Hidden Costs of Xfinity: Fees, Installation Costs, and Price Increases

There are costs involved in bringing you Xfinity’s hundreds of channels and thousands of on-demand titles, but the only price most customers consider is the advertised package price—unless they happen to read the fine print. As a result, the hidden costs can be quite a shock when you get that first bill.

Xfinity fees aren’t too bad, but they can add up if you’re not careful. To help you avoid any surprises on your upcoming Xfinity bill, we’ll explain each hidden fee and why you might see these additional charges.

Jump to:

• Hidden costs of Xfinity TV plans
• Hidden costs of Xfinity internet plans

Why is my Xfinity TV bill so high?

Xfinity add-on channels

Xfinity TV price increases after promo period

Amount: up to an additional $30/mo.

Like most providers, Xfinity offers limited-time promotional pricing when you sign up for a new package. Prices change occasionally and vary by region, and you can head over to our Xfinity TV review for a full list, but you’ll probably be looking at some fine print that looks like this:

*Price varies by area. For the first 12 months with no term agreement.

But, like the asterisk says, Xfinity prices are only guaranteed for the first 12 months. Then Xfinity will switch you over to what it calls its “regular rate.”

The increased amount varies depending on your package and where you live, but it will usually fall between $20 to $30 per month. The specific increase for each plan can be found in the offer terms when you sign up—Xfinity calls it the “regular rate.”

You may not be doomed to pay Xfinity’s new price after 12 months, though. This writer had luck contacting Xfinity about a price increase and saved cash with a new yearlong contract. It’s worth reaching out to Xfinity with our customer service guide to see if you can get a new deal after the promo period ends.

Xfinity broadcast TV fees, taxes, and more

Amount: varies by area and package

One hidden cost that’s usually mentioned only in the fine print is taxes. Exactly how much you’ll be on the hook for depends on the plan you choose and where you live. It’s not usually a hefty fee, but it’s annoying to see on your bill if you weren’t expecting it.

Regulatory fees are another couple-dollar fee you’re likely to see at the bottom of your bill. These stem from federally mandated fees on the provider, and to help recoup the costs, Xfinity passes a portion on to you.

Xfinity, sometimes sharing is not caring.

You may also have to pay various service fees associated with different programming packages. Depending on the channels and services you order, you may see charges each month for broadcast TV fees, regional sports network fees, and more.

Xfinity installation fees

Amount: $100.00

Xfinity typically charges an $100.00 installation fee for a professional installation.

Xfinity also offers a self-installation kit for $15.00. If you want priority shipping, you’ll have to pay $29.95.

You can also pay $39.99 for Self-Install Plus, which will have an Xfinity technician come by to check your home’s exterior connection and coordinate your self-installation. Lastly, if you turn your service off for any reason, Xfinity charges a $6.00 reactivation fee to turn it back on. Learn more about Xfinity installation by visiting our installation guide. 

Xfinity equipment fees

Amount: $17.45/mo. for HD DVR

Xfinity’s charges $8.50 monthly for its X1 DVR system. Plus, it tacks on a mandatory $9.95 per month HD technology fee and an optional $10.00 per month for 150 hours of storage.

Of course, you could just go with the included TV box, which comes at no extra charge. But you won’t be able to record your shows, or even watch in HD—which affects the visual quality of your favorite shows. And if you want to add TV service to other rooms, that’s another $8.50 per month, per TV. Outfitting a home with TV service when you have lots of televisions can end up costing you a bunch.

Check out our Xfinity equipment review to learn more about these devices.

Late payment fee

Amount: $10 per missed payment

If you don’t pay your Xfinity bill on time, the company charges a $10 fee. As part of Xfinity’s late fee policy, there is a grace period of up to two weeks before you’ll see any interruption of service, but the late fee goes into effect immediately. If you’re in a pinch, it’s worth calling in (find out how with our Xfinity customer service guide) to see if you can get an extended grace period.

