Spectrum vs. Xfinity: Which is Better in 2023?

Spectrum and Xfinity are two of the largest cable internet providers in the US. Although they offer comparable speeds at similar rates, their plans vary vastly from each other in every other way.

Here we compare Spectrum Internet with Xfinity Internet and highlight the important differences between the two to help you decide which you should choose. The prices and details of Xfinity internet plans may vary depending on location. The comparisons made here may not be valid everywhere. Contact Xfinity customer service for info on plans in your area.

Let’s start with the plans offered by the two.

Spectrum Internet Plans

Spectrum has three internet plans with various speeds. Each of these plans currently has a promotional offer called Spectrum One that gives you Spectrum Advanced WiFi service and an unlimited mobile plan for free. Here are three Spectrum internet plans and their details.

Standard

Spectrum’s standard internet plan delivers up to 300 Mbps down and up to 10 Mbps up. It comes with unlimited data, has no term contract, and no bundling is required. Spectrum Internet (Standard) costs $49.99 per month for 12 months.

Ultra

The Spectrum Ultra internet plan has max speeds of 500 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up. This plan also has unlimited data and doesn’t require a term contract or bundling. It costs $69.99 for the first 12 months.

GIG

Internet GIG is Spectrum’s fastest internet plan with top speeds of 1000 Mbps down and 35 Mbps up. It costs $89.99 per month with a 12-month price lock. There’s no bundling or term contract and the data is unlimited.

Let’s now see how Xfinity Internet measures up against Spectrum.

Xfinity Internet Plans

Xfinity has four to six plans depending on the state and service areas. Some areas have more than six plans, including multi-gig plans reaching speeds up to 6 Gbps. Here are six of the most widely available Xfinity internet plans.

Connect

Xfinity Connect costs $20 per month for up to 75 Mbps down and up to 10 Mbps up. This plan doesn’t require bundling or a term contract, but there’s a data cap of 1200 GB. The promotional period lasts 12 months.

Connect More

This is another affordable capped plan from Xfinity. At just $25 per month, it delivers a max download speed of 200 Mbps and a max upload speed of 10 Mbps. There’s no term contract or bundling required. The best part is that the promotional period lasts 24 months instead of 12. The price stays locked for 2 years and you save more.

Fast

Fast is an unlimited plan with top speeds of 400 Mbps up and 10 Mbps down costing $55 per month for 12 months. This plan is most comparable to Spectrum’s standard internet plan, except it’s a bit faster and costs a bit more. This also doesn’t require a term contract or bundling.

Superfast

Superfast costs $70 per month during the promotional period, which is about the same as the promotional price of Spectrum Ultra. Superfast has the same upload speed as Ultra, but its max down speed is 800 Mbps compared to the 500 Mbps max speed of Spectrum’s plan. On the other hand, Spectrum Ultra comes with free WiFi and a mobile line which Xfinity Superfast doesn’t.

This plan also has a 12-month promotional period and unlimited data. No term contract or bundling is required.

Gigabit

Xfinity’s 1000 Mbps Gigabit plan is cheaper than Spectrum’s GIG plan, costing $75 per month for 12 months. But it has a lower top upload speed of 20 Mbps. The promotional period lasts 12 months, there’s no data cap, and term contract/bundling isn’t required.

Gigabit Extra

Gigabit Extra delivers up to 1200 Mbps down and up to 35 Mbps up compared to Spectrum GIG’s max speeds of 1000 Mbps up and 35 Mbps down. Still, it’s cheaper than Spectrum, costing $80 per month. The promotional period of this unlimited, contract-free, unbundled plan is also 24 months.

Unless you value the free unlimited mobile line and WiFi service that comes with Spectrum Internet, Gigabit Extra is the most value-added offer among the two providers.

Spectrum vs. Xfinity: Data Caps and Term Contracts

Spectrum doesn’t have any data caps or term contracts. Xfinity offers some capped plans in some areas but most offers are free from contracts. However, if you want, you can get a 12 or 24-month term contract with a plan for even lower monthly rates for your plan.

Capped plans have a 1200 GB limit, which is more than double the data usage of an average American house. These plans are virtually unlimited unless you download a lot. If that’s the case, you probably also need higher speeds and should use Xfinity Fast or Spectrum Internet Standard plan.

Spectrum vs. Xfinity: Additional Perks and Features

Xfinity internet plans are highly customizable. You can add the xFiWiFi service, xFi Pods, X1 TV, Home Phone, and Home Security plans to the service if you want, but you can also just choose the internet service and forget Xfinity offers anything else. You have the ultimate freedom to choose what you want.

Spectrum, on the other hand, has prepackaged deals and offers that deliver more for your money. Spectrum Internet service also includes more free services. Spectrum’s plans generally cost more than comparable Xfinity plans but additional benefits more than make up for the price difference.

The additional perks and features of Xfinity internet service include:

• Access to over 20 million WiFi hotspots across the country
• Xfinity Stream app with 20+ free FAST channels

The additional perks and features of Spectrum Internet service include:

• Free Advanced WiFi service with a WiFi 6 router, Security Shield, and My Spectrum app for 12 months
• A free unlimited 5G mobile line for 12 months
• Access Peacock Premium for 3 months at no additional cost
• Free access to Out-of-Home WiFi
• Speed Boost for Spectrum Mobile devices

Spectrum vs. Xfinity: Which Should You Choose?

If you don’t use more data than an average house and are looking for affordable high-speed internet, Xfinity’s Connect and Connect More plans are your best options. Xfinity is also the better choice if you just want the highest speeds at the best price and don’t care for additional perks and features.

Spectrum is a better choice for those looking for a full-feature internet service. Each of its three plans includes an easy-to-manage and secure WiFi and an unlimited mobile line that would otherwise cost you $34.99 per month. You end up saving more than $400 at the end of the promotional period from these two services alone.

Conclusion

As leaders of the cable industry, Spectrum, and Xfinity have some of the best high-speed internet plans that give the highest bang for the buck. Both provide reliable service with consistent speeds, high uptime, and low latency.

Xfinity offers a wider range of plans that cost less than Spectrum’s plans with comparable speeds. Xfinity also has customization options, making it best for people who only want to pay for what they need. On the other hand, Spectrum’s internet plans include more perks and features such as Advanced WiFi, a mobile line, and a Peacock Premium subscription that give Spectrum’s deals a higher value for money.