Welcome to the New Normal, where the country’s biggest telecommunications companies and tech giants are replacing frustratingly sluggish internet connections with lightning-fast broadband services. A recent report published by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) states that around 88 percent of the U.S. population has access to gigabit internet via coaxial cable and fiber-optic networks.
In today’s blog, we will focus on two of the biggest names in the industry, Google Fiber and Xfinity Internet, to compare and contrast their plans, prices, and perks. So, let’s start our detailed discussion on Google Fiber vs Xfinity Internet to see which provider has what it takes to be the digital lifeline of your home.
Google Fiber
In February 2010, Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, rolled out its fiber-to-the-premises service to deliver high-speed fiber internet, IPTV, and VoIP telephone connections to residential and business customers. Google Fiber broadband is available in 25 cities across its 15-state footprint. It has close to 520,000 fiber internet customers who are subscribed to its value-added gigabit and multigigabit plans.
In 2023, HighSpeedInternet.com named Google Fiber the ‘Fastest Internet Provider in the Country’. Google Fiber relies on substations called Google Fiber Huts to distribute fiber-optic internet to individual homes. These huts act as the main switchboard for Google Fiber’s network, and it is here that internet speeds are adjusted for reliable distribution.
All the plans for Google Fiber internet offer unlimited data, full house Wi-Fi coverage, 1 TB of Google Drive storage, and symmetrical upload and download speeds. Google Fiber internet plans are most popular for their straightforward prices. Unlike other prominent internet service providers in the country, Google Fiber does not hike its monthly internet fees in the second or third year. Google Fiber customers get consistently fast internet at consistently affordable rates throughout their service tenure.
Pros
- 100% fiber internet
- Multi-gigabit speeds up to 2000 Mbps
- Unlimited data on each plan
- No-contract service
- Straightforward pricing
- First-class customer service
Cons
- Limited availability throughout the country
- Plans are comparatively expensive
Xfinity
Like Google Fiber, Xfinity was incepted in February 2010. During the Winter Olympics of 2010, Comcast Corporation, United States’ biggest cable company, launched its triple-play service under the brand name Xfinity. With much fervor, the country was introduced to Xfinity Internet, Xfinity TV, and Xfinity Voice for a starting price of $25.00 per month. Xfinity is a cable internet provider that dominates 40 percent of the high-speed broadband market. It delivers up to 1000 Mbps of download speeds over its nationwide cable network and multigigabit speeds of up to 3000 Mbps on its fiber-rich network.
Around 31 million subscribers are using Xfinity Internet. In 2023, U.S. News declared Xfinity Internet as the most-used internet provider in the country. Xfinity Internet is available in 40 states of the USA, offering fast and reliable internet in rural and urban areas.
Xfinity usually provides a contract-free service with up to 1.2 TB of data allowance on each plan. In most cases, Xfinity internet subscribers enjoy a price lock for 24 months and save around $10 per month. Even though Xfinity Internet has one of the cheapest introductory rates, the service becomes quite expensive in the long run due to the year-on-year price hikes and additional costs. Also, the prices of Xfinity Internet plans vary from city to city and region to region.
Xfinity has installed more than 18 million out-of-home Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the country to ensure connectivity on the go.
Pros
- Fiber and cable internet
- Large coverage area
- Speeds up to 3000 Mbps
- Free access to more than 18 million Wi-Fi hotspots
- Wide range of monthly plans
- Bundle deals are available at discounted rates
Cons
- Price hikes in the third year
- Additional fee for equipment
- Prices are different for every city/ region
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Internet Service Comparison – Google Fiber vs Xfinity
Both Google Fiber and Xfinity Internet were launched in February 2010, but despite their similar beginning, the success stories of the two providers are quite different. Thirteen years have passed, but Google Fiber is still struggling to penetrate the competitive fiber broadband market. Whereas, Xfinity is continuously topping the charts as the best cable internet provider in the country. Google Fiber and Xfinity’s coverage overlaps in 13 states of the USA.
