Xfinity Cable TV Review: Packages, Pricing, and More
Xfinity is hardly a rookie in the TV game. It’s Comcast’s long-standing cable brand and one of the most widely available providers in the U.S. With three main plans offering between 10 and 185+ channels (ranging from $55.00–$125.00/mo.), Xfinity blends old-school reliability with modern perks such as its X1 voice-remote DVR, the Xfinity Stream app, and free Peacock Premium for eligible customers.
But to be clear, Xfinity isn’t flawless. It’s a middleweight in the ring, with smaller channel counts and higher equipment fees than top competitors like DISH or Verizon Fios. While it ranks among the top three for reliability, user experience, and picture quality in CableTV.com’s latest Customer Satisfaction Survey, it scored lower in the realms of pricing and customer support.
As a contributing writer who’s tested multiple TV services over the years, I’ve had a front row seat to Xfinity’s evolution.
CableTV.com’s editorial research echoes that mixed verdict: Xfinity cable TV service is consistent, accessible, and on occasion, impressive even! But it’s rarely groundbreaking. Though if you’re here for reliability, service bundles, and widespread availability, Xfinity should make the cut on your shortlist.
Keep reading to find out if Xfinity’s performance and bundle perks justify the price, or if you’d be better off cutting the (cable) cord.
Add-ons make Xfinity cable TV’s value questionable
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. See full disclaimer for details.
When it comes to pricing, Xfinity’s TV plans fall squarely in the middle. They’re not a screaming deal, but not highway robbery either. Xfinity is like the sensible sedan of the cable TV service world: reliable, widely available, and unlikely to turn heads.
Xfinity has three tiers: TV Core (10+ channels, $55.00/mo.), TV Plus (125+ channels, $95.00/mo.), and TV Premium (185+ channels, $125.00/mo.). I had the Plus tier (previously called Popular TV) for a little over a year before I ultimately downgraded to the TV Core plan (previously called Choice TV). The reason? I simply wasn’t watching. We gradually migrated over to the streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu.
In my case, a downgrade simply made sense after we found we weren’t watching live TV channels. But if you’re into live TV, you’ll likely find that the TV Plus and TV Premium (previously called Ultimate TV) tiers are more or less worth the price. The rates could be lower, but they’re still significantly less than the nearly $275 monthly bill we had with DIRECTV and DISH. These satellite TV providers were our only options up until a couple years ago. Plus, Xfinity no longer requires long-term contracts for its TV plans.
What fees does Xfinity TV require?
Here’s the kicker, though: think of the monthly tier price as the starting point. Equipment rental fees, extra cloud DVR storage, and broadcast and sports-network surcharges can rapidly increase your bill by 50% or more. The broadcast TV fee is $27.30 and my regional sports fee is $3.44 per month. So that’s over $30 for just those two surcharges!
In our case, cable boxes and DVR upgrades pushed what seemed like a reasonable price into a higher bracket for little extra value. I have two TVs, ergo, I need two cable boxes at $12/each per month. I’ve never found an option to buy them. That raises our bill by $24/month.
Next, there’s cloud DVR storage. Most newer plans include 20 hours of DVR storage. Virtually nothing. So we upgraded to 150 hours of DVR storage for +$10/month. We hit that limit within a few weeks, so we doubled our space to 300 hours for +$20/month.
Then, our household collectively realized that we had shifted away from the DVR in favor of streaming services. It was a bit painful to lose our library of content, but it felt silly to pay $20/month to keep recordings that I might watch. (Someday? Maybe…never.)
Between cable boxes and DVR cloud storage, our bill went from $70 to $114 in the blink of an eye. With Xfinity’s fees, you can see how you quickly go from a perceived bargain to spending actual money. That said, I will say that our bill has remained stable over time. The actual tier price and add-on prices have not changed.
Xfinity TV channel lineups accommodate evolving viewing habits
When you pick a package with Xfinity TV, here’s what you typically get:
- The Core plan offers around 10+ channels. These are the basics like your local ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX networks.
- The Plus tier includes 125+ channels, with major networks like ESPN, HGTV, FX, Discovery, MTV, VH1, CNN, Animal Planet, The Weather Channel, and more.
