self-installation
  • One-year term agreement

• CenturyLink cheapest internet plan

  • $50/mo.** for up to 100 Mbps
  • $0.50/Mbps
  • Internet modem lease $15/mo.* (optional)
  • $60 setup and installation fee
  • No contract

*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 03/29/22.

**Rate requires paperless billing and excludes taxes. Additional fees apply. Get the fastest internet speed available at your home (max speed is up to 100 Mbps).

Low-income internet options 

Both Cox and CenturyLink offer ways to connect low-income households to the internet. Cox offers its own plan, known as Connect2Compete, which provides 15 Mbps for just $9.95/mo. Cox also provides up to $50/mo. off customers’ internet bill through the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program. CenturyLink does not offer its own internet plan but it also offers discounts through EBB.

Cox vs. CenturyLink fastest internet plans

Cox and CenturyLink both offer gig speed internet plans. CenturyLink 1 Gbps internet plans cost less than Cox 1 Gbps internet plans.

Though both providers offer gig connections, you’re likely to get better speed reliability and faster upload speeds over a fiber connection vs. cable. CenturyLink Gigabit uses a fiber connection, whereas Cox Gigablast uses a cable network in most locations.

• Cox Gigablast

  • Cox Internet Gigablast – 1000 Mbps
  • Starting at $99.99/mo.*
  • Cable internet connection
  • Unlimited data
  • No speed throttling

• CenturyLink Gigabit

  • CenturyLink Fiber Internet – 940 Mbps**
  • Starting at $65/mo.*
  • Unlimited data
  • Fiber internet connection
  • No speed throttling

*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 03/29/22.

**Speed may not be available in your area. Maximum download/upload speed of up to 940 Mbps via a wired connection.

Cox vs. CenturyLink bundle packages

Cox provides cable internet, TV and digital phone packages while CenturyLink offers high-speed DSL internet, home phone and fiber internet plans. If you want a CenturyLink TV package, CenturyLink partners with DIRECTV to offer satellite TV bundles.

Cox gives customers more internet speed package options, but CenturyLink offers more TV package choices through DIRECTV. While Cox standalone TV services cost more than DIRECTV plans, Cox packages offer customers higher savings and lower overall prices when you bundle.

• Cox bundles

  • Starting at $119.99/mo.*
  • Speed range: 50-940 Mbps
  • Unlimited data on most plans
  • Channel range: 75-250+ 
  • No contract required
  • Add-ons: Home phone and security
    

  Bundled savings: $0/mo.

• CenturyLink + DIRECTV bundles

  • Starting at $113.99/mo*
  • Speed range: 40-940 Mbps
  • Unlimited data 
  • DIRECTV channel range: 160-330+ 
  • No internet contract required, two-year contract required for TV
  • Add-ons: Home phone
    

  Bundled savings: 0/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 03/29/22.

Cox vs. CenturyLink TV

CenturyLink partners with DIRECTV to offer internet and TV bundles. DIRECTV is great for sports fans and gives customers more channel package choices compared to Cox’s main TV plan, Cox Contour TV.

Cox vs. CenturyLink/DIRECTV TV packages and costs

*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 03/29/22.

Cox vs. CenturyLink customer satisfaction

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) scores internet providers based on feedback from actual customers on the topics of service quality, cost, call center experience and more. Here’s how Cox and CenturyLink ACSI scores compare over the past three years.

Which provider is better? Cox scored slightly higher in 2021

Provider	2021 score	2020 score	2019 score	Avg. past three years
	63	61	60	61.3
	62	63	59	61.3