Is T-Mobile or Xfinity better?
T-Mobile’s flat-rate pricing is great for households that need cheap internet service. But it can’t stand up to Xfinity’s wider selection of internet and TV plans.
T-Mobile vs. Xfinity pros and cons
Xfinity
✓ A wide range of internet plans
✓ Nationwide availability
✗ Price hikes after 12 or 24 months
T-Mobile
✓ A low price
✓ Discounts for T-Mobile cell phone customers
✗ Spotty availability
T-Mobile vs. Xfinity deals
Xfinity’s best deals include extended price guarantees, student discounts, and streaming subscriptions. T-Mobile customers can get discounts on their internet and streaming services. Check out our T-Mobile and Xfinity deals guides for the latest updates.
T-Mobile internet vs. Xfinity head-to-head
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Xfinity’s nationwide cable internet coverage comes with great speeds at various price tiers. By comparison, T-Mobile keeps things simple with its sole plan, but is it too simple? Let’s break down the biggest pros and cons for each internet service provider (ISP).
T-Mobile internet vs. Xfinity internet plans and prices
T-Mobile plans and prices
Package | Price | Download speeds up to | Upload speeds up to | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | $50.00/mo.* | 33–182Mbps | 6–23Mbps | |
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet with T-Mobile phone plan | $30.00/mo.** | 33–182Mbps | 6–23Mbps |
*With AutoPay.
**Requires one line with T-Mobile Magenta MAX plan.
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
T-Mobile’s 5G home internet service uses the carrier’s 5G mobile data network—instead of physical cables—to connect your home to the internet.
It’s hard to beat T-Mobile’s flat-rate pricing, as you’ll pay only $50 monthly for internet service. If you tack on a T-Mobile cell phone plan, you can save an additional $20 monthly. By comparison, most cable ISP plans start at $50 (and this doesn’t even include the price hike you’ll see after a year).
But one of T-Mobile’s biggest disadvantages is its download unpredictability. T-Mobile’s internet performance depends on factors like coverage in your area. If your house hits 182Mbps, you can easily watch Netflix and download files easily. If your speeds are closer to 33Mbps, you’ll experience problems if more than two people want to get online.
Xfinity plans and prices
Package (West) | Price* | Download speeds up to | Upload speeds up to | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|
Connect | $19.99/mo.* | 75Mbps | 5Mbps | View Plans for Xfinity |
Connect More | $25.00/mo.** | 100Mbps | 5Mbps | View Plans for Xfinity |
Fast | $50.00/mo.* | 200Mbps | 5Mbps | View Plans for Xfinity |
Superfast | $60.00/mo.* | 400Mbps | 10Mbps | View Plans for Xfinity |
Gigabit | $60.00/mo.* | 800Mbps | 15Mbps | View Plans for Xfinity |
Gigabit Extra | $70.00/mo.* | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | View Plans for Xfinity |
Gigabit x6 | $299.95/mo.** | 6,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | View Plans for Xfinity |
*For the first 12 months with a 1-year agreement. Includes $10/mo automatic payments and paperless billing discount.
**For the first 24 months with No Term Agreement. Includes $10/mo automatic payments and paperless billing discount.
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Xfinity’s plans come down to one thing: options, options, and more options.
With seven plans that sport download speeds between 75–6,000 Mbps and prices starting at $19.99 monthly (depending on your Xfinity region), you’ll find an Xfinity internet plan that meets your speed and budget needs. On T-Mobile, you’ll be limited to its sole 5G home internet plan.
One of our favorite things about Xfinity is the ISP’s willingness to have proper budget internet plans. Connect and Connect More are far from the fastest plans, but with starting prices below $25 monthly, they’re designed to be affordable. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet costs $50 monthly but goes down to $30 monthly if you add a T-Mobile cell phone plan.
You’ll also have more consistent download speeds on Xfinity compared to 5G home internet. Although real-world Xfinity speeds vary depending on network factors, you’ll generally be within spitting distance of your advertised download speed. But with T-Mobile and its wide 33–182Mbps download speeds, your internet experience heavily depends on T-Mobile’s coverage in your area.
But T-Mobile’s flat-rate price is much better than Xfinity’s promotional pricing. Xfinity’s pricing isn’t as bad as it used to be—the ISP frequently offers two-year price guarantees and no-contract service these days—but you’ll still see a price increase after your first or second year of service.
On T-Mobile, you’ll always pay the same price for internet thanks to its Price Lock guarantee. We’ll continue to beat the drum for ISPs like T-Mobile that have left promo pricing trickery by the wayside.
T-Mobile vs. Xfinity fees and extra charges
Xfinity fees and extra charges
Fees | Amount |
---|---|
xFi Gateway | $14/mo. |
Data overage fee | $10 per 50GB (up to $100/mo.) |
Promotional price ends | Around $15–$30/mo. |
Self-installation kit | $15 |
Xfinity has your expected internet hardware and service fees, and you’ll have to grin and bear more than a few of them. Check out our Xfinity hidden fees guide for a full breakdown.
T-Mobile fees and extra charges
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is blessedly fee free. The carrier doesn’t have data caps, rental fees, or annual price hikes, so the price you see will be the price you’ll pay every month.
T-Mobile vs. Xfinity specs and features
T-Mobile Home Internet vs. Xfinity customer service
Xfinity performed well in our annual internet customer satisfaction survey, ranking sixth out of 20 ISPs. T-Mobile wasn’t part of our survey, but the carrier earned top marks in J.D. Power’s 2022 phone carrier customer survey.
Availability
Xfinity is widely available across 40 states nationwide, so you’ll likely have Xfinity service if you’re near a major or mid-sized city in an Xfinity state.
T-Mobile’s availability is much more spotty thanks to the carrier’s city-by-city rollout approach. Your odds of qualifying for T-Mobile home internet depend on T-Mobile’s coverage and enrollment numbers in your area, so you’ll need to check your address with T-Mobile to confirm service availability.
TV, internet, and phone bundle options
Xfinity has a full catalog of options for bundling TV, home phone, or cell phone service with your internet plan. Check out our Xfinity bundles guide to learn more about every Xfinity bundle option.
T-Mobile doesn’t have traditional service bundles, but you can add a T-Mobile cell phone plan to your internet service to save $20 per month. Depending on your T-Mobile cell phone plan, you can get free Netflix and Apple TV+ subscriptions.
Final take
If your address qualifies for service, your household has modest internet needs, you’re already a T-Mobile customer, and your biggest concern is pricing, we could narrowly recommend T-Mobile over Xfinity. T-Mobile’s flat-rate pricing is a huge plus over Xfinity, and with its bundle discount, it’s hard to beat $30 monthly for high-speed internet.
But ultimately, we think Xfinity will be the better fit for most households. If your family has more than a few people who regularly stream 4K video and download large files, you’ll be better off with Xfinity’s faster internet plans.
T-Mobile vs. Xfinity FAQ
How can I switch from T-Mobile to Xfinity Mobile?
To switch from T-Mobile to Xfinity Mobile, you’ll need to sign up for Xfinity internet service. If your phone was released within the past few years, you’ll likely be able to bring it over to Xfinity Mobile.
Is T-Mobile Home Internet better than Xfinity?
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet has better pricing than Xfinity, but its internet plan is not as fast as Xfinity’s catalog of plans.
Is Xfinity part of T-Mobile?
Xfinity is not part of T-Mobile. Xfinity and T-Mobile are two separate companies.
Methodology
Our experts drew from our existing T-Mobile and Xfinity coverage, 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.