Xfinity Home Internet Review: Plans, Prices, Coverage and More

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Xfinity home internet

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Like

  • Good variety of plans
  • Some of the fastest residential plans available
  • Above average scores in almost all customer satisfaction metrics

Don’t Like

  • Data caps for some plans
  • Contracts often required to get the lowest price
  • Steep jump from promo price to regular rates

Comcast Xfinity is the nation’s largest , but does that automatically make it the best? I was impressed by the variety of internet speed plans offered, but my eyes glazed over as I dug into the details.

With Xfinity, some plans require you to sign a one-year contract, others require a two-year commitment, and some require no contract at all. Beyond that, you’ll need to contend with a data cap each month (again, not on all plans, but with some), and you can expect the price of your plan to increase over time, sometimes up by more than 50% of the initial charge.

Xfinity logoXfinity logo

Sarah Tew/CNET

Headaches like that are par for the course with ISPs, making it difficult to tell if you’re getting a good deal on your home’s internet connection. Still, Xfinity is available to more than one-third of the country, and it’s the fastest option available for many in that footprint. It’s worth understanding what you might get, especially if you feel the need for speed and fiber isn’t an option for your area or address.

Xfinity Internet plans: What to expect based on region

Depending on where you live, Xfinity offers up to seven different internet plans, and if you want the best price, you’ll likely have to shackle yourself to a contract. Also, all prices in the charts reflect the automatic payment option. Otherwise, you’ll need to add $10 monthly if you choose to forgo the paperless billing discount. Here are the specifics:

Xfinity home internet plans (West division)

Plan

Max speeds

First-year promo rate

Standard rate (after promo period)

Equipment fee

Data cap

Term agreement

Connect

75Mbps download, 5Mbps upload

$25

$35 (after 12 months); $50

$14 gateway rental (skippable)

Yes (1.2TB)

1 year

Connect More

200Mbps download, 5Mbps upload

$40

$60

$14 gateway rental (skippable)

Yes (1.2TB)

1 year

Fast

300Mbps download, 10Mbps upload

$50

$70 (after 24 months)

$25 gateway rental (included for 24 months)

None

None

Superfast

600Mbps download, 15Mbps upload

$60

$80 (after 24 months)

$25 gateway rental (included for 24 months)

None

None

Ultrafast

900Mbps download, 20Mbps upload

$70

$90 (after 24 months)

$25 gateway rental (included for 24 months)

None

None

Gigabit

1,200Mbps download, 35Mbps upload

$80

$100 (after 24 months)

$25 gateway rental (included for 24 months)

None

None

Gigabit Pro

6,000Mbps download, 6,000Mbps upload

$300

$300

$25 gateway rental (required)

None

2 years

Xfinity home internet plans (Central division)

Plan

Max speeds

First-year promo rate

Standard rate (after promo period)

Equipment fee

Data cap

Term agreement

Connect

50Mbps download, 5Mbps upload

$30

$49

$14 gateway rental (skippable)

Yes (1.2TB)

1 year

Connect More

100Mbps download, 5Mbps upload

$40

$69

$14 gateway rental (skippable)

Yes (1.2TB)

1 year

Fast

300Mbps download, 10Mbps upload

$55

$79

$25 gateway rental (included for 12 months)

None

1 year

Superfast

600Mbps download, 15Mbps upload

$70

$89

$25 gateway rental (included for 12 months)

None

1 year

Ultrafast

900Mbps download, 20Mbps upload

$75

$99

$25 gateway rental (included for 12 months)

None

1 year

Gigabit Extra

1,200Mbps download, 35Mbps upload

$80

$109

$25 gateway rental (included for 12 months)

None

1 year

Gigabit Pro

6,000Mbps download, 6,000Mbps upload

$300

$300

$25 gateway rental (required)

None

2 years

Xfinity home internet plans (Northeast division)

Plan

Max speeds

First-year promo rate

Standard rate (after promo period)

Equipment fee

Data cap

Term agreement

Performance Starter

50Mbps download, 10Mbps upload

$65

$65

$14 gateway rental (skippable)

No

None 

Performance

100Mbps download, 10Mbps upload

$84

$84

$14 gateway rental (skippable)

No

None 

Performance Pro

300Mbps download, 10Mbps upload

$40

$89 (after 24 months)

$14 gateway rental (skippable)

No

None 

Blast!