So, if you happen to live within that intersection, and have both the internet providers available in your zip code, you might want to look at our side-by-side, Google Fiber vs Xfinity Internet comparison for clarification. Depending on your preferred internet speeds, prices, and perks, you can select the most suitable internet provider for your home.
| Comparison | Google Fiber | Xfinity Internet |
|---|---|---|
| Type of Internet | Fiber-optic | Cable and Fiber-optic |
| Price Range | $70.00 to $100.00 per month | $25.00 to $299.99 per month |
| Speed Range | 1000 to 2000 Mbps | 50 to 3000 Mbps |
| No. of Plans | 2 | 6 |
| Data Cap | Unlimited data | 1.2 TB |
| Contracts | Not required | Not required |
| Coverage Area | 15 states of the USA | 40 states of the USA |
| Promo Pricing | Not applicable | Applicable |
| Bundle Deals | Available | Available |
| Additional Costs | Installation Fee: $300.00 | Installation Fee: $99.00 |
| Equipment Fee: FREE | Equipment Fee: $25.00 | |
| Taxes & Surcharges: $15.00/mo | Taxes & Surcharges: $8.00/mo | |
| Customer Service | 4.0 out of 5 stars | 3.9 out of 5 stars |
| Contact Provider | Call Now | Call Now |
Plans & Pricing – Google Fiber vs Xfinity
Google Fiber and Xfinity Internet customers are billed in advance for their broadband service. Google Fiber only allows a month-to-month payment option to its subscribers, whereas Xfinity Internet users can pay an upfront fee for their internet for the whole year and avail of discounts of up to $120 per year. In the case of Xfinity’s upfront payments, customers will have to sign a year-long contract, and early cancellation of the service results in a penalty of up to $230.
Internet Plans for Google Fiber
Google Fiber offers two-speed tiers on its 100 percent fiber-rich network. For a starting price of $70 per month, you can get up to 2000 Mbps of symmetrical speeds on your Google Fiber Internet plans. All the Google Fiber plans come with unlimited data, no-contract service, 1.2 TB of storage on Google Drive, and whole home Wi-Fi connectivity.
| Plan | Price | Speed | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Fiber 1 Gig | $70.00.mo | 1000 Mbps | Call Now |
| Google Fiber 2 Gig | $100.00.mo | 2000 Mbps | Call Now |
The price of your Google Fiber 1 Gig and 2 Gig plans remain unchanged after 6, 12, and 24 months. The fixed price of Google Fiber Internet plans makes it one of the most affordable fiber-exclusive broadband providers in the country.
Internet Plans for Xfinity
| Plan | Type of Internet | Price | Speed | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connect | Cable | $20.00.mo | 100 Mbps | Call Now |
| Connect More | Cable | $25.00.mo | 200 Mbps | Call Now |
| Fast | Cable | $30.00.mo | 400 Mbps | Call Now |
| Superfast | Cable | $60.00.mo | 800 Mbps | Call Now |
| Gigabit | Cable | $70.00.mo | 1000 Mbps | Call Now |
| Gigabit Extra | Fiber | $80.00.mo | 1200 Mbps | Call Now |
| Gigabit Pro | Fiber | $300.00.mo | 3000 Mbps | Call Now |
Speeds
Google Fiber is only available in two-speed tiers. Being a fully fiber-optic internet, it can easily deliver 1000 Mbps and 2000 Mbps of download speeds. Although Google Fiber claims to deliver symmetrical speeds on its gigabit plan, on its multi-gigabit plan the upload speed tops out at 1000 Mbps. With 1000 Mbps of superfast upload speed, you can transfer heavy files within seconds, stream movies and shows in 4K ultra-high definition, and play competitive multiplayer games without any lags or glitches.
Xfinity uses both, coaxial cables and fiber-optic cables to deliver fast and consistent internet speeds. Xfinity can deliver up to 1000 Mbps of download speed and 35 Mbps of upload speed on its coaxial cable network. Many DSL and cable internet providers downgrade the upload speeds for their customers. Firstly, they are aware that internet users spend more time downloading than uploading so faster download speeds are more important for customers. Secondly, many subscribers are using the same upstream channel to send data back to the servers. This traffic congestion leads to slower upload speeds and data backlogs.
