Cox vs. Frontier 2022 comparison

Is Cox or Frontier the provider for you?

If Cox and Frontier services are available in your area, you may be wondering which is the better option for your household. Overall, Frontier Fiber is a better value than Cox. However, if only Frontier’s DSL service is available to you, you will likely want to go with Cox.

• Cheap internet: At $19.99-29.99/mo. for up to 25 Mbps, Cox has slightly cheaper pricing. However, Frontier has lower pricing on higher-tiered plans and has fewer added fees than Cox.
• Fast internet: Both Cox and Frontier offer speeds up to 940 Mbps, but Frontier also has a 2,000 Mbps plan. Frontier’s high-speed internet deal is a better value. With the Frontier Fiber Gig plan, you get speeds up to 940 Mbps for only $79.99/mo. In comparison, Cox’s Gigablast internet costs $99.99/mo. 
• Customer satisfaction: Cox outperformed Frontier on the 2021 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). While Cox scored a 63/100 and placed in the top 5, Frontier received a 57/100 and placed in the bottom 5.

Cox vs. Frontier ratings 

Overall, if Frontier Fiber is available in your area, that is your best option for reliable, high-speed internet. Although Cox offers slightly lower starting prices, Frontier Fiber is worth the slightly higher expense due to its higher performance and value scores. If only Frontier DSL is in your area, however, we would recommend selecting Cox instead.

Cox internet vs. Frontier internet

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.

See our full analysis of Cox internet service

Frontier FiberOptic 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.

See our full analysis of Frontier internet service

Which internet plan should you choose?

Best overall internet plans: Frontier Fiber 500/500

Both Cox and Frontier offer great internet plans for $49.99/mo. but Frontier’s plan is the best deal overall. While Cox will provide 250/10 (download/upload) Mbps for $49.99/mo., Frontier can offer 500/500 Mbps for the $39.99/mo. 

Cheapest internet plans: Cox Internet Starter 25 and Cox Internet Essential 50 

Cox offers some of the cheapest internet plans out of any internet provider. For just $19.99/mo., you can get 25 Mbps or for $10/mo. more, you can get 50 Mbps. Frontier Fiber’s cheapest internet plan, on the other hand, costs $39.99/mo. but you will get much faster speeds of 500/500 Mbps. If only Frontier DSL is in your area, you can get speeds up to 9 Mbps for $37.99/mo. 

Fastest internet plans: Frontier Fiber 2 Gig 

Frontier’s 2 Gig plan is one of the fastest internet plans in the country. Frontier’s Gig plan is also a better deal. While Cox offers its Gig speed plan for $99.99/mo., Frontier offers theirs for only $74.99/mo. Second, Frontier offers upload speeds up to 880 Mbps and Cox only offers upload speeds up to 35 Mbps. 

Additional fees, data caps and contracts 

Price increases – Frontier will not raise its prices as much as Cox

Cox: You can expect your internet bill to increase anywhere between $20 and $35/mo. after the first 12 months. Cox has some of the highest price jumps out of any ISP. 

Frontier: You can expect your internet bill to increase after the first 12 months, but Frontier doesn’t say how much it will be.

Equipment fees – Frontier includes equipment fees in its pricing; Cox charges extra  

Cox: Cox charges $10.99/mo. for its Wi-Fi equipment.

Frontier: Equipment rental is included in the price. 

Data caps – Frontier offers unlimited data; Cox does not

Cox: All Cox plans come with 1TB of data each month. Once your data limit is hit, you will be charged $10/mo. for every 50 GB exceeded. 

Frontier: All Frontier plans come with unlimited data. Although Cox’s 1TB data limit is likely plenty of data for the average household, it’s always better to choose an internet plan with no data caps. 

Contracts – Frontier does not require contracts; Cox requires one or two-year agreements

Cox: Cox internet plans may include one or two-year contract agreements.  If you opt for a contract with Cox, your plan comes with promotional pricing for the entirety of your agreement. Subscribers who go with a month-to-month plan will pay more for service.

Frontier: Frontier does not require any long-term contracts. 

Frontier vs. Cox bundles

Providers offer bundle deal options for users that are interested in more than one service. If you’re interested in internet and TV or internet, TV and home phone services, you can bundle with Cox or Frontier. Frontier does not offer cable TV, but you can bundle any Frontier internet plan with DISH TV. 

When choosing which provider you want to bundle with, consider that Cox offers a lower starting price when you bundle internet and TV due to its great bundling savings. However, Frontier offers faster internet speeds and a higher channel count through DISH TV for just a little more each month. 

• Cox Internet 250 + TV

  • Starting at $147.99/mo.
  • Speeds up to 250 Mbps
  • Internet data cap 1 TB/mo.
  • Contour TV 140+ channels
  • Two-year contract required

• DISH America’s Top 120 + Internet 500/500

  • Starting at $108.98/mo.*
  • Download speeds up to 500 Mbps
  • Unlimited data
  • 190+ channels
  • Two-year contract with DISH

*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. Frontier TV

Cox offers four TV packages with a channel count ranging from 75+ channels to 250+ channels. Most customers opt for Contour TV Preferred, which offers 140+ channels for $98/mo.

Frontier does not offer its own TV service, but it has partnered with DISH TV so that customers still have the option to bundle. Like Cox, DISH offers four TV packages, but these packages range from 190 to 290+ channels. If you aren’t looking to bundle, DISH offers a better value overall than Cox Contour TV.

Cox vs. Frontier customer satisfaction

Looking for provider reviews from real consumers like you? Check out the ACSI Telecommunications Report for annual internet and TV customer satisfaction rankings based on customer feedback. Here’s how Frontier and Cox stack up in customer satisfaction over the past three years.