HighSpeedteck.com uses our proprietary data and expert insights to compare these internet service titans.
Best for speed
- Customer rating: 3.8
- Price: $55.00–$180.00/mo.
- Speed: 25–5,000 Mbps
- Internet type: Fiber, DSL, fixed wireless
- Data cap: Unlimited (for fiber); 350 GB/mo. (fixed wireless); 1 TB for speeds 75 Mbps and under
- Contract: Month to month
Best for wide availability
- Customer rating: 3.5
- Price: $20.00–$299.95/mo.
- Speed: 25–2,000 Mbps
- Internet type: Cable, Fiber
- Data cap: 1.2 TB
- Contract: 1–2 years, month-to-month options
Compare AT&T and Xfinity head to head
What can we say? We love fiber internet, so we think AT&T is the best option in this internet service provider (ISP) duel. AT&T’s fiber plans are fast (in some cases, really fast) and affordable. Plus, you get unlimited data. Xfinity still has some nice options, though, including lower-tier plans that won’t break the bank. Also, Xfinity is much more widely available than AT&T, so it’s a solid Plan B if you can’t get fiber in your area.
Pros and cons: AT&T vs. Xfinity
Pros:
Pros:- Unlimited data on most plans
- Lots of fiber plans
- Excellent bundles with DIRECTV
Cons:
Cons:- Limited fiber availability
- Limits on data use for fixed wireless plans
Pros:
- Top-tier speeds
- Wide availability
- Cheap options
Cons:
- Higher prices than AT&T for similar speeds
- Limited availability on fastest plans
Plans and pricing: AT&T vs. Xfinity
AT&T generally gives you faster speeds for how much you pay, and it also has a fixed wireless internet option for rural customers. Xfinity has a much wider range of internet packages, but its prices and options vary depending on where you live.
AT&T plans and pricing
| Package | Price | Download speed | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet up to 100 Mbps | $55.00/mo.* | Up to 100 Mbps | |
| Internet up to 75 Mbps | $55.00/mo.* | Up to 75 Mbps | |
| AT&T Internet 300 | $55.00/mo.† | 300 Mbps | |
| AT&T Internet 500 | $65.00/mo.† | 500 Mbps | |
| AT&T 1G Internet | $80.00/mo.† | 1 Gbps** | |
| AT&T 2G Internet | $110.00/mo.† | 2 Gbps** | |
| AT&T 5G Internet | $180.00/mo.† | 5 Gbps** | |
| AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet | $69.99/mo.‡ | Up to 25 Mbps |
*for 12 mos, plus taxes & equip fee. $10/mo equip fee applies. Incl 1TB data/mo. $10 chrg for each add’l 50GB (up to $100/mo).
†Plus taxes. Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies.
**Internet speed claims represent maximum network service capability speeds and based on wired connection to gateway. 1GIG speeds avail. to new customers with the latest router (“BGW320”) and recommended setup. For 5 GIG speed, single device wired speed maximum 4.7 Gbps. Actual customer speeds may vary based on a number of factors and are not guaranteed. For more information, go to www.att.com/speed101.
AT&T’s multiple fiber-optic internet packages all give you great speeds at a fair price. Even better, you get upload speeds that are just as fast as download speeds , making these plans perfect for upload-heavy activities like Zoom and hosting livestreams on Twitch.
The 5G Internet plan, meanwhile, is the absolute fastest plan you can get from a major internet provider in the United States. Do you need speeds that fast? Chances are not really, but it’s there if you live with a large group of people (think 10 or more), spend a lot of time uploading/downloading huge files, or stream your online gaming escapades on Twitch.
AT&T’s fixed wireless package is useful if you live in a rural area and want an alternative to satellite internet. It’s not as fast as the fiber plans, but it promises a minimum of 10 Mbps and gives you more data than you would get from expensive satellite plans.
