Verizon vs. Spectrum: Which Internet Provider Is Best for You?
Verizon and Spectrum offer different internet connection types. We compare the two 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: 3.8/5
- Price: $39.99–$119.99/mo.*‡†
- Speed: Up to 200–2,048 Mbps
- Internet type: Fiber, DSL
- Annual contract: No contract
- Setup charge: $99.00 (waived when ordered online)
Best for wide availability
- Customer rating: 3.6/5
- Price: $49.99–$89.99/mo.§
- Speed: Up to 300–1,000 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary)
- Internet type: Cable
- Annual contract: No contract
- Setup charge: $49.99 for pro; $19.99 for self
* w/ Auto Pay + taxes & equip. charges.
† w/ Auto Pay.
‡ /mo. with Auto Pay & without select 5G mobile plans. Fios plan prices include taxes & fees
§ Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter.
Compare Verizon and Spectrum head to head
Choosing between Verizon and Spectrum mostly comes down to fiber versus cable. Spectrum’s cable internet is the clear choice if you want speeds faster than DSL internet and there is no fiber internet in your area.
However, we suggest going with fiber from Verizon Fios if you can. Verizon’s high-speed plans are cheaper than Spectrum’s, plus you get the benefits of fiber like symmetrical speeds, low latency, and great reliability.
Pros and cons: Verizon vs. Spectrum
Pros:
Pros:- No annual contracts
- No data caps
- Fiber internet with speeds up to 2 Gbps
Cons:
Cons:- Limited fiber availability
- No DSL for new customers
Pros:
- No modem rental fee
- No annual contracts
- No data caps
Cons:
- WiFi is an extra fee
- No fiber availability
- Higher prices after promotion
Plans and pricing: Verizon vs. Spectrum
Verizon is cheaper than Spectrum when you compare the 300 Mbps plans. Their gigabit plans are identical in price, but the pricing of all three Spectrum Internet® plans increases after twelve months whereas Verizon’s plans do not. Verizon simply has the upper hand in both pricing, symmetrical speeds, and the fastest downloads you can get of the two.
Verizon plans and pricing
| Package | Price | Speed | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet 200/200 | $39.99/mo.* | 200 Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 300/300§ | $39.99/mo.* | 300 Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 400/400 | $64.99/mo.* | 400 Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 500/500§ | $64.99/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
§ Package not available in all areas.
At first glance, Verizon offers a wider variety of internet plans than Spectrum. But a closer look shows that Verizon’s Internet 300/300 and Internet 500/500 plans are limited to specific areas in New York. That narrows the list down to four fiber connections in most areas.
Verizon also pairs DSL internet with traditional landline phone service, but it does not offer DSL to new customers.
Spectrum plans and pricing
| Package | Price | Speed | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet® | $49.99/mo. for 12 mos.* | Up to 300 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) | View Plan |
| Spectrum Internet® Ultra | $69.99/mo. for 12 mos.* | Up to 500 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) | View Plan |
| Spectrum Internet® Gig | $89.99/mo. for 12 mos.† | Up to 1,000 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) | View Plan |
* Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter.
† Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter. Spectrum Internet® Gig promotion price is $89.99/mo; standard rates apply after yr. 1. Taxes, fees and surcharges extra and subject to change during and after the promotional period; installation/network activation, equipment and additional services are extra.
Like Verizon, Spectrum also serves up speeds maxing out at 300, 500, and 1,000 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary).
The base Spectrum Internet plan is $10 more per month for the same download speed as Verizon’s Internet 300/300 plan. Spectrum’s 500 Mbps plan costs $5 more per month while its gigabit plan matches Verizon’s Fios Gigabit Connection price. But Spectrum increases your monthly cost after the first 12 months, making its cable internet a far less affordable option compared to Verizon’s fiber.
The win for Spectrum, though, is that cable internet has a wider availability than fiber. Given fiber internet is relatively new and scarce in most areas, Spectrum may be your only high-speed option.
Deals and promotions: Verizon vs. Spectrum
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.
Get a free, 90-day trial of Peacock Premium when you sign up for a qualifying internet plan.
Extra fees: Verizon vs. Spectrum
| Equipment Fee | Installation Fee | Other Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon |
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| Spectrum |
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Spectrum doesn’t charge a modem rental fee each month. However, it charges a $5.00 monthly fee for WiFi, whether you have Spectrum’s standalone router or one of its wireless gateways. You can eliminate this fee by buying your own router.
The good news is Spectrum dropped its one-time $199.99 activation fee and lowered the monthly cost for gigabit internet. The plan is now more affordable than ever if you need gigabit speeds and Verizon’s fiber isn’t available where you live. But Verizon is still the cheaper, faster, and more reliable option if you can get it.
Customer ratings: Verizon vs. Spectrum
| Overall Rating | Reliability Rating | Customer Service Rating | Speed Rating | Price Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.5 |
| Spectrum | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.2 |
Verizon ranked third for overall satisfaction in our annual customer satisfaction survey. It also ranked second in terms of speed, price, and reliability satisfaction, falling behind EarthLink in most cases. Meanwhile, Spectrum hovered in the lower half of 12 internet providers, swapping places throughout each category with cable internet rivals Xfinity and Optimum.
