Choosing between internet providers can feel intimidating. There are often several providers to choose from, and each usually offers a variety of plans with varying speeds, prices, and features. Depending on where you live, you’ll likely have 2-3+ providers in your area. If your choice has come down to Xfinity vs Verizon, this article is for you.
In the detailed guide below, we’ll compare Verizon Fios vs Xfinity, covering price, speeds, reliability, features and more.
Check out our roundup of Best Internet Providers
Xfinity vs Verizon: At a glance
| Xfinity | Verizon Fios | |
| Service Type | Cable & Fiber | Fiber (and DSL, in some areas) |
| Speeds | 25 Mbps – 2 Gbps | 200-940 Mbps |
| Cost | $20-$299.95/mo | $39.99-$79.99/mo |
| Contract | Up to 2 years (no-contract plans may be available for an additional fee) | No contract required on most plans |
| Equipment Fees | Up to $14/mo | Up to $15/mo |
| Installation Fee | $89.99 | $99.99 (waived in some cases) |
| Availability | 40+ states | Limited. Select cities in 8+ states, mostly on the East Coast. DSL plans are available in a few more areas. |
| Data Cap | 1.2 TB | None |
Xfinity offers a wide variety of home internet packages, as well as TV, home phone, and more. Cable plans are widely available in 40+ states, and Xfinity also has fiber-optic networks in select locations. Xfinity offers fast speeds and good reliability, but the downside is that contracts are required, and costs often go up after the initial contact period.
See the full review of Xfinity here.
Verizon Fios offers a handful of home internet packages, as well as TV bundles, digital voice, and home security packages. They are a fiber-only provider, so if they offer internet in your area, it’s running on a fiber-optic network. This also means Verizon Fios plans are fast and reliable – plus, contracts are not typically required. If you have Verizon Fios in your area, it’s likely a great option for your household. Keep in mind that Verizon also offers a DSL-based home internet plan that’s marketed separately from Verizon Fios. It is no longer a focus for Verizon, and it won’t be discussed much in this article.
See the full review of Verizon Fios here.
Xfinity vs Verizon: Plans & pricing
Both of these providers offer a range of home internet plans. Xfinity offers a far broader variety, but remember that the selection of plans will vary depending on your region.
Xfinity plans & pricing
Note: Plan availability and pricing may vary depending on your area. Check Xfinity’s website for the most up-to-date pricing and availability.
| Package | Service Type | Cost | Speed |
| Performance Starter | Cable | $20-$49.95/mo* | Up to 25 Mbps |
| Performance Select | Cable | $34.99/mo* | Up to 100 Mbps |
| Performance | Cable | $40-$77.95/mo* | 60-100 Mbps |
| Performance Pro | Cable | $39.99/mo* | Up to 200 Mbps |
| Performance Pro Plus | Cable | $49.99/mo* | Up to 200 Mbps |
| Blast! | Cable | $50-$59.99/mo* | 200-300 Mbps |
| Extreme | Cable | $60/mo* | Up to 300 Mbps |
| Extreme Pro | Cable | $69.99/mo* | Up to 600 Mbps |
| Extreme Pro Plus | Cable | $74.99/mo* | Up to 600 Mbps |
| Gigabit | Cable | $79.99-$84.99/mo* | Up to 1,000 Mbps |
| Gigabit Pro | Fiber | $299.95/mo* | Up to 2,000 Mbps |
*12-month contract required. Lower pricing applies to the first 12-months only. Offers may vary by location. Additional fees may apply.
Xfinity offers a wide variety of high-speed internet plans, with both cable and fiber packages. However, keep in mind that most areas only have a handful of plans. The table above covers every package from Xfinity, but it’s unlikely that you’ll see all of these plans in your area.
Comcast’s Xfinity offers a good range of plans, from ultra-budget to ultra-fast. Savvy shoppers looking for internet deals will appreciate that Xfinity has basic packages for as little as $20 per month in some areas. On the other end of the spectrum, Xfinity’s fastest fiber plan is $300 a month. Most households will fall in between, settling on one of Xfinity’s many reasonably priced cable plans.