Xfinity plans and pricing
| Package | Price* | Download speed | Upload speed | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance Starter / Performance Starter Plus | $20.00–$34.99/mo.* | 50 Mbps | 3 Mbps | View Plan |
| Performance / Performance Select | $34.99–$44.99/mo.* | 100 Mbps | 5 Mbps | View Plan |
| Performance Pro Plus | $39.99–$59.99/mo.* | 200 Mbps | 5 Mbps | View Plan |
| Blast! | $50.00–$59.99/mo.* | 200–400 Mbps | 10 Mbps | View Plan |
| Blast! Pro Plus | $74.99/mo.* | 400 Mbps | 10 Mbps | View Plan |
| Extreme | $50.00/mo.* | 400 Mbps | 50 Mbps | View Plan |
| Extreme Pro Plus | $60.00–$84.99/mo.* | 800 Mbps | 15 Mbps | View Plan |
| Gigabit | $79.99–$94.99/mo.** | 1,000–1,200 Mbps/35 Mbps | 35 Mbps | View Plan |
| Gigabit Pro | $299.95/mo.** | 2,000 Mbps | 2,000 Mbps | View Plan |
*For the first 12 months with a 1-year agreement.
**With a 2-year agreement.
Xfinity’s prices and plans vary slightly depending on the region you’re in. But wherever you are, you’ll get fast speeds and a range of price options. You won’t get the excellent upload speeds of AT&T’s fiber plans, but you can still get great performance and save some money by springing for one of the cheaper plans.
But if you want some serious speed, Xfinity might cost you more. Its gigabit plan costs more than AT&T’s similar plan (in some markets), and generally you could end up paying more for faster speeds on Xfinity.
Xfinity used to get bragging rights for its 2,000 Mbps Gigabit Pro plan—once tying with Google Fiber’s 2 Gig plan for the fastest home internet plan in America. But now AT&T gets that honor with its 5 Gbps plan, which actually costs quite a bit less and gives you more than twice the speed.
Deals and promotions: AT&T vs. Xfinity
Xfinity Deal: $30 Internet + Streaming
Get Xfinity internet and streaming for as low as $30/mo. when you add a regularly priced Xfinity Mobile plan (starting at $45/mo.). Plus, get extra perks like unlimited data and no-cost equipment for plans with speeds 300 Mbps and above.
Available through 2022
| Plan | Speed | Price | Bundle Discount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connect | Connect | 50 Mbps | $30 | Order Online |
| Connect More | 100 Mbps | $40/mo. | $10 | Order Online |
| Fast** | 300 Mbps | $50/mo. | $20 | Order Online |
| Superfast** | 600 Mbps | $65/mo. | $25 | Order Online |
| Ultrafast** | 900 Mbps | $70/mo. | $25 | Order Online |
| Gigabit Extra** | 1200 Mbps | $80/mo. | $30 | Order Online |
Get a $150 or $200 reward card when you sign up for a fiber internet plan. The 300 Mbps and 500 Mbps plans come with a $150 reward card and the gigabit plans include a $200 reward card.
Get a discount on your internet service when you add an Xfinity Mobile phone line to go with it. Depending on the plan, you can get a discount ranging from $10 to $30 per month if you sign up for both services.
Extra fees: AT&T vs. Xfinity
| Package | Equipment Fee | Installation Fee | Other Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
 AT&T | $10/mo. | Up to $99 (professional installation); $35 (self-install kit) | $15/mo. (early termination, contract plans only), $10 per 50 GB of data you go over on data cap, $5 (late payment) |
 Xfinity | $14.00/mo. | $39.99; starts at no cost for self-install | $10/mo. (early termination), $10 per 50 GB of data you go over on data cap, $10 (late payment) |
Data as of 10/20/21. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Most internet providers tack extra fees onto your bill. You’ll get charged extra for exceeding your data cap or for canceling your contract early, but both AT&T and Xfinity give you options for waiving fees or reducing them. If you’re late on payments, each has a grace period where you can have extra time to cover your bill before your service is shut off.
Customer ratings: AT&T vs. Xfinity
| Package | Overall | Reliability | Customer service | Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AT&T | 3.8/5 | 3.7/5 | 3.7/5 | 3.8/5 | 3.5/5 |
Xfinity | 3.5/5 | 3.6/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.7/5 | 3.0/5 |
In our annual customer satisfaction survey, AT&T pulls in ahead of Xfinity in all categories. While Xfinity mostly gets below-average scores, AT&T gets high rankings for speed, reliability, and overall performance.
AT&T ranks especially well for speed, with 84% of AT&T customers reporting in our survey that their internet speeds usually or always meet their household’s needs. The same percentage also reported sometimes experiencing slowdowns on their network connection, but that’s fairly common for many internet providers. Meanwhile just 35% of AT&T customers reported experiencing unexpected price hikes or hidden fees.
