A case could be made for either provider as the best overall, but given the choice of AT&T Fiber or Xfinity, I would recommend AT&T Fiber. Xfinity has a larger coverage area and lower introductory rates, but AT&T Fiber comes with no data caps, equipment fees, contracts or set price increases. Xfinity, on the other hand, is likely to come with some or all of those conditions depending on where you live and the plan you choose.
AT&T and Xfinity are two of the largest internet service providers in the US, so one or both providers may be available at your address. If that’s the case, you’ll have a nice selection of high-speed, high-value plans.
The fast speeds, fair pricing, and favorable service terms have earned both providers high customer satisfaction ratings. AT&T and Xfinity finished with above-average ratings among major internet providers in the most recent surveys from the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power and Associates.
Which of these two ISPs, AT&T or Xfinity best fits your home networking needs? Let’s closely examine how they stack up so you can decide.
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AT&T vs. Xfinity plans, pricing and speeds
You’ll find an overview of AT&T Fiber and Xfinity internet plans below. Available Xfinity speeds, pricing and service terms can and do vary by region and the specific plan you choose. I only included plan details for AT&T Fiber because if your choice comes down to Xfinity and AT&T’s DSL or fixed wireless service, you should go with Xfinity.
AT&T Fiber plans
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Xfinity internet plans
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Xfinity’s speed tiers are fairly consistent throughout all service areas, but pricing may vary slightly from one market to the next. For example, the standard speed for Xfinity Connect is 150Mbps, but the starting price can vary anywhere from $20 to $30 per month based on where you live.
Rates on all plans, excluding the $300-per-month 10 gigabit plan, are set to increase after the first year or two of service, depending on your location and the plan you choose. The exact increase will, again, vary by location and the plan you choose, but it’s possible your monthly bill could go up by $20 to $50 or more once the price guarantee expires. Service terms also vary by location and plan as a data cap, equipment fee (if you choose to rent) and contract may apply.
Meanwhile, AT&T Fiber plans, speeds and terms are consistent regardless of what part of the country you live in. The provider’s 300, 500 and 1,000Mbps plans are available in all service areas while many will also have the choice of 2,000 and 5,000Mbps plans as well. There is no set price increase after 12 months.
AT&T plans don’t come with service contracts, but your bill will go up after the promo period if you have DSL or fixed wireless. None of the plans will jump by more than $15, though, so the increase isn’t as steep as you might see with Xfinity.
Fees, data caps and other potential sticking points
Both providers may tack on taxes and monthly fees each month, and in some cases, you’ll also need to manage a data cap.
AT&T vs. Xfinity added fees
First, the fees. Like most providers, AT&T and Xfinity will charge you a bit extra each month if you don’t enroll in autopay or paperless billing, but those fees are easy enough to dodge. Just, you know, enroll in autopay and paperless billing. Problem solved.
AT&T’s networks (copper in pink, fiber in purple) and Xfinity’s cable internet service (green) share coverage areas in the South, Midwest and parts of California.
FCC/Mapbox
A product of the nation’s largest cable provider, Xfinity Internet, is available in select regions across 39 states and Washington, DC, covering about one-third of the entire population of the US. Most of that coverage is cable internet, but Xfinity has a small fiber network.
Areas where Xfinity’s fiber internet service is available primarily include parts Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, though parts of Florida, Georgia and Tennessee may be serviceable for fiber as well.
As for AT&T, the telecom company offers home internet plans in 21 states, covering much of the South, Midwest, and West Coast. Both providers may be available at your address in some parts of the country, including Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Memphis, Miami and San Francisco.
AT&T pegs the number of households with access to fiber at approximately 21 million, spanning over 100 metro areas. The company plans to expand fiber access to millions more homes by the end of 2025, including the rollout of its multigigabit plans.
For the rest, there’s AT&T Internet Air and AT&T Fixed Wireless, which use a satellite mounted at your home to receive a wireless signal, and AT&T Internet, which uses DSL copper cable connections in combination with the company’s fiber infrastructure to deliver service to people’s homes, albeit it at much slower speeds.
AT&T vs. Xfinity customer satisfaction scores
It depends on how you judge “better.” Xfinity has the fastest plan between the two (the Gigabit Pro plan at 10,000Mbps), but at $300 per month, it’s also the most expensive. AT&T has a 5,000Mbps plan that’s a bit cheaper at $225 a month. We might lean towards AT&T because of its fiber internet plans, but those are not available to all customers within its footprint. Others might have to settle for DSL. In those cases, Xfinity and its cable internet plans would be preferable.
Among their regular offerings, Xfinity’s cheapest plan, depending on where you live, ranges from $20-$30 per month, while AT&T Fiber’s cheapest tier starts at $55 monthly. However, both providers also offer discounted plans for low-income households. Access from AT&T features a 100Mbps plan for $30 per month, while Xfinity has Internet Essentials, a 50Mbps plan for $10 a month.
Yes. AT&T’s fiber internet offerings are more widely available. Per the FCC’s latest information, AT&T provides fiber internet to about a third of its customers. Meanwhile, Xfinity is mostly a hybrid of cable and fiber, though its Gigabit Pro tier is a 100% fiber connection.
