Xfinity vs. AT&T Internet

Xfinity and AT&T are in direct competition in the Midwestern and Southern US, plus California. While our survey of internet customers like you put AT&T above Xfinity in overall satisfaction, AT&T and Xfinity offer different plans based on where you live, which makes it hard to pick a clear winner.

Overall, keep in mind that AT&T Fiber uses fast and reliable fiber-optic technology. Rural areas will likely have access to AT&T’s hybrid DSL and fiber technology, which isn’t quite as fast as Xfinity’s cable technology.

Go for AT&T Fiber if you want speed, but consider Xfinity if you’re looking for affordable internet (and you’re willing to buy your own modem and router). Avoid AT&T’s DSL internet, since it doesn’t give you good bang for your buck.

Xfinity vs. AT&T Internet pros and cons

Jump to:

• Deals and promotions
• Head-to-head comparison
• Packages and prices
• Features

Deals and promotions

Both Xfinity and AT&T offer promotions for new customers. Expect gift cards, service discounts, or free subscriptions to streaming services when you sign up for a new internet plan.

Head over our Xfinity deals page and AT&T deals page for all the details. Or see this month’s latest promotions on our comprehensive list of the best internet deals.

Compare Xfinity and AT&T head to head

Data effective as of post date. Not all offers available in all areas. See full disclaimer regarding pricing and features for more information.

On most fronts, Xfinity internet and AT&T internet aren’t drastically different. Xfinity’s slower internet speeds are cheaper than AT&T’s slow DSL and fiber plans. But AT&T’s high-speed fiber plans are cheaper than Xfinity’s, so you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck with AT&T.

And while both providers have a reasonably sized data cap on some plans, most of AT&T’s plans come with unlimited data. In comparison, Xfinity’s only plan with unlimited data is the superfast, uber-expensive Gigabit Pro.

So if you have a lot of folks using your internet, or you download large files regularly, AT&T is the better choice to avoid overage fees.

And when looking at the prices, remember that AT&T includes the price of its Wi-Fi gateway, which most providers charge around $10 a month for. Renting Xfinity’s xFi Gateway will cost you $14 a month, but you can bring your own compatible modem and router instead to avoid ongoing charges.

If you’re looking for a way to cut down on monthly costs, skipping Xfinity’s provided Wi-Fi gateway is an excellent way to go.

Packages and pricing

If you’re the only person using your internet, check out the cheap plans in the lower range of Xfinity’s speeds. But if you’ve got a lot of folks at home, you can keep them all connected at an affordable price with AT&T’s plans.

Xfinity packages and pricing (West)

Data effective as of post date. Not all offers available in all areas. See full disclaimer regarding pricing and features for more information.

The prices above are for Xfinity’s West Division, which includes California, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, and Wisconsin. Not all of Xfinity’s plans are available in all service areas.

Being fiber-based, the insanely fast (and expensive) Gigabit Pro will be the most difficult to get. You’d also need the gear to keep up with it—your five-year-old laptop probably won’t be able to achieve 2,000 Mbps, as Xfinity lays out. And AT&T offers faster speeds for less if you can get AT&T Internet 5000 in your area.

The rest of the plans are cable internet, ranging from the basic Connect (50 Mbps) to the impressive-for-cable Gigabit (1,200 Mbps). Connect is the plan to bank on if you want cheap internet—it has enough get-up-and-go to support one or two people using the internet at once, although we don’t recommend it for families who stream multiple shows at once.

We like middle plans Connect More (100 Mbps) and Fast (300 Mbps) for the average user, both of which offer plenty of speed at a more manageable price than AT&T’s starting plans.

If you’re running a home business where speed counts, Ultrafast (900 Mbps) or Gigabit might be a wiser option. Remember that cable (and DSL) internet download speeds don’t mean equal upload speeds: for example, 100 Mbps download will get you only about 5 Mbps upload.

AT&T’s fiber plans are a much better deal than Xfinity’s high-speed plans, though, so if you have the option, we’d say save yourself a buck and go with AT&T.

Xfinity packages and pricing (Central)

Data effective as of post date. Not all offers available in all areas. See full disclaimer regarding pricing and features for more information.

The prices above are for Xfinity’s Central Division, which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Xfinity’s Central Division has plans and prices similar to the West Division, so our advice in the section above goes double here.

Xfinity packages and pricing (Northeast)

Data effective as of post date. Not all offers available in all areas. See full disclaimer regarding pricing and features for more information.

Xfinity’s Northeast Division doesn’t cross over into AT&T territory very often, but if you’re in North Carolina and Ohio, these are the prices you’ll get. Unfortunately, Xfinity’s starting prices are higher here than in its other regions.