Xfinity doesn’t rank as high in the happy-customer department, but if you look closer at the data, Xfinity doesn’t look so bad. While it got a below-average speed rating, 87% of users said their speeds usually or always meet the needs of their house—which is actually better than AT&T. And though fewer AT&T customers dealt with price hikes and hidden fees, just 42% of Xfinity’s customers had the same issues, which is pretty much average for the providers we studied.
Best TV and internet bundles
| Package | Internet speed | TV channels | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity SELECT+ | Up to 400 Mbps | 205+ | $89.99/mo.† | View Plans |
| Xfinity SIGNATURE+ | Up to 800 Mbps | 210+ | $119.99/mo.† | View Plans |
†For the first 24 months with a 2-year agreement.
Since Xfinity is a cable provider, we’re not surprised that it has low prices and lots of options for bundle packages. We think the SELECT+ plan is pretty groovy because it starts at less than $100 per month, gives you an excellent internet speed, and comes with 20 hours of DVR storage.
Both of these providers also let you do triple-play bundles that include internet, TV, and landline phone service if you need it.
AT&T used to offer bundle packages with DIRECTV, but they are no longer available. DIRECTV still has lots of TV deals, but you’ll need to order them separately from AT&T internet plans.
Can you bundle a mobile phone plan with AT&T or Xfinity?
You can get deals from Xfinity by bundling an internet package with a cell phone plan through Xfinity’s wireless branch, Xfinity Mobile.
Xfinity Mobile is an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) and Xfinity offers a lot of incentives for internet customers to sign up. Depending on what’s available at the time, you can get discounts on your monthly bill, VISA prepaid gift cards, or even discounts on new phones.
Take a look at our Best Internet Deals page for the latest Xfinity Mobile bargains.
AT&T is of course also known for its many wireless offerings, including nationwide 5G service. But you have to order a cell phone plan separately from an internet package, and each comes at their respective standard prices.
Internet connection types: AT&T vs. Xfinity
| Package | Internet type | Details |
|---|---|---|
AT&T | Fiber, fixed wireless | |
Xfinity | Cable, fiber | View Plans |
AT&T plans are mostly fiber. A fiber connection gives you excellent speeds for both uploads and downloads, making this internet type ideal for high-bandwidth users who spend a lot of time streaming, gaming, or attending Zoom meetings (or doing all of the above simultaneously). The one disadvantage of fiber is that it’s not as commonly available as other internet types.
AT&T also has a fixed wireless internet package. Fixed wireless internet is geared towards customers who live in places with limited internet infrastructure. It’s especially useful for rural areas where satellite internet is the only other option since you can get faster speeds and more data over a fixed wireless connection.
Pro tip:
Want to know more about fixed wireless internet? Take a look at speeds, pricing, and plans in our fixed wireless internet guide.
Aside from its 2,000 Mbps Gigabit Pro plan, Xfinity primarily delivers cable internet. Cable is fast and reliable, much like fiber, although it can’t hit the same top speeds for uploading that fiber can. Cable is also more widely available than fiber, making it the go-to option for most internet users who need high-speed service.
Data caps: AT&T vs. Xfinity
| Package | Data Cap | Details |
|---|---|---|
AT&T | Unlimited for fiber plans; 1 TB for speeds up to 75 Mbps; 350 GB for fixed wireless | |
Xfinity | 1.2 TB | View Plans |
AT&T’s fiber internet plans all come with unlimited data, so you can enjoy smooth connections and fast speeds without worries of exceeding a monthly limit. Non-fiber plans with speeds below 75 Mbps have a 1 TB monthly cap, which is still plenty. For rural customers, AT&T’s fixed wireless internet plan does have a data cap of 350 GB. If you go over your data for the month, you’ll be billed $10 for every 50 GB of data you use.
Xfinity packages all come with 1.2 TB caps. That includes the Gigabit and Gigabit Pro plans, which is kind of a bummer since a lot of providers offer unlimited data with gigabit plans. You’ll need to pay $10 for every 50 GB that exceeds your cap. Or you can spring for unlimited data for an extra $30 per month.
Contracts: AT&T vs. Xfinity
| Package | Contract length | Details |
|---|---|---|
AT&T | Month-to-month | |
Xfinity | 1–2 yrs.; month-to-month options for $10 more per month | View Plans |
AT&T doesn’t require an annual contract when you sign up—its service runs month to month, and you can cancel any time without paying a penalty fee.
On most of its plans, Xfinity lets you choose between signing up for an annual term agreement or opting for a no-contract option. If you decide to skip the contract, you’ll need to pay $10 more per month. The Gigabit and Gigabit Pro plans have two-year contracts, while most other plans have one-year contracts.