600Mbps download, 20Mbps upload

$60

$94 (after 24 months)

$14 gateway rental (skippable)

No

None 

Extreme Pro

900Mbps download, 20Mbps upload

$70

$99 (after 24 months)

$14 gateway rental (skippable)

No

None

Gigabit

1,200Mbps download, 35Mbps upload

$80

$104 (after 24 months)

$14 gateway rental (skippable)

No

None

Gigabit Pro

6,000Mbps download, 6,000Mbps upload

$300

$300

$20 gateway rental (required)

No

2 years

Xfinity Internet plans and pricing vary depending on your location

Yep, Comcast offers slightly different rates from region to region. Some of the differences are negligible — the gigabit plan in all three regions is $80 per month — but further variance can be found in the introductory 50Mbps plans. In the Central and West regions, you’ll find monthly rates of $25-$30, but Northeast customers see a starting price of $65 for the same speed. What gives?

«We’re a regional provider and market and price our products based on individual local market dynamics,» an Xfinity spokesperson told CNET. «That’s why our costs can be different on a market-by-market basis.»

Not sure that answers the question, though. Sure, a gallon of milk can cost you $4.50 in  but $3.50 in — but why is the East Coast’s monthly price of a 50Mbps plan more than three times what a customer in Colorado pays? That’s simply poor value for our friends in the Northeast.

These varying prices won’t be of much concern or consequence to the average consumer. But considering Xfinity is available in 39 states, it may come into play for those moving from one part of the country to another and facing some significant sticker shock.

Understanding Xfinity’s pricing and value per Mbps

One big consideration with Xfinity plans is the sometimes stark contrast between your enticing promo price and a more costly regular rate. To be fair, most ISPs try to lure customers with competitive introductory prices that eventually balloon into a high monthly fee. That’s not singular to Comcast Xfinity, but you might be surprised at just how steep those price increases are. 

For example, if your household wanted to go with a higher-tiered selection like the gigabit plan, you would initially pay $80 a month — the average starting price of the three different regions. That’s a competitive rate. However, once your promo period passes, your monthly bill will jump to an average of $104. That’s an increase of 30%. Even more dramatic is the jump for customers trying to keep their costs down with the 300Mbps plan. It goes from an average promo rate of $48 monthly to $79 per month. That’s more than just a tiny blip: That’s a hefty bounce of nearly 65%!

Price jumps aside, Xfinity’s regular rates — the amount you’ll pay each month after the cost goes up — aren’t all that unreasonable. For instance, the cost per Mbps of the regular rate across all plans is 39 cents, which is right about in the middle of what customers can expect to pay for cable internet service. It’s not as low as Spectrum’s 25 cents per Mbps standard cost but much more affordable than the average 80 cents per Mbps that Cox offers for its regular rates. 

How to know which Xfinity Internet plan is right for you

Many ISPs offer three or four plan options, so you could get overwhelmed when looking at the seven across the Xfinity grid. But there’s no need to panic. We’ve got a helpful primer on  — give that a read, pick a plan that falls in line with your average usage, and don’t be afraid to be conservative. If you find your plan insufficient for your needs, Xfinity will always be happy to bump you to a faster (and more expensive) plan.

comcast-xfi-advanced-gateway-wi-fi-6-routercomcast-xfi-advanced-gateway-wi-fi-6-router

Comcast offers both cable and fiber internet, but availability varies by region. All Xfinity subscribers can use Comcast’s xFi Gateway router, which is available with support for Wi-Fi 6.

Comcast

What type of internet connections does Xfinity offer?

One detail you may have noticed in the plan tables is the discrepancy between the  speeds. This is because Xfinity Internet relies almost solely on hybrid fiber-coaxial cable connections to provide service to subscribers’ homes. HFC offers speeds much faster than those typically offered by , and networks. Still, due to the asymmetrical nature of the connection, your download speeds will always be much higher than your upload speeds. That’s the main reason cable falls short of the performance of fiber-to-the-home networks.

