AT&T Fiber vs. Google Fiber Internet Review

Google’s speeds are unbeatable, but AT&T’s cheaper plans and wider availability make it the better choice for most.

Best for Most People
ATT
AT&T Fiber
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.25
Monthly price:
$55
/mo
Download Speeds
300-5000 Mbps
Data Cap
Unlimited
Best for Super High Speeds
Google Fiber
Google Fiber
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
Monthly price:
$70
/mo
Download Speed Range
1,000–8,000 Mbps
Data Cap
Unlimited
Easton Smith
Dec 12, 2023
Icon Time To Read6 min read

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There was a lot of buzz about Google Fiber when it first launched back in 2010. However, the service hasn’t expanded much since its “pause” in 2016.

But you know what has expanded? That’s right, AT&T’s fiber optic internet service.

So, which of these two internet service providers (ISPs) is better? The short answer is AT&T offers a wider variety of plans—including cheaper options—and is available in more areas. But, for those who need super-fast internet, Google Fiber is simply unbeatable.

From prices and performance to perks and customer service, we’ll go over everything you need to know.

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Want to see how AT&T compares to other ISPs?

AT&T’s wide availability means that it competes with several different ISPs in different areas. Check out our reviews of Spectrum vs. AT&T and Xfinity vs. AT&T to see how the company holds up.

AT&T Internet vs. Google Fiber: Prices

Winner: AT&T has better options, but Google’s price for gig-speed internet is unbeatable

AT&T’s lower-level plans are the cheapest between the two ISPs, but Google offers the best deal on a gig-speed plan.

So, those who are okay with a 300–500 Mbps plan should probably sign up with the A Team, but those who want speeds of 1,000+ Mbps should go with the Big G.

We’ll take a closer look at each company’s plans and pricing right now, beginning with AT&T.

AT&T fiber internet prices and plans
Plan
Price
Download speed
Data cap
Details
AT&T Internet 300$55/mo.*300 MbpsUnlimited
AT&T Internet 500$65/mo.*500 MbpsUnlimited
AT&T Internet 1 Gig$80/mo.1000 MbpsUnlimited
AT&T Internet 2 Gig$125/mo.Up to 2000 MbpsUnlimited
AT&T Internet 5 Gig$225/mo.Up to 5000 MbpsUnlimited
* Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. One time install chrg may apply. Ltd. avail/areas. Call or go to www.fiber.att.com to see if you qualify.
Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. Ltd. availability/areas.

AT&T offers five different fiber plans, from 300–5000 Mbps. Overall, we’re pleased with AT&T’s prices (which is one of the reasons it made it onto our list of the very best ISPs). They’re pretty similar to other great fiber providers, like Verizon Fios, and there aren’t any major red flags, like huge price hikes after the first few months.

AT&T’s prices start looking a little less impressive at the higher tiers, especially when you compare them to Google Fiber.

Google Fiber prices and plans
Plan
Price
Download speed
Data cap
Details
1 Gig$70/mo.1000 MbpsUnlimited
2 Gig$100/mo.2000 MbpsUnlimited
5 Gig$125/mo.^5000 MbpsUnlimited
8 Gig$150/mo.^8000 MbpsUnlimited
Plus taxes and fees. Upload/download speed and device streaming claims are based on maximum wired speeds. Actual Internet speeds are not guaranteed and may vary based on factors such as hardware and software limitations, latency, packet loss, etc.
^ Available in select markets only. Plus taxes and fees. Upload/download speed and device streaming claims are based on maximum wired speeds. Actual Internet speeds are not guaranteed and may vary based on factors such as hardware and software limitations, latency, packet loss, etc.

Google Fiber has four plans—a one gig, a two gig, a five gig, and an eight gig option. These options might be more than some people need, but if you’re really hungry, it’s going to hit the spot.

Big families, serious gamers, and those who work from home may find themselves eating through internet bandwidth at an alarming rate. This is when it makes sense to upgrade to a super-high-speed plan like those that Google Fiber offers.

There is one other plan we should mention called Google Fiber Webpass. We didn’t put it in the chart because it’s kind of a unique one that’s only available in certain buildings in specific cities, like Austin, Denver, and San Francisco.

Webpass gives you speeds up to 1,000 Mbps and costs up to $250. But the exact speed and pricing can vary by location.

Where is Google Fiber available?

Here’s the complete list of Google Fiber cities:

  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Austin, Texas
  • Carrboro, North Carolina
  • Chapel Hill, North
  • Carolina
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Des Moines, Iowa
  • Huntsville, Alabama
  • Irvine, California
  • Kansas City, Missouri
  • Kansas City, Kansas
  • Mesa, Arizona
  • Miami, Florida
  • Nashville, Tennessee
  • North Salt Lake, Utah
  • Oakland, California
  • Huntington Beach,
  • California
  • Provo, Utah
  • Raleigh-Durham, North
  • Carolina
  • Salt Lake City, Utah
  • San Antonio, Texas
  • San Diego, California
  • Sandy, Utah
  • San Francisco, California
  • Seattle, Washington

AT&T Internet vs. Google Fiber: Internet speed and data caps

Winner: Google Fiber is the fastest, but AT&T gives you more options to choose from

Both AT&T and Google Fiber have made it onto our list for the fastest ISPs. But each one has its own particular strengths.

