Optimum vs. Verizon: Which Internet Provider Is Best for You?
See how these two internet providers stack up so you can choose what’s best for you. HighSpeedteck.com uses our proprietary data and expert insights to compare these internet service titans.
Best for speed
- Customer rating: 3.4
- Price: $30.00–$165./mo.§#
- Speed: 300–5,000 Mbps
- Internet type: Cable, fiber
- Annual contract: No contract
- Data cap: No cap
Best for wide availability
- Customer rating: 3.8
- Price: $49.99–$119.99/mo.*‡†
- Speed: 200–up to 2,048 Mbps
- Internet type: Fiber
- Annual contract: No contrac
- Data cap: No cap
* w/ Auto Pay + taxes & equip. charges.
† w/ Auto Pay.
‡ /mo. with Auto Pay & without select 5G mobile plans. Fios plan prices include taxes & fees.
§ w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill w/unlimited mobile plans. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
# w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill plus taxes with unlimited mobile plans. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
Compare Optimum and Verizon head to head
Optimum and Verizon primarily offer two different types of internet: Optimum supplies mostly cable and some fiber, while Verizon provides mainly fiber and some DSL. If you have access to both fiber networks, we suggest Verizon because it’s your cheaper option for the long term. If you can’t get fiber, Optimum’s cable internet is your only alternative of the two.
Pros and cons: Optimum vs. Verizon
Pros:
Pros:- No contracts
- No data caps
- Wider availability
Cons:
Cons:- Limited fiber availability
- Price hikes after 12 mos.
Pros:
- No contracts
- No data caps
- Great customer service
Cons:
- Smaller coverage area
- Limited fiber availability
Plans and pricing: Optimum vs. Verizon
At first glance, Verizon is slightly more expensive when you compare the 500 Mbps and gigabit plans. But all that changes when Optimum’s prices increase up to $70 per month after the first 12 months, while Verizon’s prices stay the same.
Optimum plans and pricing
| Package | Price | Speed | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 Mbps Internet | $30.00/mo.*† | Up to 300 Mbps | Cable, fiber | View Plan |
| 500 Mbps Internet | $50.00/mo.*† | Up to 500 Mbps | Cable, fiber | View Plan |
| 1 Gig Internet | $65.00/mo.*† | Up to 940 Mbps | Cable, fiber | View Plan |
| 2 Gig Internet | $105.00/mo.* | Up to 2,000 Mbps | Fiber | View Plan |
| 5 Gig Internet | $165.00/mo.* | Up to 5,000 Mbps | Fiber | View Plan |
* w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill w/unlimited mobile plans. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
† w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill plus taxes with unlimited mobile plans. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
Optimum is mostly a cable internet provider with some fiber. Parent company Altice USA rebranded its other Suddenlink network as Optimum, so the brand now covers most of the US. Suddenlink was best known for cable internet in rural areas, while Optimum focused on cable and fiber in the New York tri-state area.
With both networks combined. Altice USA condensed its cable and fiber plan lineup. The starting prices are lower than Verizon’s, but Optimum’s prices increase substantially after the first year. For example, the 300 Mbps Internet plan costs $109.99 per month after the first year, making Verizon a better deal for the long term.
Verizon plans and pricing
| Package | Price | Speed | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet 200/200 | $49.99/mo.* | 200 Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 300/300 | $49.99/mo.* | 300 Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 400/400 | $69.99/mo.* | 400 Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 500/500 | $69.99/mo.* | 500 Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 1 Gig | $89.99/mo.† | Up to 940 Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 2 Gig | $119.99/mo.‡ | Up to 2,048 Mbps | Fiber |
* w/ Auto Pay + taxes & equip. charges.
† w/ Auto Pay.
‡ /mo. with Auto Pay & without select 5G mobile plans. Fios plan prices include taxes & fees.
Verizon now has a smaller footprint when you compare it with Optimum. However, its fiber-to-the-home service is now considerably larger than its DSL service (which new customers can’t get), with 6.6 million fiber connections as of June 2022.5 In contrast, Optimum has around 1.2 million fiber connections in the same area.