If you go with Xfinity’s Performance Pro plan looking for a cheaper internet than AT&T, make sure you have your own modem and router, since the xFi Gateway will tack another $14 a month onto your internet plan.

AT&T packages and pricing

Data effective as of post date. Not all offers available in all areas. See full disclaimer regarding pricing and features for more information.

Based on where you live, your AT&T’s DSL and fiber hybrid internet plan could be anywhere from less than 1 Mbps to as high as 100 Mbps. Unfortunately, no matter what speed you get, you’ll still have to pay $55 a month.

The best AT&T hybrid plan is AT&T Internet 100. You’ll get unlimited data, just like you would with AT&T Fiber plans. But this plan is as expensive as AT&T Fiber Internet 300, which has three times faster internet speeds. AT&T’s hybrid internet just can’t keep up with its fiber internet counterpart.

Xfinity’s starting plans are much more affordable, so we say stick with Xfinity for plans up to 100 Mbps—unless you need the unlimited data that comes with AT&T Internet 100.

Fiber offers a more consistent internet experience than cable and DSL, in more ways than one. Fiber internet’s upload speeds mirror its download speeds—which means no more waiting for an hour for the latest episode of your Typography Talk podcast to upload.

Plus, AT&T Fiber comes with no data caps, so you don’t have to worry about going over your monthly data allowance and being slapped with a fine like you would with an Xfinity plan.

Compared to what you get with Xfinity, any of AT&T’s fiber plans offer an excellent deal price-to-speed-wise. If fiber is available in your neighborhood, we say jump on it.

Xfinity vs. AT&T fees and extra charges

With any internet service, you’ll probably end up paying more than the advertised price. Here are some hidden fees from Xfinity and AT&T to keep an eye out for.

Xfinity fees and extra charges

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Some of Xfinity’s one-time fees are unavoidable—but you can purchase your own modem/router to use with Xfinity internet, which eventually saves you money compared to renting month to month. Just be prepared to do most of your own troubleshooting.

If you somehow surpass Xfinity’s monthly internet data cap (1.2 TB), you’ll be charged $10 for every 50 GB you go over. How much is a TB (terabyte) of data? To give you an idea, you’d have to stream over 11 hours of Hulu shows every day for a month to hit it.

AT&T internet fees and extra charges

Data effective as of post date.

Unlike Xfinity, AT&T includes the cost of its modem/router combo in your internet plan, so you don’t have to worry about that as a hidden fee.

Except for the lack of equipment fee and the $35 reactivation fee (ouch), AT&T’s extra costs are fairly similar to Xfinity’s. Check the table above for all the details.

Xfinity vs. AT&T installation

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Both Xfinity and AT&T can mail kits to your home for self-installation, which is a cheaper route if you’re looking at a simple setup. You shouldn’t need a technician to connect to a previously installed internet line since most of what you’ll need is already in place.

Need help installing your Xfinity home internet? We’ve got a complete walkthrough for you.

If you have no existing internet hookups, on the other hand, you’ll want a professional for that from-scratch installation. The same goes for a new fiber installation, which many homes aren’t equipped for yet. If you don’t know whether your home is set up for fiber, check with your internet service provider.

Important note: Xfinity offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on internet service service, whereas AT&T allows only a 14-day trial period.

Xfinity vs. AT&T equipment

Data effective as of post date.

Xfinity and AT&T make their own modem/routers available for new customers, which can be helpful. Both providers offer 24/7 support and regular software updates.

If you don’t want to use the company gear and would rather buy your own third-party modem/router, go for Xfinity. There are many Xfinity-compatible modems on the market. Unfortunately, AT&T doesn’t let you bring a third-party modem to your service.

Xfinity vs. AT&T bundling with TV

Want to save some cash on TV and internet? Bundling your Xfinity services is the way to go—you’ll save $20 per month, based on what the services would cost alone.

But while you can bundle your AT&T internet with DIRECTV or DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T doesn’t offer any bundling savings.

To learn more, check out our total reviews of Xfinity bundles and AT&T bundles.

Final take: Is Xfinity or AT&T better?

If you want affordable internet with good performance, Xfinity is the way to go.

AT&T’s DSL internet isn’t as fast as Xfinity’s, and it can be a bit pricey. But AT&T Fiber is an especially great deal—if you can get it.

Methodology

Our experts compared Xfinity and AT&T’s bang for your buck, reliability, features, and customer satisfaction. We compared plans and prices side by side, along with hidden fees and extra perks, to best picture how the two providers stack up. For more information on our methodology, check out our How We Rank page.

Xfinity vs. AT&T FAQ

Disclaimers:

Xfinity prices for the first 12 months. Some packages require a 1- or 2-year contract.

AT&T prices for the first 12 months plus taxes and equip. fee.