Installation: AT&T vs. Xfinity
| Installation options | Details | |
|---|---|---|
AT&T | Up to $99; $35 for self-installation | |
Xfinity | $39.99 for professional installation; starts at no cost for self-install | View Plans |
AT&T and Xfinity both have affordable options for installation. AT&T’s professional installation officially costs $99, but the provider will waive the fee if you put in an order online. If you’re ordering over the phone, you can probably haggle with customer service to do away with the installation fee.
Xfinity will mail you a self-installation kit at no extra cost. But if you pay $29.99, you can have it sent to you in priority shipping, so it will arrive after 1–2 business days instead of 3–5. You can also pay $39.99 for the “Self Install Plus” option, in which a professional technician will come over with your self-installation kit to set it all up and make sure it’s working.
Availability: AT&T vs. Xfinity
AT&T and Xfinity are both major internet providers in the US, with huge footprints across the country. With a network that can cover as many as 148 million people, AT&T is available mostly in California, Texas, the South, and the Midwest. Xfinity has a big presence in the East Coast, South, and Midwest, reaching potentially around 130 million people.
Are either of these providers available in your area? You can find out by entering your zip code into our tool below.
Final call: AT&T vs. Xfinity
AT&T is a perfect choice for customers who want fast speeds, fair prices, and fabulous fiber-optic performance. Xfinity, a cable provider, is also excellent when it comes to speed. And it has a much wider coverage area and plenty of options for cheap internet (but we still like fiber better).
Methodology
Our HighSpeedteck.com editorial team bases our analyses on customer input from our annual customer satisfaction survey, results from our speed test tool, and proprietary internet provider data on speeds and pricing. To strengthen our research, we look closely at provider contracts to get hard-to-find information on price hikes, data caps, and extra fees, and we keep tabs on the latest news reports and online reviews. When applicable, we also rely on our personal experiences testing these services.
Additional resources
- Your Guide to AT&T Internet Installation
- Self-Install or Go Pro? Your Guide to Xfinity Installation
- AT&T Fiber Availability, Speeds, and More
- Xfinity vs. Spectrum
Disclaimers
For Xfinity Fast internet plan w/ mobile bundle deal
* Limited time offer. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Limited to Fast Internet for new customers. Pricing requires enrollment in both automatic payments and paperless billing. Mobile discount limited to new Xfinity Mobile customers. Xfinity Mobile requires residential post-pay Xfinity Internet. xFi Gateway, Unlimited Data and Flex device included for 24 mos. Additional devices extra. After 24 mos. regular rates apply to all services and devices. Streaming subscriptions not included. All devices must be returned when service ends.
For Xfinity Superfast, Ultrafast, and Gigabit Extra internet plans w/ mobile bundle deals
**Offer ends 06/26/2022. Limited time offer. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. New residential customers only. Paperless Billing and Automatic Payments with bank account required, otherwise monthly service charge automatically increases by $10 (or $5 if enrolling with credit or debit card information). Discount will appear on statement within 45 days of enrollment. Equipment, installation, taxes and fees, and other applicable charges extra, and subject to change during and after the promo. After promo, or if any service is canceled or downgraded, regular rates apply (subject to change). Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. Internet: Actual speeds vary and are not guaranteed. For factors affecting speed visit www.xfinity.com/networkmanagement. Flex: Not available in all areas or to current Xfinity Video customers. Requires post-paid subscription to Xfinity Internet, excluding Internet Essentials. Pricing subject to change. Limited to 3 devices. 1 device included, additional devices $5/mo. per device. All devices must be returned when service ends. Separate charges apply to On Demand and certain streaming services. Viewing will count against any Comcast data plan. Mobile discount: Must sign up for Xfinity Mobile and activate a new line within 90 days of order and maintain the line to receive mobile discount for 24 months. Discount applied to Internet bill and will appear on statement within 30 days of Xfinity Mobile line activation. If Xfinity Mobile or Xfinity Internet is canceled, or Internet service is changed to a tier lower than the Xfinity Internet tier in this order within the 24 months, the multi-product discount will be removed.
For Xfinity Mobile Broadband Disclosures visit: www.xfinity.com/mobile/policies/broadband-disclosures. 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee applies to one month’s recurring service and standard installation charges up to $500. ©2022 Comcast. All rights reserved.