Verizon lists the 300 Mbps and 500 Mbps plans on its website, but you may find you’re limited to your area’s 200 Mbps and 400 Mbps versions until Verizon upgrades the speed. The Internet 2 Gig is hard to get too, just like Optimum’s 5 Gig Internet plan, offered only in small parts of New York City.
Deals and promotions: Optimum vs. Verizon
Order a qualifying internet plan to receive a $100 or $200 prepaid Visa gift card, a Wi-Fi 6 gateway, a Wi-Fi extender, and installation—all for no extra cost. Some plans also include Optimum Stream.
Qualifying Verizon Fios plans offer customers a SimpliSafe bundle (a four- or eight-piece system depending on the plan), a discount on the Stream TV Soundbar, and a Verizon Gift Card worth $50 or $100. Gigabit plans also come with a Disney+ trial.
Extra fees: Optimum vs. Verizon
| Equipment Fee | Installation Fee | Other Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum |
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| Verizon |
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Verizon is the clear winner here with a cheaper late payment fee and waived setup charge if you order online.
But we give Optimum kudos for making its fees transparent on its website. According to the list, Optimum’s TV broadcast fee is cheaper than what we see with other providers, costing just $9.99 per month.
Customer ratings: Optimum vs Verizon
| Overall Rating | Reliability Rating | Customer Service Rating | Speed Rating | Price Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.3 |
| Verizon | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.5 |
Overall, Verizon outranked Optimum in our annual customer satisfaction survey with an overall satisfaction score of 3.8 versus Optimum’s lower 3.5 score. Verizon also outranked Optimum when we asked customers about their internet speed, price, reliability, and customer service. However, Verizon’s scores were lower across the board than the previous year.
In all cases, Optimum remained in the bottom half. Only 17% of those surveyed said they were “100% satisfied” with customer service. However, Optimum’s fiber customers were more satisfied with their internet speed than its cable subscribers, giving a high 4.0 rating despite the lower overall speed rating of 3.7.
Best TV and internet bundles
| Package | Internet speed | Internet type | TV channels | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum 300 Mbps Internet + Premier TV | Up to 300 Mbps | Cable, fiber | 420+ | $145.00/mo.*† | View Plans |
| Optimum 1 Gig Internet + Core TV | Up to 940 Mbps | Cable, fiber | 220+ | $154.99/mo.*† | View Plans |
| Verizon 500 Mbps Internet + Your Fios TV | 500 Mbps | Fiber | 125+ | $139.99/mo.‡ | |
| Verizon Fios Gigabit Connection + More Fios TV | Up to 940 Mbps | Fiber | 300+ | $179.99/mo.§ |
* w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill w/unlimited mobile plans. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
† w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill plus taxes with unlimited mobile plans. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
‡ For new eligible TV and/or Internet res. custs. Availability varies. Wired & wireless Internet speeds vary due to device limits, multiple users, network & other factors. See Verizon.com/yourspeed for more info. $15/mo. router and $99 setup charges & other taxes & terms may apply. Auto Pay & paper-free billing reqd. Subj. to credit approval & may require a deposit. Fios TV: $12/mo. STB charge may apply.
§ For new eligible TV and/or Internet res. custs. Availability varies. Wired & wireless Internet speeds vary due to device limits, multiple users, network & other factors. See Verizon.com/yourspeed for more info. $15/mo. router and $99 setup charges & other taxes & terms may apply. Auto Pay (ACH or bank debit card only) & paper-free billing req’d. for Internet service. Subj. to credit approval & may require a deposit. Fios Gigabit Connection: Gigabit network connection to your home. Wired speeds up to 940/880 Mbps with avg. speeds betw. 750-940 Mbps download / 750-880 Mbps upload. Fios TV: $12/mo. STB charge may apply.
Optimum’s four TV and internet bundles are based on its Core TV service with 220 channels, and its Premier TV service with 420 channels. Optimum pairs these TV services with its 300 Mbps Internet and 1 Gig Internet plans. Three of the four bundles include cable or fiber internet, while the 300 Mbps Internet + Core TV bundle is fiber only.
