Frontier vs. Spectrum

Is Frontier or Spectrum a better fit for you?

Joe Supan Last updated: July 16, 2021

We’ve done the research on Frontier and Spectrum, so you can compare and choose the best internet, TV and home phone provider for you in one convenient spot. Here are some key points to consider:

• Spectrum is available in 46 states, Frontier is available in 25 states with Frontier FiberOptic in four states: California, Texas, Florida and Indiana.
• Frontier FiberOptic plans cost $49.99-$74.99/mo.*, and get you faster internet speeds for your money than Spectrum. You’ll pay $10/mo. more in the second year.
• Spectrum internet plans cost $49.99- $109.99/mo.*, and increase by $25/mo. in year two.
• Frontier DSL plans (called Frontier Internet) offer speeds up to 115 Mbps download, but most areas will get a max of 25 Mbps . No matter what, upload speeds are limited to 1 Mbps, which makes online gaming or video calls nearly impossible.
• Spectrum has higher customer satisfaction scores than Frontier.

*Pricing per month plus taxes. 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 07/16/21.

How we scored internet providers

We evaluate broadband providers in four categories: affordability, performance, value and customer satisfaction. Each category contains multiple sub-factors, all of which are weighted differently to impact the provider’s overall score.

We evaluate broadband providers in four categories: affordability, performance, value and customer satisfaction. Each category contains multiple sub-factors, all of which are weighted differently to impact the provider’s overall score.

For each sub-factor, we score all providers on a continuous scale of 1 to 5, relative to the industry as a whole. Because the average download speed in America is currently 180 Mbps, for example, we assigned all plans with download speeds between 100 and 299 Mbps a score between 3 and 4. Xfinity’s 200 Mbps plan received a 3.50 score for download speed, while Spectrum’s 400 Mbps plan got a 4.16.

We only considered standardized data points in our scoring system. More abstract data like consistency of service and brand reputation is still part of our analysis, but we opted to let our writers address them in the context of each review.

Learn more about our methodology

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Additional things to consider

The price you see when you’re shopping for internet is rarely the same as what shows up on your first bill. In addition to taxes, most providers charge extra fees for equipment rental, installation and data overages. Here’s how Frontier and Spectrum compare when it comes to those extra considerations.

Equipment fees

Both providers are pretty generous in this category. While you can typically expect to pay between $10 and $15/mo. to rent a modem and router from your internet provider, Spectrum only charges $5/mo. and Frontier doesn’t charge anything.

Winner: Frontier

Installation fee

Frontier charges a flat $85 fee for all installations, while Spectrum’s is just $10.

Winner: Spectrum

Data caps

You won’t have to worry about data caps on any of Spectrum’s or Frontier’s plans. All of them come with unlimited data.

Winner: Tie

Contracts

Neither Spectrum or Frontier require you to commit to a contract when you subscribe, so you won’t have to worry about early termination fees if you move or switch providers.

Winner: Tie

What shoppers should consider in different regions

Both providers’ pricing and package options vary across the U.S., especially Frontier’s. Frontier offers different internet speeds in separate regions. Frontier also tends to offer higher internet speeds with bundles than with standalone internet plans.

Spectrum and Frontier both have select availability with TV services, too. In different areas, each provider may only offer TV service as part of a bundle. Because internet speed pricing changes so much and standalone options aren’t comparable in certain regions, potential “bundle savings” can differ across the U.S.

Frontier vs. Spectrum customer satisfaction

Generally, customers are happier with Spectrum than Frontier. We looked at three sources when comparing customer satisfaction between providers: The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Consumer Reports and J.D. Power. In each one, Frontier received a significantly lower score.

Because the majority of Frontier’s service area is limited to DSL connections, complaints about service typically center around slow speeds. If you can get Frontier FiberOptic at your address, this shouldn’t be an issue. Still, that doesn’t explain its “poor” score for technical support from Consumer Reports readers, or the thousands of complaints with the Better Business Bureau about Frontier’s customer service and sales issues.