One thing to keep in mind with Xfinity’s pricing is that the best prices always require an annual contract. While you can technically get an Xfinity plan without a contract, it will cost you much more than the advertised price. Also, the listed prices are usually only good for the initial contract period, and my rise after the first 12 months.
That said, Xfinity does offer good bundling packages. Many Xfinity customers save money by bundling a package of TV channels, home internet, and home phone.
Verizon plans & pricing
Note: Plan availability and pricing may vary depending on your area. Check Verizon’s website for the most up-to-date pricing and availability.
| Package | Service Type | Cost | Speed |
| Fios Internet 200 | Fiber | $39.99/mo* | Up to 200 Mbps |
| Fios Internet 400 | Fiber | $59.99/mo* | Up to 400 Mbps |
| Fios Gigabit Connection | Fiber | $79.99/mo* | Up to 940 Mbps |
*Price requires enrollment in Auto-Pay. Taxes, fees, and equipment charges are not included in the quoted price.
Verizon Fios offers just three internet-only plans, making the choice relatively simple. All three are fiber-optic internet plans, and all are priced reasonably. There are also several Verizon Fios TV bundles, ranging from $50 to $90+ per month. By bundling TV packages with home internet, you can save money with Verizon.
The two lower-tier plans, Internet 200 and Internet 400, generally offer better value than comparable plans from Comcast Xfinity. The Internet 200, at just $39.99, is a particularly good bargain, and likely the cheapest fiber package you will find anywhere. The Gigabit package, where available, is very similar to Xfinity’s gigabit plan, both in cost and speeds.
Many customers will appreciate that Verizon Fios does not require a contract in most cases. You pay month-to-month, and there are typically no early termination fees. The only requirement to get the advertised prices is enrollment in auto-pay. Taxes and fees are separate (as they always are), and you will need to pay a $15/mo modem rental fee unless you purchase your own device.
In addition to the plans listed above, Verizon DSL Internet packages are also available in certain areas. These are marketed separately from the Verizon Fios brand name, and plan pricing and other details vary substantially by location. Check Verizon’s website for details. Usually, we only recommend Verizon in areas where Fios service is available.
Xfinity vs Verizon: Features & performance
When comparing Verizon Fios vs Xfinity, it’s important to pay attention to performance (including speed and reliability), as well as features. Here’s a breakdown of some important factors to consider.
Internet speed
When it comes to speeds, both Xfinity and Verizon Fios offer very fast plans. Xfinity has more variety, but all of Verizon’s plans are fiber, which typically delivers faster and more stable speeds.
The exception is in rural areas, where Xfinity offers slow speeds if they cover the areas at all. Likewise, areas that don’t have Verizon Fios, and only Verizon DSL Internet, will also suffer from relatively slow speeds. Verizon High Speed Internet (DSL) has speeds ranging from 7 to 15 Mbps, well below the average.
Xfinity provides both cable and fiber plans. This means that Xfinity speeds – and reliability – differ significantly, depending on which package you have. Xfinity’s most basic plan is just 25 Mbps, compared to Fios’ basic plan which clocks in at up to 200 Mbps.
On the upper end of the spectrum, Xfinity has one plan that blows the rest out of the water: Gigabit Pro. This plan can clock speeds of up to 2,000 Mbps, which is twice the fastest speeds offered by Fios. With that said, this plan is extremely limited in availability, and it also costs $299.95 per month – so for most, it’s not a realistic consideration.
In short, both Xfinity and Verizon have very good high-speed plans. Xfinity has a great selection, but both are great options. Do note that advertised internet speeds refer to download speeds. Upload speeds are typically much lower and are not as commonly advertised.
What speeds do you need?
Before selecting the best internet provider for you, it’s useful to think about what kind of speeds you actually need. Some of the biggest considerations for evaluating internet speed needs include:
- The physical size, and floorplan, of your home
- The number of internet-connected devices you use
- The number of internet users in your household
- The internet activities your household engages in
- Whether you’re using wired connections or WiFi
- The number of devices simultaneously in use
- The reliability and speed stability required
For most households, plans around 40 Mbps offer a good starting point. Any less than this, and you may run into issues with using multiple devices at once, or trying to stream HD content over Wi-Fi. Gamers also generally will want faster speeds to reduce latency and lag.