Optimum also provides six additional bundles if you need phone service too, starting at $34.99 per month.
Verizon has only four Mix & Match options starting at $114.99 per month. The cheapest bundle includes 125+ channels and 200–300 Mbps fiber internet speeds. For $25 more, you can double the bandwidth to 400–500 Mbps, depending on where you live.
Internet types: Optimum vs. Verizon
| Internet type | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Optimum | Cable, fiber | View Plans |
| Verizon | Fiber, DSL |
DSL internet sends electrical signals over copper telephone wires. It’s the slowest of the three connection types, supporting up to 140 Mbps.
Optimum uses copper coaxial cable lines to deliver internet over unused TV channels. Cable provides more bandwidth than telephone lines, supporting up to 10,000 Mbps download speeds thanks to the DOCSIS 3.1 and 4 standards.
Fiber internet uses LED and laser pulses to deliver data across glass filaments at speeds up to 10,000 Mbps. It’s the most reliable of the three types and supports symmetrical speeds—unlike cable and DSL—making it your go-to choice if it’s available in your area.
Data caps: Optimum vs. Verizon
| Data Cap | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Optimum | None | View Plans |
| Verizon | None |
There’s nothing to report here. Verizon and Optimum don’t enforce data caps, so there are no overage fees or a hidden “unlimited data” charge on your monthly bill. By comparison, Xfinity caps data at 1.2 TB unless you opt for the $30 monthly charge to remove the data cap.
But Optimum does have an excessive use policy. If a subscriber’s data consumption is “wholly uncharacteristic of a typical user,” such as excessive peer-to-peer application use or large FTP uploads and downloads, Optimum will throttle the bandwidth.2
For you, that means Optimum won’t punish all customers with data caps. But if you become an excessive data hog, expect your connection to slow substantially.
Contracts: Optimum vs. Verizon
| Contract length | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Optimum | No contract | View Plans |
| Verizon | No contract |
Both Verizon and Optimum do not enforce annual contracts or early termination fees. However, Optimum drops its discounts when your service reaches its 13th month.
Installation: Optimum vs. Verizon
| Installation options | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Optimum |
| View Plans |
| Verizon |
|
With Optimum’s standard installation, a technician will install up to two outlets and set up one wireless device. The premium installation includes up to three outlets, setting up all wireless devices, and connecting one wired (Ethernet) device: smart TV, game console, computer, or alarm system.3
Availability: Optimum vs. Verizon
Optimum has wider availability now that Suddenlink is part of the Optimum brand. It covers 21 states from California to Texas to North Carolina to New York. Most of what it offers is cable internet, with some fiber in the New York tri-state area and in small spots across the nation—around 1.2 million homes as of December 2021. Altice expects to expand its fiber to 1.3 million more locations nationwide in 2022.4
Verizon’s residential fiber service is available in key metro areas in Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington, DC. The company reported 6.6 million Fios connections in June 2022, far surpassing the number of DSL connections new customers can’t even get.
Final call: Optimum vs. Verizon
Pick Verizon if you want affordable fiber internet. It has a wider reach with more than 6 million homes versus Optimum’s over 1 million. Verizon is slightly more expensive at the start, sure, but it becomes your cheaper option for the long term once Optimum’s promotional period ends.5
If there’s no fiber internet in your area and you need lots of download speed, Optimum’s cable internet is the only option of the two providers—Verizon doesn’t offer DSL service to new customers.
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.
More about Verizon and Optimum
- Spectrum vs. Optimum
- Verizon vs. Spectrum
- Verizon vs. Xfinity
- Verizon vs. Astound Broadband
Sources
- Optimum, “Optimum Help via Twitter,” February 27, 2019. Accessed June 4, 2021.
- Optimum, “Open Internet Disclosure Statement,” Accessed June 4, 2021.
- Optimum, “We’re Ready to Help with Installation,” Accessed June 4, 2021.
- Optimum, “Altice USA Q1 2021 Results,” April 28, 2021. Accessed June 7, 2021.
- Verizon, “Fact Sheet,” July 22, 2022. Accessed August 5, 2022.
Disclaimer
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