Based on our report, 43% of the Verizon customers surveyed said they felt “very satisfied” with their connection’s reliability—Spectrum saw a slightly lower 41% from its customers. Verizon also saw a better response in speed satisfaction, with 89% of its customers saying their speeds “usually” or “always” met their needs. Spectrum scored slightly lower at 87%, which still isn’t bad.
Best TV and internet bundles
| Package | Internet speed | TV channels | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon 400 Mbps Internet + Your Fios TV | Up to 400 Mbps | 125+ | $139.99/mo.* | |
| Verizon Fios Gigabit Connection + More Fios TV | Up to 940 Mbps | 300+ | $179.99/mo.** | |
| Spectrum Internet (up to 300 Mbps) + TV Select | Up to 300 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) | 125+ | $99.98/mo. for 12 mos.‡ | View Plans |
| Spectrum Internet Ultra + TV Select | Up to 500 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) | 125+ | $119.98/mo. for 12 mos.‡ | View Plans |
*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.
‡ Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter.
Verizon’s Mix & Match options come in only four flavors, the cheapest of which costs $119.99 per month. Verizon’s Your Fios TV service includes one set-top box and allows you to pick five of your favorite channels. The More Fios TV service consists of a set-top box, basic DVR service, Verizon’s most popular channels, and regional sports.
Spectrum doesn’t offer TV and internet bundles at a discounted price. Instead, you can pair its TV Select service with any one of its three cable internet plans. Both services have discounted pricing for 12 months, but all premium channels are an added cost. You’ll also see a broadcast surcharge of up to $21 per month that’s not part of the discounted pricing.
Internet types: Verizon vs. Spectrum
| Internet type | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | Cable | View Plans |
Verizon’s DSL service is the slowest of the three using telephone lines already installed in most areas. Meanwhile, Verizon’s Fios network is the fastest of the three due to how the infrastructure is designed. Fiber also has symmetrical speeds, unlike cable and DSL.
Cable internet is the middle ground when it comes to speeds. It relies on cable TV lines, so it’s more widely available than fiber. The fastest cable internet plan you can get from Spectrum is 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps), and in some areas, the upload speed reaches 500 Mbps. Verizon’s fastest fiber plan has symmetrical speeds of up to 2,048 Mbps (2 Gbps).
Data caps: Verizon vs. Spectrum
| Data Cap | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon | No cap | |
| Spectrum | No cap | View Plans |
Verizon and Spectrum do not force data caps, but that may change in the next few years for Spectrum.
Part of Charter’s deal with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2016 when it acquired Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks was that it wouldn’t impose a data cap and usage-based pricing. That agreement will lapse in May 2023, and Charter already attempted to end its agreement two years early but withdrew its petition. In a response to the FCC, Charter implied that customers would benefit from data caps and usage-based pricing.1
Contracts: Verizon vs. Spectrum
| Contract length | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon | No contract | |
| Spectrum | No contract | View Plans |
Verizon and Spectrum do not have annual contracts or early termination fees. Spectrum, however, offers discounted pricing for 12 or 24 months, depending on where you live. There’s no catch either—you can cancel the discounted service at any time after the first month without any hidden penalties. They’re just promotions to get you to sign up with Spectrum.
Installation: Verizon vs. Spectrum
| Installation options | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon |
| |
| Spectrum |
| View Plans |
Data as of 03/21/2022. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Verizon doesn’t offer a self-install kit, but you can save money by ordering Verizon’s service online—Verizon will waive the pro install fee. Spectrum doesn’t offer a similar discount with its pro install service.
In fact, Spectrum encourages new customers to opt for its self-install kit over a pro install due to COVID-19. Spectrum sends a technician out to customers for completely new installs, relocating the modem, rewiring, and so on.
Availability: Verizon vs. Spectrum
Verizon’s DSL internet covers most of its service areas. Its fiber-based Fios network has a smaller footprint, available in key metro areas within Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
Spectrum has a broader footprint across North America. It provides cable internet in California, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, New York, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and several other states.
Final call: Verizon vs. Spectrum
The choice between Verizon and Spectrum boils down to fiber versus cable internet. Verizon doesn’t offer DSL service to new customers, and its fiber internet has limited availability. We suggest Spectrum’s cable internet over DSL and satellite if you can’t get fiber internet.
But if you live or work where Verizon Fios overlaps in coverage with Spectrum’s cable internet, go with Verizon instead. Fiber internet plans are hard to beat, and Verizon Fios’s fiber plans are a great deal. They’re cheaper than Spectrum plans—even more so after Spectrum’s promotional pricing ends—and provide equal upload and download speeds.
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 Spectrum
- AT&T vs. Spectrum
- Xfinity vs. Spectrum
- Google Fiber vs. Spectrum
- Spectrum vs. Frontier
- Verizon vs. Optimum
- Verizon vs. Xfinity
- Verizon vs. RCN
Sources
- Federal Communications Commission, “Reply of Charter Communications, Inc.,” August 6, 2020. Accessed August 20, 2021.
Disclaimer
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