- The Premium plan pushes you up to 185+ channels, adding premium networks and broader specialty channels such as National Geographic Channel, Baby First TV, MLB Network, and Cartoon Network.
If you’re a casual viewer or just want a TV on for the noise, Core might cover you. But if you watch with a family or want variety, Plus or Premium are the more realistic options.
I will say that upgrading and downgrading are both very quick and easy. In both occasions, I was able to make the change with a five-minute phone call. You can also change our plan in the app; I just wasn’t patient enough to figure out how to do it.
To learn more about Xfinity’s channel coverage, check out our Xfinity channel lineup guide.
Xfinity cable TV customer experience: mostly passing grades
Every year, CableTV.com talks to hundreds of Xfinity TV customers as part of our Cable TV Customer Satisfaction Survey to see how Xfinity cable TV performs in the real world.
Here’s what customers like you told us:
| Question | Score |
|---|---|
| Are you satisfied with Xfinity’s overall channel lineup? | 74% approval |
| Are you satisfied with Xfinity’s picture quality? | 74% approval |
| Are you satisfied with Xfinity’s reliability? | 66% approval |
| Are you satisfied with Xfinity’s user experience? | 76% approval |
Xfinity cable TV received passing grades in areas such as picture quality, channel lineup, and overall user experience. I’d say this aligns with my own personal experience, too. Only Verizon Fios scored higher for channel lineup quality (77%) and user experience (76%).
Xfinity TV also got a failing grade – just barely, at 66% – for reliability. Verizon Fios was the only other provider to outpace Xfinity in the reliability category with a 77% score. Xfinity cable TV wasn’t available in my area during the most recent hurricane, so I cannot speak to how quickly service was restored.
But I do have a reliability-related gripe: when I leave my television on, I expect it to stay that way. Yet every few hours, Xfinity TV pauses whatever I’m watching to ask “Are you still watching?” And yes, I am. The so-called “don’t ask me again” button is pure fiction because the same interruption returns every six to eight hours. I leave the TV on for background noise, for the dogs, and because I can. I expect consistency, not constant interrogation.
Another frustration: when I hit pause to read text or examine a scene, the screen doesn’t actually freeze. Instead, it immediately switches to the same standby “screen saver” images that appear after inactivity. The inability to simply freeze the frame is a small but persistent irritation.
Together, these quirks—endless “are you still there?” prompts and an unfreezable pause—make the viewing experience unnecessarily frustrating. Minor issues, yes, but still enough to chip away at the sense of reliability I expect from a premium service.
Xfinity X1 cable boxes: rentable only
Xfinity’s X1 cable box is the required hardware for all Xfinity TV packages and is billed separately from your channel tier. The system no longer uses traditional DVR hardware; recordings are now stored entirely in the cloud. The small, minimalist boxes are easy to hide and set up with a plug-and-play approach.
During one brief issue where the input wasn’t detected, a simple paperclip reset solved the problem instantly. It’s proof that while the technology has modernized, some fixes remain comfortingly old-school. Overall, the X1’s performance has been reliable and user-friendly.
ARRIS and Pace XG1v3
Pace XG1v1
ARRIS XG1v4
Depending where you’re located, and what’s in stock, you’ll get one of three Xfinity X1 models.
The biggest downside is the rental model. Customers can’t purchase the X1 outright and must pay a $12 per box monthly equipment fee. Over time, those charges add up quickly; that’s $576 in rental fees over two years for something that might retail for around $100 to $125 if ownership were allowed. While it’s technically possible to find third-party boxes online, they aren’t supported by Xfinity, leaving customers locked into indefinite rentals.
On a brighter note, the voice-controlled remotes are a highlight of the experience. They’re well-designed, comfortably weighted, and features backlit buttons that glow with motion, which is ideal for late-night use. The voice-control option is clever, though traditional button users may find it unnecessary. Still, for those who enjoy smart home integration and voice commands, it adds a modern convenience to an otherwise familiar, tactile television experience.