The elite-level plans of Xfinity Internet are 100 percent fiber-optic. You can get up to 3000 Mbps of blazing-fast upload and download speeds on your Gigabit Extra and Gigabit Pro plans. As Xfinity continues to expand its fiber-optic cable network across the country, customers can expect up to 10,000 Mbps (10 Gbps) of symmetrical speeds on their fiber internet plans.
Data Caps
Internet providers often have bandwidth restrictions for their customers, which results in monthly data caps. When customers exceed this monthly data allowance, either their speeds get reduced, or they are charged extra for data overage. Broadband carriers impose data caps on plans to ensure fair distribution of the internet to all customers.
Google Fiber has a niche market. With 520,000 broadband customers, it owns just 0.16 percent of the market share. Because of its small consumer base, it can afford to offer unlimited data to all its customers. So, even if all its customers use around 1.5 terabytes of data for ultrafast streaming, browsing, sharing, and gaming every month, Google Fiber will still have excess bandwidth to offer more.
Unfortunately, it is not the same with Xfinity Internet. Xfinity’s large consumer base of nearly 31 million customers makes it necessary to include data caps in monthly plans. Users get up to 1.2 terabytes of data allowance per month. After hitting the data cap, they have to pay data overage charges at the rate of $10 for every 50 GB of excess data.
On a positive note, let us tell you that 1.2 terabytes are more than enough for an average-sized household. You can connect multiple devices and carry out data-intensive, online tasks with a 1 TB of data allowance.
Contracts
Google Fiber is a strictly no-contract service. New customers can sign up for the service or cancel it anytime they wish. They can switch plans or put their connections on hold without incurring frightening penalties.
In contrast, Xfinity Internet is ambiguous about annual contracts. Its terms and conditions are different in each region. Some customers are required to sign year-long or two-year-long contracts to get a price lock. In that case, an early termination fee of up to $230 is applicable. In regions where contracts are not required, customers simply have to fill out an online cancellation form, after which the service is terminated within 2 business days.
Here, it is important to explain why Xfinity’s contract-based service is safer than Google Fiber’s contract-free internet plans. Both providers charge their customers in advance for internet service in the coming month. If you are late to pay your Googe Fiber bill by 30 days, your service automatically gets terminated. Since there is no legal commitment between you and the service provider to ensure uninterrupted service throughout the year, you cannot hold Google Fiber responsible for the unexpected service cancellation.
But in the case of Xfinity and its annual contracts, you are charged a late payment fee of just $10 for every missed payment and you continue to get undisrupted, supremely fast, internet service.
Price After Promo Period
Google Fiber has avoided getting on the ‘promo pricing bandwagon’. Following the lead of AT&T Fiber, it has kept its internet plans free from introductory rates. Google Fiber customers pay the same monthly fee throughout. The fixed rates of $70 per month for a 1 Gig plan and $100 per month for a 2 Gig plan remain unchanged in the second and third years of service.
Xfinity Internet offers promo pricing for 24 months. The initially low monthly internet fee for Xfinity cable and fiber-optic plans increases between 25 and 45 percent in the third year. Moreover, Xfinity Internet is known for adjusting its rates every year owing to inflationary pressures and rising operational costs. The year-on-year price increase for Xfinity internet stands at around 15 percent.
| Xfinity Internet Plan | Promo Price | Regular Price | Download Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connect | $20.00.mo | $65.00.mo | 100 Mbps |
| Connect More | $25.00.mo | $75.00.mo | 200 Mbps |
| Fast | $30.00.mo | $95.00.mo | 400 Mbps |
| Superfast | $60.00.mo | $105.00.mo | 800 Mbps |
| Gigabit | $70.00.mo | $115.00.mo | 1000 Mbps |
| Gigabit Extra | $80.00.mo | $125.00.mo | 1200 Mbps |
| Gigabit Pro | $300.00.mo | $345.00.mo | 3000 Mbps |
From the table above, it can be seen that the price of Xfinity Internet plans increases by $45 after 2 years of promotional discounts.
Additional Fees
Additional fees, also known as the hidden cost of an internet connection, are the extra charges that subscribers must bear on top of their monthly internet fee. Google Fiber is best in this regard, as most of the additional costs are included in the monthly internet fee. Google Fiber charges a one-time construction fee of $300 from only those consumers who need extensive wiring to connect their households to the main fiber-optic internet network. The internet installation fee, equipment fee, and service activation fee are included in the monthly fee.
