Xfinity is America’s largest cable internet provider. Depending on where you live, you might also be able to take advantage of their fiber internet service. Regardless of what you can get, Xfinity internet plans have a lot of flexibility for your needs.
Below, we will be going through a breakdown of what Xfinity offers. So if you are looking for some of the best Xfinity internet deals, we’ll give you the breakdown.
Is Xfinity internet good?
As America’s largest cable internet provider, Xfinity has a lot of good qualities. Below is a quick list of pros and cons:
Pros
- Xfinity is one of the fastest internet providers in the United States.
- Great flexibility with many plans and bundling potential
- Provides contract and no-contract options
- It starts with incredibly cheap plans
- Offers cable, internet, home phone, mobile, and home security options
- Provides fiber optic internet in many major cities
Cons
- Equipment rental costs
- Almost no availability in low-population areas
- A one-time installation cost for many plans
- Long-term contracts will increase after a few years
- You need to create an account to get information on pricing
So, if you want to find the best internet providers near you, Xfinity is likely there. Many people can benefit from this internet service provider.
Xfinity internet-only plans
For a breakdown of Xfinity plans and pricing, it’s best to start with what they are known for: the internet. Xfinity plans start at 50 Mbps but cover a vast range of options.
These costs also assume a $10 per month discount for automatic payment and paperless billing. You can choose manual payments and paper bills, but you will have to pay an extra $10 per month.
If you want to rent Xfinity’s Xfi Gateway (its unique router), it will cost you an additional $5 per month. Purchasing the special gateway gives you better control over your internet with a comprehensive self-service app. It’s great if you don’t want to learn how to use the admin controls on a router.
To start, we will focus on contract-free Xfinity plans. All plans include a 1.2 TB per-month data cap.
- 50 Mbps - $50 per month - Good for up to four devices
- 100 Mbps - $60 /mo. - Up to six devices
- 300 Mbps - $70 /mo. - Up to eight devices
- 600 Mbps - $80 /mo. - Up to 11 devices
- 900 Mbps - $90 /mo. - 12+ devices
Xfinity offers deeper discounts for those willing to sign a 24-month contract with them. The agreement takes a pretty hefty chunk from your total but is only available for higher speed plans:
- 600 Mbps - $65 /mo.
- 900 Mbps - $70 /mo.
- 1200 Mbps - $80 /mo. - Unlimited devices
When the 24-month contract runs out, your prices will increase from $15 to $25 per month. You can choose to re-sign your contract to get a discount.
Xfinity also offers a free streaming box with its internet plans. The streaming box handles major streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu. One box is a complementary feature, while two add $5 per month to your bill.
Does Xfinity offer prepaid internet?
Xfinity also offers prepaid internet plans for people who only need short-term service. This service is limited to 30-day periods, making it only applicable where you need internet for one or two months.
Internet costs as little as $15 for seven days of service. Otherwise, you can pay $45 for up to 30-days of internet. In either case, you’ll need to pay a one-time modem fee of $35.
Does Xfinity participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)?
Yes, Xfinity provides internet assistance to those who would not usually be able to afford the product. This is known as the Internet Essentials program, which only costs $9.95 monthly to sign up for. It offers speeds up to 50 Mbps.
You can also pay for the Internet Essentials Plus plan, which costs $29.95 for those who qualify for the ACP. This doubles your internet speed to 100 Mbps.
Xfinity internet and television plans (Double Play)
For those who want more than streaming television, you can pay for Xfinity’s television and internet plans. These are known as “Double Play” plans, a homage to those who love baseball.
Much like your Xfinity internet plans without other features, contract and no-contract options exist. Regardless, the TV box will add another $5 monthly rental fee. However, it does come with 20 hours of DVR, allowing you to record live programming.
You’ll also find that many of these programs include 50+ Spanish-speaking channels at no cost. So that means no mas (no more) extra cost for speaking a second language.
Here are the no-contract options:
- 100 Mbps and 10+ Local Channels - $70 /mo.
- 300 Mbps and 125+ Channels (including Fox, TLC, and HGTV) - $100 /mo.
- 600 Mbps and 185+ Channels - $130 /mo.
- 1200 Mbps and 185+ Channels - $160 /mo.
Starting at the 300 Mbps plan you see above, Xfinity offers discounts for 12-month plans. So unlike with just the internet, you aren’t limited to a two-year contract if you want to bundle your television. Here is a list of the annual plans:
- 300 Mbps and 125+ Channels - $79 /mo.
- 600 Mbps and 185+ Channels - $109 /mo.
- 1200 Mbps and 185+ Channels - $134 /mo.
- 1200 Mbps and 10+ Channels - $89.99 /mo.
However, Xfinity continues to offer 24-month plans if you would prefer a long-term commitment:
- 600 Mbps and 125+ Channels - $90 /mo.
- 600 Mbps and 185+ Channels - $110 /mo.
- 1200 Mbps and 185+ Channels - $135 /mo.
Some of the later plans offer an additional X1 HD box. These cost about $7.50 per month as a rental fee on top of whatever pricing option you choose from above.
Xfinity internet, television, and home phone plans (Triple Play)
Xfinity doesn’t offer home phone options by themselves. Instead, you will have to pay for its Triple Play service, which combines a home phone, internet, and television plan into one bundle.