Xfinity TV features strong benefits, streaming tools
Seamless TV and internet bundling
One of Xfinity’s biggest advantages is the seamless integration between cable TV service and high-speed internet. Bundle pricing can save you up to $30 per month, and you get unified billing and shared customer support. The bundles also give you access to higher-speed internet tiers at a discount. That’s perfect for families who do lots of streaming or gaming.
In my case, bundling cable and internet cut our total bill by roughly 30% compared to what we paid for satellite TV alone. It simplified everything since there’s just one provider and one payment. Even after adding the cable boxes and DVR storage, our total cost stayed well below what we used to pay for satellite TV. For households that already use Xfinity internet, adding TV represents a logical, money-saving upgrade.
Free Peacock Premium and bundle perks
One of Xfinity’s best hidden perks is the free Peacock Premium subscription included with some (but not all) TV or internet packages. This gives you access to 80,000+ hours of on-demand movies, NBC shows, live sports, and next-day episodes. Depending on your Xfinity plan, you can get Peacock Premium free for six to 24 months, which is nice because priced individually, it’s $10.99–$16.99/mo..
I’m reluctant to try new premium streaming apps, but I’ve enjoyed this perk far more than expected. Peacock is integrated into the X1 interface and the Stream app, so it feels like an organic extension. There’s no extra app-hopping required, and it’s the kind of bundled freebie that actually adds value instead of clutter.
Free streaming mobile app
The Xfinity Stream app is included free with your cable TV plan or internet service, and it’s surprisingly robust. The app is essentially a portable version of your cable box. You can stream 200+ live channels, access your Xfinity On Demand library, and watch or download your cloud DVR recordings on up to five devices simultaneously.
The Stream app bridges old-school cable with modern streaming flexibility. I’ve used it to catch up on news or background shows while cooking, and it’s been consistently stable, with minimal lag or crashes. If you already pay for Xfinity Internet, it’s a genuinely useful perk that doesn’t add another line item to your bill.
What do real Xfinity TV customers think about Xfinity?
Xfinity isn’t without its blind spots, but the provider performed fairly well in our customer service survey.
- 77% of Xfinity cable TV respondents felt Xfinity’s customer service effectively met their needs.
- 76% of respondents were fully or highly satisfied with Xfinity’s cable TV service.
- However, only 69% of respondents felt that Xfinity cable TV’s quality justified its pricing.
- Similarly, 66% of respondents felt the same about Xfinity’s cable TV pricing compared to the competition.
I've had Xfinity for years. It is reliable. The app is convenient and so is autopay. It can handle multiple devices at once.
[Xfinity's] too expensive for cable: not enough channels, not enough features, no cartoons.
I like Xfinity as a provider because I can go to one of the many local locations if I need someone or something dealt with. It's fast and it is a good monthly price.
When watching a program and also listening to it too, it's almost always crystal clear. There hasn't been a problem receiving a clear picture on almost any channel, even if the weather outside isn't very good.
I’ve never been to an Xfinity store, but there are stores located in my city, so if my dog uses the clicker as a chew toy, there’s somewhere I can go to get a replacement without waiting 24 to 48 hours for a new one to arrive in the mail.
I’ve dealt with customer service on a few occasions, including when I added cable TV to my internet for a service bundle and when I upgraded and downgraded my tier and DVR add-ons.
When I was upgrading my DVR add-on, they emailed me a link that opened a web page where I needed to accept the change, and their website just would not load because I was in a bad area with my cell phone. Xfinity’s customer service agent stayed on the line for a good 20 minutes until I got into a better area. He was pleasant the entire time and actually made for fun conversation while we waited. I’ve always found their customer support to be fast, efficient, and friendly.
Final take: Xfinity TV’s solid, but has higher pricing
Xfinity cable TV is positioned comfortably in the middle ground. It’s not a bargain-bin deal, nor do you need a part-time job just to afford it. Xfinity TV’s strengths are its widespread availability, channel packages with the most popular mainstream picks, and discounts that customers enjoy when they pair Xfinity TV with other services such as internet and mobile service.
