Xfinity vs. CenturyLink Internet 2022: Plans, Prices, and More

Xfinity has fast, reliable cable internet packages and one super speedy (and super expensive) fiber plan—some of which are available without contracts (for a fee). And its xFi Advanced Gateway is a pretty sweet modem/router combo.

If you’re an internet god with disposable income, or a large family in need of maximum bandwidth, Xfinity’s equipment, reliability, speed, and value are for you.

CenturyLink has slower, less reliable DSL internet packages with fixed prices and no contracts. It also has a fiber plan that’s half the speed of Xfinity’s, but 80% cheaper—and still plenty fast. But CenturyLink’s modems are a mystery.

We recommend CenturyLink for everyone from independent singles to couples to families who don’t need super-fast speeds or surprise rate hikes.

Jump to:

• Deals
• Prices and plans
• Fees and extra charges
• Customer satisfaction
• Bundling with TV

Xfinity vs. CenturyLink: pros and cons

Deals and promotions

Xfinity offers its internet-only customers a free streaming device/service called Flex. It offers hundreds of live TV channels and many thousands of on-demand movies and shows from Xfinity’s deep on-demand library as well as its integration of free streaming services like Pluto, Xumo, and Tubi.

Flex also works with your Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and HBO subscriptions, along with Hulu and NBC’s Peacock services.

CenturyLink offers a free modem and installation (combined $299 value) for new customers when they sign up for the Fiber Gigabit plan online.

How are Xfinity and CenturyLink different?

Toe-to-toe: Xfinity vs. CenturyLink

Data effective as of publish date. Pricing and speeds are subject to change. Not all offers available in all areas.
*Paperless billing or prepaid required. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges apply. Get the fastest Internet speed available at your location (max speed is up to 100 Mbps.)

Xfinity vs. CenturyLink prices and plans

Xfinity prices and plans

*For the first 12 months.
**For the first 24 months with a 2-year agreement.
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Since cable internet technology is faster and more reliable than DSL, Xfinity has the edge over most CenturyLink plans. Most Xfinity plans require contracts (some are available month-to-month for a fee), but most of CenturyLink’s plans do not.

Regarding value, Xfinity’s cable plans are generally a better value than CenturyLink’s DSL plan. Xfinity’s Connect ($19.99 a month) and Connect More ($39.99 a month) are cheaper than CenturyLink’s DSL plan, with guaranteed maximum download speeds.

The next plan up, Fast ($49.99 a month), gives you 300 Mbps. That’s triple CenturyLink’s highest DSL speed for only a cent more (CenturyLink’s DSL plans are all $50 monthly, regardless of speed).

Plot twist! When we get into fiber speeds, CenturyLink’s a better value than Xfinity. We explore this more after the table.

CenturyLink prices and plans

Data effective as of publish date. Pricing and speeds are subject to change. Not all offers available in all areas.
*Paperless billing or prepaid required. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges apply. Get the fastest Internet speed available at your location (max speed is up to 100 Mbps.)

CenturyLink’s Simply Unlimited Internet DSL internet plan costs $50.00 whether you’re getting 15 or 100 Mbps, thanks to the unpredictability of CenturyLink’s DSL network. On the plan, you’ll get the maximum internet speed that’s available at your address. But with CenturyLink’s no-contract pricing, you’ll pay the same rate and won’t have to worry about annual price increases in the future.

CenturyLink Fiber Internet plan ($65.00 a month) gives you download and upload speeds up to 940 Mbps. For around the same price, Xfinity’s Superfast ($59.99 a month) offers only 600 Mbps, and Ultrafast ($69.99) gives you 900 Mbps. When Xfinity finally gets up past 1,000 Mbps with the Gigabit plan, it runs $79.99 a month.

But now, instead of comparing CenturyLink DSL plans with Xfinity cable plans, we’re comparing Xfinity’s cable speeds with CenturyLink’s fiber internet. Fiber is faster and more reliable than cable, and only fiber gives you symmetrical download and upload speeds.

What does that mean? Well, with Xfinity’s cable Gigabit plan, you get speeds up to 1,200 Mbps (download) and 35 Mbps (upload). CenturyLink’s Fiber Internet gives you more reliability, plus up to 940 Mbps (down and up)—for $20 less per month.

So, if you can get fiber where you live, that’s what you want. CenturyLink’s Simply Unlimited Internet can work if your address gets a download speed of at least 80 Mbps, but if you can’t, it’s much less of a deal.

Xfinity vs. CenturyLink fees and extra charges

Neither Xfinity nor CenturyLink hit you with fees or extra charges on your monthly bill. Huzzah!

Installation

In the chart above, CenturyLink requires us to refer to its cheaper installation as “standard installation,” but don’t get it twisted—you’ll still be doing most of the install yourself. Xfinity’s self-installation is cheaper (yay, free!) and more forthright. Names aside, the cheaper DIY options are the way to go.

But don’t fret, technophobes: self-installation is easy. You don’t even have to do it yourself. Just order the self-installation kits and offer 20 bucks to a friend or neighbor. You’ll still save big over the pro-install price—and you won’t have to take time off of work to meet the installation tech.

Then again, letting the professionals do it does give you peace of mind. And it’s probably going to go faster since they do this stuff all the time, which means you can enjoy most of that half-day escape from work. Is that worth $90–$100, though? That’s up to you.

Modems

Whose computer-talk box is better?

Xfinity’s xFi Gateway modem/router combos are popular with its customers—79% of them use one instead of a third-party option. The xFi Advanced Gateway XB7 is brand new and made for connections of at least 300 Mbps up to 1.5 Gbps.

You can’t buy the XB7 outright—you have to lease one from Xfinity for $14 a month. But leasing isn’t all bad because you’ll get free replacements if the unit fails and a free subscription to Xfinity’s Advanced Cybersecurity service (reg. $5.99 a month).

CenturyLink rents modem/routers for $15 a month and sells them for $200. But it won’t tell us which models go for that price. Instead, a rep sent us a list of CenturyLink-compatible devices. If you’d like to learn about those, here’s our guide to the best CenturyLink-compatible modems.

Although it’s 40% more expensive, we recommend Xfinity’s souped-up xFi Advanced Gateway over CenturyLink’s mystery box.

Bundling Xfinity internet or CenturyLink internet with TV

Xfinity offers double- and triple-play bundles that include up to 260+ channels and internet speeds up to 1,200 Mbps. Double-play bundles range from $49.99 to $134.99 a month. Triple-play bundles run from $89.99 to $144.99 a month.

Unfortunately, since breaking off its relationship with DIRECTV, CenturyLink does not currently offer bundling with TV—just home phone service. We’ll update this article if CenturyLink pairs up with a new TV provider.

Final take

For equipment, reliability, speed, and value, Xfinity is your best bet. CenturyLink is limited by its DSL plans and mixed customer service, although its fiber internet plan is a great deal if it’s available in your area.

Methodology

To figure out which ISP reigns supreme, we analyzed factors including the internet plans and fine print for each provider. We also used our annual customer satisfaction survey to find out what real customers really think about Xfinity and CenturyLink.

Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our review process.

Xfinity vs. CenturyLink FAQ