Most of us pay closer attention to download speeds because they affect our ability to watch movies, listen to new music or stream our favorite shows without that nagging buffering. That said, instructors as more of us work from home, our ability to upload files is becoming more critical. For example,  for single-screen usage of its platform. If you have two people on separate Zoom calls simultaneously, or if you’re on an important work call while your kids are gaming online, you could potentially run into issues very quickly on some of these plans.

While most of its footprint features HFC, Xfinity offers an FTTH option with its top-speed plan, Gigabit Pro. That plan is only available in select homes equipped for it, so you’ll need to request a site survey to ensure that serviceability is even possible. Our Comcast sources also tell us that Xfinity is focusing on finding ways to utilize existing cable connections to achieve the symmetrical speeds we commonly associate with fiber rather than chasing after additional fiber deployments.

Here’s where Xfinity Internet is available

Xfinity Internet plans are available in 39 states and Washington, DC. Here’s the full lineup:

Alabama 

Kentucky

North Carolina

Arizona

Louisiana

Ohio

Arkansas

Maine

Oregon

California

Maryland

Pennsylvania

Colorado

Massachusetts

South Carolina

Connecticut

Michigan

Tennessee

Delaware

Minnesota

Texas

Florida

Mississippi

Utah

Georgia

Missouri

Vermont

Idaho

New Hampshire

Virginia

Illinois

New Jersey

Washington

Indiana

New Mexico

West Virginia

Kansas

New York

Wisconsin

Do you live in one of these states and are trying to determine whether you’re eligible for Xfinity service? You can check your address using the internet serviceability tool at the bottom or top of this page.

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In addition to Comcast’s xFi router, Xfinity subscribers can add plug-in xFi Pods to build a mesh Wi-Fi network throughout their home.

Comcast

Be prepared for what’ll be on your Xfinity Internet bill

It’s always a good idea to take some time to read the fine print. If you’re planning out your budget, you want to ensure you’ve allotted the proper amount for your internet service. After all, it’s not just about the starting monthly fee. 

Additional monthly fees

Regarding monthly fees, the promo rate assumes a $10-per-month discount for enrolling in automatic payments and paperless billing. If you choose not to go that route, you can expect an additional $10 per month on your bill. Also, as we mentioned above, your monthly rate will convert to a much higher regular rate after your promo rate ends. 

You’ll also be charged another $14 a month for the xFi Gateway, a sleek modem-router combo exclusive to Xfinity that features free security measures, parental controls over your home’s Wi-Fi and full tech support. Xfinity allows you to use your own modem and router, but your equipment must be compatible with its service. Even if it is, you won’t get the same technical support or device upgrades with the xFi. 

Xfinity’s one-time installation fee

If you would like a technician to activate your service and verify all your home connections, then you’ll incur a charge of $40. Xfinity does let you bypass this additional cost by selecting self-install, meaning it’ll ship you a Getting Started kit and you can activate the service on your own, using the Xfinity app.

Xfinity Internet data usage plan

Sadly, Xfinity enforces a monthly data cap, set at 1.2TB (1,200GB) of data each month. That said, data limits do not apply to customers in the Northeast market and to certain plans across all three regions. It should be noted that several other ISPs — including , and cable competitors and — offer unlimited data with your monthly fee. So Xfinity falls behind some of its challengers regarding data caps.

That said, what does 1.2TB of data get you? If you want to binge all four seasons of in glorious Ultra HD, you can expect to use up to 7GB per hour of viewing time. The latest  noted that the average monthly household internet usage was up to 514GB. Although it continues to rise, over 90% of customers stayed under their monthly data limit.

If you find your household using more than the given 1.2TB of data per month, you’ll be charged an additional $10 for each increment of 50GB you exceed. The maximum monthly overage charge is $100. Xfinity does have an , which will cost you an additional $30 a month, but it’ll keep you well under that $100 monthly overage threshold. Still, it’s only really worth it if you’ll incur at least three overage charges per month, on average.

hulu-on-xfinity-flexhulu-on-xfinity-flex

You can stream content from apps like Hulu on Comcast’s Xfinity Flex, and it comes with a free subscription to Peacock Premium. 