If you’re a traditional TV viewer who values live channels, sports, or simply the ease of an all-in-one bundle, Xfinity’s Plus or Premium tiers deliver decent variety without satellite-style contracts or price shocks. The channel selection is broad enough for most families, and the X1 system and voice remote make everyday use surprisingly smooth.
However, shoppers should go in with eyes open: the “base” price is just that: a starting point or base that you build upon. Fees for DVR storage, cable box equipment rentals, and regional surcharges can quietly inflate your monthly total by 30–50%. And if you primarily stream, the value equation tips fast. I found myself downgrading after realizing we’d watched just 30 minutes of live TV in two months.
Bottom line: Xfinity is best for households that still love channel surfing but want an element of modern flexibility. If you’re a streamer, the same money could stretch further elsewhere. But for those seeking reliability, bundling discounts, and name-brand familiarity, Xfinity remains a great pick in the fast-evolving cable TV landscape.
Xfinity TV review FAQ
How much does Xfinity TV cost?
Xfinity TV cable plans cost $55.00–$125.00/mo.. Here are the TV package prices for Xfinity's three main cable plans:
- TV Core: $55.00/mo. for 10+ channels
- TV Plus: $95.00/mo. for 125+ channels
- TV Premium: $125.00/mo. for 185+ channels
What is the cheapest Xfinity cable package?
The cheapest Xfinity cable package is TV Core, which costs $55.00/mo. for 10+ channels. Looking for more ways to cut monthly costs? View Xfinity’s current deals and promotions.
How much does Xfinity Stream cost?
The Xfinity Stream mobile app is included free with your Xfinity TV plan. For more information, read our Xfinity Stream App Guide.
What is the best Xfinity package?
Here's the starting price for what we think is the best Xfinity TV and internet bundle, bundle discounts included:
- TV Premium + 1 Gig Internet has 185+ channels and 1,000 Mbps download speeds for $165.00/mo.
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
What is the basic Xfinity package?
Xfinity’s basic TV package is TV Core with 10+ channels for $55.00/mo..
Do I need a cable box for every TV with Xfinity?
Yes, you will need a cable box for each of your TVs—but you have choices, as seen in the table below. We’ve done the math for you up to two TVs. In all cases, for each extra box, add $8.50 to see your total monthly payment for Xfinity TV equipment.
| Box rental | Additional boxes | Total (one TV) | Total (two TVs) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity X1 DVR service with HD box | $8.50/mo. | $8.50/mo. each | $8.50/mo. | $17.00/mo. |
| Xfinity non-DVR box (HD) | $8.50/mo. | $8.50/mo. each | $8.50/mo. | $17.00/mo. |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Is Xfinity Stream the same as Xfinity TV?
When you're at home, the Xfinity Stream app works the same as your normal Xfinity TV service. But when you're out of the house, you'll have some streaming limitations. Read our full Xfinity Stream review to learn more about the service.
Does Xfinity have a 55+ plan for seniors?
Xfinity doesn’t have a specific 55+ plan for seniors, but its Internet Essentials program provides an affordable option for those who qualify for government assistance programs like Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, and more. This initiative allows eligible individuals to get 75 Mbps internet for just $14.95 a month.
What is the least expensive Comcast TV plan?
The least expensive Comcast TV plan is Xfinity's TV Core plan, which has 10+ basic cable channels for $55.00/mo. (though we recommend a one-time purchase of an over-the-air (OTA) antenna to get those same channels instead). If you want regular cable channels, we recommend Xfinity's TV Plus plan, which gives you 125+ channels for $95.00/mo. monthly.
Why you should trust us
To evaluate Xfinity TV plans, we spent Xfinity weeks analyzing its plans and pricing compared to competitors like Spectrum and Frontier We also surveyed thousands of real-life TV customers as part of our customer satisfaction survey series to see what they felt about Xfinity.
Contributing writer Mia Carter has also been a Xfinity customer for several years and drew upon this experience when researching and writing this review. Check out our How We Rank page for more information on our methodology.
Disclaimer
Xfinity cable TV: Includes $10/mo multi-product discount with Xfinity Internet. One X1 4K TV box Included. Each additional $14 per month.