Cancellation and early termination fees

Amount: varies by area and plan

If you are looking to cancel, move, transfer, or pause Xfinity service we have all the details you’ll need with our Xfinity cancellation guide. The truth is, Xfinity is very vague about cancellation and early termination fees (ETF), and you’ll need to call Xfinity to find out what yours will be. Xfinity offers both contract and no-contract packages, so not every customer will be subject to ETFs.

If you have a contract or service agreement and cancel it early, you’ll be required to pay an early termination fee. The exact amount of the ETF varies based on how much of your contract remains, with the cost decreasing a set amount each month.

You can avoid ETFs by going with a no-contract—or no-term agreement—package. But because those are about $20 more per month than contracted plans, there’s still a cost here. Talk with your Xfinity agent to decide what deal will work best for your situation.

Why is my Xfinity internet bill so high?

Xfinity price increase after promo period

Amount: up to an additional $30/mo.

The price increase following the promo period depends on which Xfinity internet plan you choose. Generally, increases are similar to those for TV—about $15–$30 per month.

Taxes, regulatory fees, and more

Amount: vary by area and package

Unlike TV packages, Xfinity internet packages don’t usually come with taxes and other superfluous surcharges. In general, the Internet Tax Freedom Act doesn’t allow federal, state, or local governments to charge taxes on internet service.

If you bundle your internet service with TV, though, your bill will still include TV taxes and regulatory fees.

Xfinity installation fees

Amount: $100.00 for professional installation, $15.00 for self-installation kit

Xfinity pushes its self-install kit for internet service, which costs $15.00—or $29.95 with priority shipping and as of the writing of this article.

If you need professional help, the fee is the same as it is for TV: $100.00. (But depending on the time of year, Xfinity may waive installation fees as part of a sign-up promotion.) The good news is that if you bundle both TV and internet, you’ll pay only one installation fee.

In some areas, specific bundles may even include professional installation at no extra cost, but that varies too much for us to nail down. Just ask your agent when you sign up to find out for sure. Check out our Xfinity installation guide for more information on installation.

Xfinity equipment fee

Amount: up to $14/mo. for xFi Gateway

With your internet plan, you can use your own modem and router. (Find the perfect ones for you with our list of compatible modems and guide to the fastest routers.) But if you want to go with Xfinity’s modem/router, the xFi Gateway, you’ll need to pay as much as $14 per month.

We recommend you poke around with a few packages before you decide. If you’d rather not pay for how much Xfinity charges for its modem, Xfinity has been known to include a modem/router or discount the xFi Gateway when paired with some more expensive packages.

Xfinity late payment fees

Amount: $10 per missed payment

As noted in the TV section above, Xfinity customers are subject to a $10 late fee for missed payments. Although there’s no grace period for Xfinity’s late payment policy, Xfinity does give you two weeks to pay your late fee before they start considering cutting off your service.

If you hit a rough spot and know in advance that your payment will be late (we’ve all been there), you can call ahead to possibly adjust the due date.

Xfinity cancellation and early termination fees

Amount: varies by area and plan

If you choose a package with a contract, you’ll be subject to early termination fees when you cancel your service early.

As with Xfinity TV, the exact fees vary, but they reflect the remaining time in your contract. The cost of cancelling 10 months early will be much higher than cancelling only two months early, for example.

Xfinity data overage fees

Amount: $10 per 50 GB block

Most internet plans come with a 1.2 TB data cap. That means you can use up to 1.2 TB of data each month, after which you’ll be charged a fee.

Xfinity charges a standard $10 for every 50 GB block of data over the cap—even if you don’t use the whole 50 GB block. But it will charge you only up to $200 in these overage fees—oh wait, no, that’s nothing to be excited about because it’s still a ton of money.

Most people will probably never reach the data cap—1.2 TB is a good bit of data. Still, heavy downloaders or streamers who are afraid of running into these overage charges should consider buying the $50 add-on for unlimited data or springing for the unlimited Gigabit Pro package.

Xfinity fees and hidden costs FAQ