Spectrum vs. AT&T Internet

AT&T and Spectrum Internet compete in the Midwestern and Southern US—plus Nevada and California—across a total of eighteen states. Both providers have reliable internet solutions with no-contract plans.

In our recent survey, AT&T internet customers responded with more overall satisfaction than Spectrum customers. But in areas where AT&T Fiber isn’t available, Spectrum can offer you faster speeds with more bang for your buck.

Spectrum vs. AT&T: pros and cons

Jump to:

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

Deals and promotions

Both Spectrum and AT&T offer sign-up incentives for new customers. Check out their ongoing promotions on the Spectrum deals and AT&T deals pages. Or, for all of this month’s big internet promos, check out our internet deals review.

Spectrum contract buyout

If you’re ready to get away from your current internet provider, Spectrum will buy out your old contract up to $500 when you sign up for a Triple Play plan (or Double Play if one of the three TV, internet, or phone services aren’t available in your area).

How are Spectrum and AT&T different?

When you compare AT&T internet versus Spectrum internet, the broad strokes look about the same:

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

With its cable internet network, Spectrum offers up to 300 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) download speeds in most areas. That’s an excellent standard for most homes, and in a few areas, you can even snag those hot gig speeds.

AT&T now has one internet service—AT&T Fiber. As of August 2023, AT&T no longer offers DSL plans. If you’re unable to get AT&T Fiber, we suggest you check out Spectrum’s 300 Mbps plan. In large cities, though, you’ll likely have access to AT&T’s fiber-powered gig speeds.

It might require a phone call or two to confirm which provider is the speed demon in your area. If AT&T’s speeds are slower than Spectrum’s, you may want to pass on AT&T’s customer service reputation for speeds that get you where you want to go.

Spectrum vs. AT&T internet prices and plans

Spectrum internet prices and plans

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

You don’t have to sweat slow plans with Spectrum. The base plan downloads at up to 300 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary), which is a smooth speed most of the time—even if you’ve got some smart-home devices set up.

In some areas, Spectrum has started rolling out up to 500 Mbps and up to 1,000 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) plans. These download speeds are great for working from home.

But if you have AT&T Fiber internet in your area, keep in mind that AT&T Fiber plans offer faster upload speeds, which improve the quality of your video calls and make it easier to send large documents—like that massive Excel spreadsheet your boss needs within the hour.

AT&T Internet and AT&T Fiber pricing and plans

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

If you’re a gig-speed hound living in a fiber-wired city, you’re in for a treat. AT&T’s fiber internet plans are great deals for their prices.

Plus, AT&T’s Internet 1,000 plan is as fast as Spectrum Internet Gig, but AT&T’s gig plan is cheaper and AT&T Fiber has faster upload speeds versus Spectrum.

Spectrum vs. AT&T internet fees and extra charges

Spectrum Internet fees and extra charges

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

Spectrum’s fees aren’t worth fretting over. The one-time installation fee is smaller than a lot of providers, and your subscription includes a modem rental for no extra charge.

You might consider investing in a router instead of renting one from Spectrum. It’s a handy way to avoid router rental fees and Spectrum’s unnecessary Wi-Fi activation fee. The budget-friendly TP-Link Archer AC1750 pays for itself in a little over a year.

AT&T internet fees and extra charges

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

AT&T’s installation fee is ugly, but you can skip it when you sign up for internet on AT&T’s website.

And on the plus side, your Wi-Fi gateway with a modem and router comes included in your service.

Additionally, you probably don’t have to worry about the data allowance overage charge. The 1,000 GB (1 TB) data cap AT&T enforces on some plans won’t be a problem for the average internet user. To go over that limit, you’d have to spend 11 hours a day streaming HD videos for a whole month. Remember to turn off Netflix when you fall asleep, and you’ll be fine.

Installation

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

If you’re a DIYer, Spectrum’s self-installation isn’t too tricky—we’ve got all the details in our Spectrum installation guide. But AT&T will handle the trouble of your installation at no extra cost if you sign up for its internet service online.

AT&T placed second for overall satisfaction in our recent customer survey, beat out by Verizon Fios. AT&T has maintained high customer satisfaction for years, and you’re more likely to have a good experience with its customer service than with most other providers.

This was a big climb for Spectrum, which in past years hit as low as tenth place. It seems that Spectrum has smoothed over the initial problems it had with customer service when it took on Time Warner Cable and Bright House Network customers back in 2016.

Bundling with TV

You can bundle your Spectrum internet service with its TV Select Signature plan, one of the most affordable starting packages on the market. Tack on phone service, and your home will be looking pretty well connected.

Recommended Spectrum bundles

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

AT&T has more TV packages than it knows what to do with. You can bundle internet with its satellite TV service, DIRECTV, or pair up your fiber internet with the streaming service AT&T TV.

Recommended AT&T bundles

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

AT&T offers bundles with the live TV streaming service DIRECTV STREAM. We’re not huge fans of DIRECTV STREAM, though—YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV will treat you better.

Final take

Since both Spectrum and AT&T offer no-contract internet plans with high speeds (and usually no data caps), you can just focus on prices and speeds when you’re signing up.

Spectrum isn’t a bad deal as far as internet goes. But AT&T has the stronger offering if you can get its fiber internet, especially if you consider its fast upload speeds. And its included Wi-Fi gateway will save you a lot in the long run.

AT&T vs. Spectrum Internet FAQ

Methodology

Our experts have researched AT&T and Spectrum’s internet service for years to determine the functionality of each provider and help you decide on the internet plan that’s best for your needs. We compared their bang for your buck, reliability, and features. To learn more about our methods, check out our How We Rank page.

Disclaimer:

°Speed based on wired connection. Available Internet speeds may vary by address. Gig capable modem required for Gig speed. For a list of Gig capable modems, visit Spectrum.net/modem.
Spectrum Internet 500 Mbps: For 12 months when bundled. Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter.
**Spectrum TV Select Signature: Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter. Spectrum TV Select Signature promotion price is $59.99/mo; standard rates apply after yr 1. Taxes, fees, and surcharges (broadcast surcharge up to $23.20/mo) extra and subject to change during and after the promotional period; installation/network activation, equipment and additional services are extra. General Terms: TV: TV equipment required; charges may apply. Channel and HD programming availability based on level of service and location. Account credentials may be required to stream some TV content online. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Services not available in all areas. Restrictions apply. Enter your address to determine availability.
Spectrum Voice: Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter. General Terms: HOME PHONE: Spectrum Voice promotion price is $14.99/mo; standard rates apply after yr 1. Unlimited calling includes calls within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands and more. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Services not available in all areas. Restrictions apply. Enter your address to determine availability.