Comcast

Bundles, freebies and other extra perks

We’ve talked about the not-so-hidden additional fees you might expect to incur when signing up for internet service. You will also find freebies or enticing extras when you sign up for broadband with Xfinity. 

First, since Comcast Xfinity offers multiple services, you can potentially get another $10-$30 a month off your internet bill for two years if you have an active, qualifying line. 

Next up, because Xfinity also offers TV, home security, voice and mobile services, several bundle deals can help you knock $10 or more a month off your regular bill. Like the tables we listed above, the exact bundle deals vary by region. Still, all customers should have the option of , ranging from Double Play options (internet plus another service) to premium bundle packages that include internet, TV and streaming, phone and home security.

Free Xfinity streaming with Flex

Finally, you can add the . This will give you access to popular streaming apps and lots of free content. 

Chart from the ACSI listing internet service providers ranks in 2020 and 2021Chart from the ACSI listing internet service providers ranks in 2020 and 2021

ACSI

Xfinity hovers above most in customer satisfaction

Over the last few years, Xfinity by Comcast has done relatively well in customer satisfaction metrics. When you look at the , Xfinity remains above the industry average. Its current score is 66 out of a possible 100 points. That puts it above the industry average of 64 and good enough for first place among all cable providers and fourth among all ISPs, trailing only , and .

Hopping over to the , Xfinity consistently ranked in the top third for overall customer satisfaction. The study uses a 1,000-point scale and breaks the country into four geographic regions — West, South, North Central and East. Xfinity did well in each region, with an average score of 726 points across all of them. That was good enough for second place in the East (behind Verizon), third in the North Central (behind AT&T and ), second in the South (again, behind AT&T) and third in the West (behind Midcontinent and AT&T). 

Let’s recap

Comcast Xfinity is the largest cable internet provider in the country, with relatively strong customer service scores and gigabit service available across the entire coverage map. Addresses equipped with a fiber-to-the-home connection might even be able to sign up for speeds of 6,000Mbps, one of the fastest residential internet plans in the country. Unless a dedicated fiber provider offers service in your area, the odds are good that Xfinity is your fastest option.

Just watch out for the company’s price hikes after your promo period. Though most providers will raise your bill after the first year, Xfinity’s increases can be particularly steep, especially in the Northeast and Central divisions. You’ll also need to contend with Xfinity’s data cap, though at 1.2TB, most households should be able to manage just fine without going over. If all of that sounds workable, then Xfinity is well worth consideration.

Xfinity Internet FAQs

Is Comcast the same as Xfinity?

Yes. Comcast owns Xfinity and . Comcast offers internet, TV, home security and phone services under the Xfinity brand.

What is the phone number for Xfinity?

The Xfinity customer service phone number is 800-934-6489. If you want to bypass the phones, you can contact Xfinity online at , where you can chat with a representative at all hours of the day, find an Xfinity location near you or visit a variety of help and support forums.

Where can I find info on Xfinity’s privacy policy?

The  is fairly easy to find on its site. Even better, it’s surprisingly thorough and helpful for customers.

For example, there are easy-to-follow instructions on how customers can control what data Comcast/Xfinity collects. In fact, the company’s  also includes guidance on how to opt out of data collection via Facebook, Twitter, Google Analytics and more.

«If we share your personal information with other companies for their own marketing and advertising activities, we will first get your consent,» the policy reads, before noting those choices for opting in or out of data-driven marketing.

«We do not sell, and have never sold, information that identifies who you are to anyone,» the policy states. «This includes your internet usage information, video usage information, or call detail information.»

Does Xfinity offer the best internet plans?

Xfinity has a variety of plans and it can boast one of the fastest plans for residential homes with its Gigabit Pro offering. But whether it offers the best internet plan for your home depends on your address, and which other providers may be available to you.

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