Reliability
Reliability is an important factor to consider, particularly if you have household members who work from home, or need a stable internet connection for online learning.
Fortunately, both of these providers earn good ratings for reliability. A broadband usage report put together by the FCC ranked Xfinity as having particularly good reliability scores.
Fios is less widely available, so there isn’t as much data. That said, all Verizon Fios internet plans are fiber internet, which is usually much more reliable than cable or DSL connections.
Internet service type
There are a few different ways for internet service providers to deliver the internet to homes. The difference comes down to the type of infrastructure that is used. Here’s an overview:
- Fiber – Fiber uses fiber-optic technology to deliver fast, stable connections to residential and commercial buildings. It’s very reliable and has great stability regardless of weather conditions, network strain, etc. The main downside is that its availability is severely limited, simply because it’s a relatively new type of internet infrastructure. Both Verizon and Xfinity offer fiber connections. Verizon Fios is only fiber (and DSL in select areas), while Xfinity primarily offers cable, with fiber plans available in certain areas.
- Cable – Cable internet uses cable TV infrastructure to deliver the internet to homes. It’s considered reliable and can offer good speeds, depending on the package and provider. Xfinity is a cable internet provider.
- DSL – DSL uses telephone infrastructure to deliver the internet to homes. It’s often considered to be less reliable than cable or fiber, and speeds are often slower. Verizon offers DSL plans in select areas, however, most of their focus is on expanding the Verizon Fios network, which is 100% fiber-optic. Competitors like AT&T, CenturyLink, etc. offer primarily DSL service.
Data caps
Many internet service providers (ISPs) have data caps, otherwise called data allowance limits. Basically, this means that the given plan has a certain amount of data included, and if you exceed this limit, you may be subject to extra fees. Here are the data caps for Verizon Fios and Xfinity:
Xfinity – 1.2 TB per month. Most Xfinity plans, excluding Gigabit Pro, have a 1.2 TB per month data cap. Should you exceed this limit (which is unlikely for most households), you can be charged $10 for every 50 GB of data you use, over the limit. The maximum excess data charge is $100 per month. Some plans offer an optional upgrade to unlimited data for $30 per month.
Verizon – None. Verizon Fios has no formal data cap. There have been some reports of speed throttling for users who use an excessive amount of data, but officially, Verizon Fios has no data cap or excessive data use fees.
Equipment
An internet service provider will supply the internet to your home – but to use it, you’ll need compatible equipment, including a router and modem. You may also need a cable or TV box, a satellite, etc. depending on the package and provider you choose. You can either purchase or rent this equipment, as explained below.
- Equipment Rentals – Xfinity charges $14 per month to rent the xFi router. Verizon Fios rents compatible equipment starting at $10 per month.
- Equipment Purchases – Xfinity does not typically sell equipment directly to customers. Verizon Fios does have equipment purchase options for many plans. With either provider, you may be able to purchase a compatible device from a third-party retailer.
- If you need a phone service, TV service, etc. then other equipment might be necessary. Check the details of your plan for specifics. Professional installation fees or other setup charges may apply to some plans.
Availability
Availability is one factor that substantially separates these two providers. While Xfinity is available in over 40 states, Verizon Fios is only live in specific areas of 9 states.
According to FCC data, Comcast (Xfinity) services are available to roughly 36% of the United States population. Verizon covers much less, at around 17% of the population.
Verizon’s coverage is centered on the East Coast, in states like New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Verizon Fios, the fiber-optic network from Verizon, is only in select cities within these states.
Both Verizon and Xfinity are working to expand their territory, so coverage should grow in the coming years. The best way to check availability in your area is to head to each provider’s websites and check using your address.
Xfinity vs Verizon: Customer service & ratings
Internet service providers are typically not known for stellar customer service. With that said, how do these two firms compare in terms of customer satisfaction ratings?
Looking at online review platforms, Verizon Fios tends to score pretty good marks from most consumers. Xfinity ratings are more of a mixed bag. That said, Xfinity (Comcast) still scored decently in a 2019 American Consumer Satisfaction Index survey.
Verizon vs Xfinity: Pros & cons
| Provider | Pros | Cons |
| Xfinity |
|
|
| Verizon |
|
|
