Chalk it up to economic nerves or the hunt for a good deal, but numerous internet service providers (ISPs) are currently jumping onto the latest trend: lengthy price guarantees.
With these deals, ISPs like Xfinity and Verizon will lock down your internet price. You won’t have to worry about price hikes, surprise fees, or fine-print shenanigans doubling your bill—you’ll pay the same internet price for years at a time.
Spectrum was one of the first ISPs to get on the deal bandwagon with its Multi-Year Price Guarantee. But how does it hold up compared to the competition? Is it worth the price of admission? I jumped into Spectrum’s fine print to see how its price guarantee works, and here’s what I found out.
How Spectrum’s Multi-Year Price Guarantee works
Spectrum’s Multi-Year Price Guarantee requires a little more legwork on your end, because it’s not necessarily a one-size-fits-all policy. The guarantee will lock your price in for up to three years and has no contract, so you can cancel at any time without paying termination fees.
But the exact length of your guarantee depends on the number of services in your bundle. For a full three-year guarantee, you’ll need to pay for Spectrum Mobile®, cable TV, and internet service. Although the guarantee length isn’t tied to your internet or TV service tier—you could get a three-year guarantee with Spectrum’s cheapest TV and internet plans—it’s still a slight headache to explain.
Let’s break down how Spectrum does its price guarantees.
| Example bundle | Guarantee length |
|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet® Premier | 1-yr. guarantee |
| Spectrum Internet + TV Select | 2-yr. guarantee |
| Spectrum Internet + TV Select + Two Spectrum Mobile lines | 3-yr. guarantee |
Keep in mind that you can mix and match services for a two-year guarantee. For example, you could bundle TV and internet, phone and TV, or phone and internet service. Unfortunately, Spectrum will only add the two-year guarantee when you add a second service, so you’ll still have a one-year guarantee even if you upgrade to Spectrum’s premium internet or TV plans but don’t bundle services.
In addition, the easiest way to lock in a third price-lock year is to get two Spectrum Mobile lines for $30 per month. Every new Spectrum customer gets one Spectrum Mobile line included for a year, but that offer won’t add an additional year to your price guarantee. (You can also get the three-year price lock with a Spectrum Voice landline phone plan.)
Want to learn more about Spectrum? Visit our Spectrum bundles guide for a full breakdown of Spectrum’s plans and service options.
Is Spectrum’s price guarantee for real?
Keep that tinfoil hat in your drawer, folks. Spectrum’s Multi-Year Price Guarantee is genuine and not a trick designed to spring a surprise price hike on you. (They even wrote a press release about it!)
Still not convinced? Let’s go to the source to see what you should look for.
In this screenshot of Spectrum’s checkout page, I’ve added Spectrum Internet Premier to my cart. The text by the blue tag shows how much you’ll save with a 12-month price guarantee.
Next, I’ve added a Spectrum cable TV plan to my example bundle. There’s a lot more text on our receipt, but the key thing to look for is Spectrum’s extended guarantee. I’ve gotten a larger $45 monthly discount for internet, and the guarantee length has doubled from 12 to 24 months.
Finally, I’ve added Spectrum Mobile to my bundle cart. Spectrum’s discount amounts remain unchanged, but the guarantee length has stretched out to a full 36 months.
Is Spectrum’s price guarantee worth it?
By the numbers alone, Spectrum’s Multi-Year Price Guarantee isn’t necessarily the strongest deal for internet providers. It’s since been outclassed by newer deals from providers like T-Mobile and Xfinity that offer five-year price guarantees with no bundle requirements.
Still, Spectrum’s price guarantee is a respectable offer if you’re a potential Spectrum customer who’s shopping for a service bundle for your family. Spectrum’s generally a strong performer in our reviews, and its phone, cable, and internet services are among the best cable ISP plans.
If you’re seriously considering Spectrum’s Multi-Year Price Guarantee, I recommend building out a package with solid download speeds and a TV channel lineup that meets your family’s viewing preferences.
Why you should trust us
Our internet experts have spent hundreds of hours testing and researching Spectrum as part of our regular streaming service, internet, and TV coverage. For this service guide, I drew from our existing Spectrum and buying guide coverage to highlight how Spectrum’s Multi-Year Price Guarantee works.
I also pulled from our existing customer service guide coverage for tips on how to help you navigate the ISP shopping and deal-hunting process. Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