Xfinity’s Triple Play plans are slightly less flexible than their other plans. Because there are fewer plans, we will have a single breakdown for this list:
- 300 Mbps, 125+ channels, no contract, and unlimited local calling - $110 /mo. ($99 /mo. With a one-year agreement.
- 600 Mbps, 125+ channels, 24-month contract, and unlimited local calling - $100 /mo.
Xfinity does allow for worldwide calls, but you’ll have to check for availability in your area. Xfinity uses VoIP (voice over IP) for clear internet-based calling. Because home phones aren’t as popular as they used to be, Xfinity prefers the use of its mobile network.
Xfinity mobile (whose pricing we will discuss later) will reduce all bills on this list by an additional $10 discount per month.
Xfinity internet and home security plans
Xfinity allows you to bundle its home security and internet plans alone. So if you like security but don’t need the TV or phone, Xfinity has you covered.
The one plan it offers requires gigabit internet (1200 Mbps) and a $119.99 monthly payment. It also requires you to sign up for a 24-month contract.
Xfinity Home, the name of its smart home security service, offers a 24/7 monitoring service at $30 per month. You might also choose the self-protection option at $10 per month. Self-protection will notify you, but not a local security company.
Xfinity does charge extra for home equipment packages. You can pay for the equipment upfront or roll it into your 24-month contract.
The cheaper Home Base system costs $15 per month ($360) and includes this equipment:
- A touchscreen control panel
- Three window/door entry sensors
- A motion sensor (pet-friendly)
- Yard sign
- Backup batteries
The complete system includes and costs $20 per month ($480 upfront). It has everything above, two extra door/window sensors, a wireless keypad, and one HD camera.
If your home is any bigger, you’ll need to pay for equipment individually. Costs are typically paid entirely upfront in this case. Here’s your security equipment cost breakdown:
- Window/door sensors - $20
- Smart smoke detector - $70
- Smart thermostat - $120
- Cameras - $120
- Keypad - $40
Internet, television, phone, and security plans (Quad Play)
Xfinity has all four plans mashed together in something known as “Quad Play.” For those who want the best combination of local calling, security, internet, and television, Xfinity has these plans for you.
Xfinity also continues its trend of no-contract plans. All no-contract plans only come with self-monitoring security. Here’s a breakdown of what you get if you don’t want any commitments:
- 300 Mbps, 125+ channels, phone, and security - $140 /mo.
- 600 Mbps, 185+ channels, phone, and security - $170 /mo.
- 1200 Mbps, 185+ channels, phone, and security - $200 /mo.
Under this category of four products, Xfinity jumps straight to bi-annual agreements. All of these plans assume self-monitoring security. Here is your cost breakdown for these 24-month contracts:
- 300 Mbps and 125+ channels - $119.99 /mo.
- 600 Mbps and 185+ channels - $149.99 /mo.
- 1200 Mbps and 185+ channels - $174.99 /mo.
If you would like to include the professional monitoring service, you will need to pay an extra $10 per month on top of the long-term plans. Professionally monitored security is unavailable for month-to-month plans.
Xfinity Mobile - mobile phone plans and pricing
Because Xfinity offers a $10 discount for having mobile service, we felt it appropriate to mention mobile pricing. If you want to save a bit more, it’s an extra bundling tool.
Xfinity’s primary mobile offering is its unlimited plan. Its unlimited plan allows you to connect up to 10 lines, but it all starts with one. Here are your potential costs:
- One line - $45 /mo.
- Two lines - $80 /mo. ($40 per line)
- Three lines - $100 /mo. ($33.33 /line)
- Four lines - $120 /mo. ($30 /line)
- Five lines - $140 /mo. ($28 /line)
- Six lines - $160 /mo. ($26 /line)
- Seven lines - $180 /mo. ($25 /line)
- Eight lines - $200 /mo. ($25 /line)
- Nine lines - $220 /mo. ($24 /line)
- Ten lines - $240 /mo. ($24 /line)
If you don’t want unlimited data, you can choose to pay for gig limits. This plan is the pay “by the gig” plan, and here is the breakdown:
- 1 GB - $15 /mo.
- 3 GB - $30 /mo.
- 10 GB - $60 /mo.
If you want to add additional tablets or smart watches to your plan, they will cost an extra $10 per month.
Your plan with Xfinity Mobile does not impact the $10 discount you get for the internet. You can choose any plan you want but must keep it active.
Is the Xfinity Hotspot a good internet alternative?
The Xfinity Hotspot offers speeds up to 600 Kbps. So while you can use it in some cases, it is unsuitable for long-term usage. This speed is barely suitable for browsing.
Does Xfinity require an installation fee?
In some locations, Xfinity will require you to pay its installation fee. It costs $89.99, and it covers a pro installation. This means a technician will come to your house and set you up.
In cases where you live where Xfinity already has lines, you won’t need to pay for this. If you live where Xfinity is popular, you will likely come across this.
However, it does still charge a self-install activation fee of $38.99.
Conclusion
Xfinity is one of the best internet providers you can get. Since it is available almost anywhere, you can likely find it near you. You can easily do this with the InternetAdvisor Find a Provider tool.
After entering your zip code, you’ll easily be able to find whether Xfinity is in your area. If not, you’ll find several internet service providers who offer the best internet in your area. You deserve good internet, so make sure to use a tool to help you find it.
