AT&T vs. CenturyLink

Is AT&T or CenturyLink better?

AT&T narrowly beats CenturyLink thanks to the internet service provider’s (ISP) deeper bench of internet plans and superior customer service. But if you’re deciding between AT&T DSL or CenturyLink fiber internet, we recommend CenturyLink.

AT&T vs. CenturyLink pros and cons

✓ More fiber internet plans
✓ Better sign-up deals
✗ Old DSL network

✓ Flat-rate and no-contract pricing
✓ Free equipment
✗ Aging DSL plans

Jump to:

• Deals
• Plans and prices
• Fees and extra charges
• Features

AT&T vs. CenturyLink deals

CenturyLink occasionally offers promotions including free hardware, Sling TV subscriptions, and a $100 gift card. AT&T’s best deals include cash cards worth up to $250 and waived cancellation fees. Check out our AT&T deals guide for more information.

AT&T vs. CenturyLink head-to-head

Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

When it comes to their plans, AT&T and CenturyLink are two peas in a pod. Both ISPs are internet-only and offer great fiber internet packages alongside aging DSL plans.

CenturyLink’s three fiber internet plans offer straightforward pricing along with a good variety of price points and download speeds. AT&T’s plans are slightly pricier than CenturyLink, but you also get more speed options if you’re interested in multi-gig internet service.

AT&T vs. CenturyLink internet plans and prices

CenturyLink plans and prices

Data effective as of publish date. Pricing and speeds are subject to change. Not all offers available in all areas.
* Speed may not be available in your area. Paperless billing required. Taxes and fees apply. Online ONLY. Free Modem.
^† Speed may not be available in your area. Maximum download/upload speed of up to 940Mbps via a wired connection. Paperless billing required. Taxes and fees apply. Online ONLY. Free Modem. Free Install.
^‡ 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 100Mbps.)

If you’re lucky enough to have CenturyLink fiber coverage, you can access some of the most affordable fiber internet plans around. We recommend fiber internet if it’s available in your area because you get the fastest upload and download speeds compared to DSL and cable internet.

We like that CenturyLink fiber internet is not exclusively a boutique product, as CenturyLink’s 200Mbps plan is the most affordable fiber internet option from a major ISP. With 200Mbps upload and download speeds, this plan is far from the fastest option, but at only $30 monthly, it’s affordable and a great fit for many households. By comparison, AT&T’s fiber internet plans start at $55 per month.

But CenturyLink’s price availability leaves much to be desired, as you can find the $30 for 200Mbps pricing only in certain regions. If you’re outside these regions, it’s $50 monthly for CenturyLink’s 200Mbps fiber internet plan. It’s still a better deal than AT&T but a less stellar one.

Still, CenturyLink’s fiber internet plans feature great benefits like flat-rate pricing, no contracts, and unlimited data. These features are increasingly standard among fiber ISPs (including AT&T), but we appreciate when ISPs don’t try to spring surprise price increases on customers.

If you’re outside CenturyLink’s fiber area, you have to settle for the provider’s Simply Unlimited Internet DSL plan. DSL internet’s download speeds vary widely by address, and we only recommend it if your house can’t get regular internet service.

AT&T plans and prices

Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Plus taxes. Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount.

AT&T’s plans have a lot in common with CenturyLink’s plans. As with CenturyLink, we only recommend AT&T’s Internet 100 DSL plan as a last resort because of DSL’s lackluster speeds.

AT&T has a wider breadth of fiber internet plans, but across the board, you pay slightly more for AT&T fiber internet compared to CenturyLink. For example, AT&T’s 500Mbps plan costs $65 monthly, while CenturyLink’s 200Mbps or 500Mbps plans cost $50 per month, depending on your location. And both ISPs have benefits like flat-rate pricing and waived equipment fees, so AT&T’s still behind the eight ball when you include the fine print.

AT&T’s biggest advantage over CenturyLink is its deeper bench of fiber internet plans. Although availability for AT&T’s 2 Gig and 5 Gig plans widely, they’re strong options if your household has more than four heavy internet users.

AT&T vs. CenturyLink fees and extra charges

AT&T fees and extra charges

AT&T’s biggest fees are its penalty charges, but if you take care of your account balance every month, you’re in the clear. Check out our AT&T hidden costs guide for more on AT&T’s fine print and fees.

CenturyLink fees and extra charges

As an internet-only provider, CenturyLink doesn’t have much in the way of hidden fees. If you downgrade from a gigabit plan to a 200Mbps fiber internet plan, you have to pay a $15 modem lease fee—CenturyLink waives equipment fees on its Gigabit plan only. If your address needs additional work to become internet-ready, you may also have to pay a one-time installation fee.

AT&T vs. CenturyLink specs and features

AT&T vs. CenturyLink customer service

AT&T was one of the top ISPs in our annual internet customer satisfaction survey, earning top marks in overall satisfaction and customer service. CenturyLink performed decently in our polling and generally landed in the middle of surveyed ISPs

Bundling with TV

Neither ISP offers TV service, so you’re out of luck if you want to bundle a TV plan with your internet service. If you’re interested in live TV streaming services, check out our best live streaming service guide to learn more about services like YouTube TV and DIRECTV STREAM.

Bundling with cell phone service

CenturyLink doesn’t have a cell phone service, but you can bundle a home phone line with your internet for an additional $50 per month.

With AT&T, you save 25% on its unlimited cell phone plans when you bundle cell phone and internet service. AT&T’s cell phone plans are generally expensive, but you’ll get features like large mobile hotspot data caps and save when you add up to five lines to your plan. Check out our cell phone and internet bundles guide to learn more about combining cell phone and internet service.

Final take

AT&T comes out ahead over CenturyLink in most cases thanks to its superior customer service, better sign-up deals, and its straightforward internet pricing. But we’d take CenturyLink if you’re in an area with the ISP’s $30 for 200Mbps deal.

AT&T vs. CenturyLink FAQ

Methodology

Our experts drew from our existing CenturyLink and AT&T databases, rating both ISPs on areas including internet speeds, pricing, and availability. We also used our annual customer satisfaction survey to see how real customers felt about each ISP.

For more on our process, see our How We Rank page.