On the other hand, the list of additional costs associated with Xfinity Internet is long. Apart from the one-time fees of internet installation and activation, users must pay up to $25 per month for leasing the xFi Complete home system.
Additional Cost of Google Fiber Internet
| Additional Service | Extra Price |
|---|---|
| Installation/ Construction Fee | $300.00 (one-time) |
| Taxes & Surcharges | Up to $15.00 per month |
Additional Cost of Xfinity Internet
| Additional Service | Extra Price |
|---|---|
| Installation Fee | $99.00 (one-time) |
| Activation Fee | $15.00 (one-time) |
| Equipment Fee | Up to $25.00 per month |
| Early Termination Fee | Up to $230.00 |
| Data Overage Charge | $10.00 for every 50 GB of excess data |
| Taxes & Surcharges | Up to $15.00 per month |
Customer Service – Google Fiber vs Xfinity
We had to browse through multiple sources to compare the customer service of Google Fiber vs Xfinity Internet. The overall opinion of millions of Americans is that although Xfinity Internet provides above-average customer service, there is a lot that can be improved to deliver higher levels of customer satisfaction. In the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s Telecommunications Study for 2021-2023, Xfinity had the fourth-highest score of 66 out of 100 points. According to the online reviews posted on the website Consumer Affairs, Xfinity Internet has a 3.9-star rating out of 5 stars, and Better Business Bureau has given Xfinity an A+ rating.
In contrast, Google Fiber offers award-winning customer service. In the American Satisfaction Index for 2021, Google Fiber was named the No.1 internet service provider in 22 categories, including customer satisfaction. According to the Forbes Home magazine, Google Fiber has a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Google Fiber customers can approach the representatives via 24/7 on-call support, emails, live chats, and Google Fiber Kiosks, installed throughout its service area.
Coverage Area – Google Fiber vs. Xfinity
There is a marked difference between the coverage areas of Google Fiber vs Xfinity Internet. Xfinity Internet has the largest cable network in the country. The sprawling web of Xfinity cable internet covers 40 states, mainly in the southwest, southeast, northeast, and Midwest regions. Up to 1000 Mbps of download speeds of Xfinity Internet are available in most rural, suburban, and urban neighborhoods.
Compared to that, Google Fiber is accessible only in a handful of cities across its 15-state footprint.
Availability of Google Fiber
Google Fiber is available in the mega cities of the following 15 states.
| Google Fiber Coverage by States | |||
| Alabama | Georgia | North Carolina | |
| Arizona | Illinois | Tenessee | |
| California | Iowa | Texas | |
| Colorado | Kansas | Utah | |
| Florida | Nebraska | Washington | |
Availability of Xfinity Internet
Xfinity Internet is accessible in the following 40 states.
| Xfinity Coverage by States | |||
| Alabama | Idaho | Minnesota | Pennsylvania |
| Arkansas | Illinois | Missouri | South Carolina |
| Arizona | Indiana | Mississippi | Tennessee |
| California | Kansas | New Hampshire | Texas |
| Colorado | Kentucky | New Jersey | Utah |
| Connecticut | Louisiana | New Mexico | Virginia |
| Delaware | Massachusetts | New York | Vermont |
| District of Columbia | Maryland | North Carolina | Washington |
| Florida | Maine | Ohio | West Virginia |
| Georgia | Michigan | Oregon | Wisconsin |
Conclusion
The in-depth analysis of Google Fiber vs Xfinity Internet leads us to the conclusion that Google Fiber is best for symmetrical gigabit speeds, straightforward pricing, world-class customer experience, unlimited data on internet plans, and no-contract service. Even though its fiber footprint is limited to 25 cities across 15 states, it can easily beat its competitors through carefully crafted, affordable, high-speed fiber broadband plans.
All those looking for nationwide availability, free access to Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the country, low introductory rates, exciting bundle deals, and a wide range of speed tiers will love Xfinity’s cable and fiber internet plans. So, in the end, it is your preferences that determine who you will side with in the Google Fiber vs Xfinity Internet debate.