If you’re just looking at sheer speed, then Google Fiber is the clear winner. Not only does it offer an unbelievably fast 8,000 Mbps plan (that’s faster than AT&T’s fastest plan), but the company also consistently scores the highest in independent speed tests like those on HighSpeedInternet.com.1

AT&T may not be able to keep up with Google in terms of top speeds. But sometimes it’s the tortoise, not the hare, that wins the race.

AT&T’s wider variety of plans—including cheaper 300 and 500 Mbps options—might make it a better option for those who could want to upgrade (or downgrade) their internet in the future.

AT&T Internet vs. Google Fiber download and upload speed comparison
Provider
Download speeds
Upload speeds
Details
ATT300-5000 Mbps300-5000 Mbps
Google Fiber1000–8000 Mbps1000–8000 Mbps
Data as of 04/05/2023. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.

One last thing to remember is that you won’t always get the top speeds that an ISP advertises. Even if you’re on a 1,000 Mbps plan, you might only see speeds of 300-400 Mbps when the network is busy.

So shopping for an internet plan is kind of like buying shoes for kids: go a size bigger so there’s room to grow.

What ever happened to Google Fiber TV and cell phone plans?

Google Fiber used to be the next big thing. It wasn’t just internet service. Google waded into the TV and cell phone market with Fiber TV and Google Fi flexible cell data plans. You can still check out the best Google Fi cell phone plans in our review.

Unfortunately though, the TV service is no longer available to new customers. But you can learn about some great alternatives.

Not sure how much speed you need?

We’ve written up a neat little guide to help you figure out just how many Mbps you need to fuel your streaming, gaming, working, and other internet habits.

AT&T Internet vs. Google Fiber: Data caps

This section is going to be short and sweet because neither ISP has data caps on their fiber internet plans.

That means you can do all kinds of ill-advised things, like game till 3 a.m., binge watch all of Succession in a single weekend, or download tons of totally legal torrents onto your computer without worrying about a data cutoff or hefty overage fee.

AT&T Internet vs. Google Fiber: Customer service

Winner: AT&T is at the top of the charts for customer satisfaction

AT&T is at the very top of the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s (ACSI) latest ranking for internet service providers.2 That means that thousands of people ranked the company above competitors like Spectrum, Verizon, and Optimum.

That doesn’t mean AT&T is perfect. There are still some online complaints from customers about outages and billing errors. But, if you compare these complaints to other telecommunications companies, AT&T looks like a saint.

What about Google Fiber? Unfortunately, the company is a bit too small to be included in the ACSI’s latest telecommunications report. But customer reviews and third-party evaluations are mixed. Some people are very happy, but there are a fair share of complaints about billing issues.

If you need to get in touch with either company, you can reach them with the following contact info.

Google Fiber:

AT&T:

Check out our customer service tips if you’re having issues reaching your ISP.

AT&T Internet vs. Google Fiber: Which is better?

Best for Most People
ATT
AT&T Fiber
Our Rating
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.25
Starting from
$55
/mo
Download speeds: 300-5000 Mbps
Data as of 04/05/2023. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.

AT&T and Google are two of the best fiber internet providers in the industry right now. AT&T offers a wider variety of plans and prices in more locations, but where Google Fiber is available, it has the best overall performance.

  • Price: AT&T. AT&T offers plans for as low as $55 a month, and has four different speed tiers to choose from.
  • Internet speed: Google Fiber. Google can take you to warp-speed with its incredible 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, and 8,000 Mbps plans.
  • Data caps: Tie. Both companies will give you unlimited data! Nice.
  • Customer service: AT&T. In an industry that’s known for its shoddy customer service, AT&T stands out for its truly helpful service team.

If you're interested in learning more about how Google Fiber compares to other popular providers, check out our comparison of Google Fiber and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet or Google Fiber and Optimum Internet.

Or if you want to compare AT&T Fiber to other providers, check out our review of AT&T Fiber vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet.

Google Fiber
Google Fiber
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
Download Speeds
1000-8000 Mbps
Starts at
$70
/mo
Data as of 04/05/2023. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.

AT&T Internet vs. Google Fiber: Methodology

We take the same approach comparing Google Fiber and AT&T internet as our other internet review pages. Our team regularly tests our own internet networks, and we also connect with folks in different areas to try out ISPs that aren't in our usual domain. In this case, I am a Google Fiber customer and am able to talk about my own personal experience.

On top of that, we tap into the wealth of internet speed test results from Reviews.org's speed test tool, collected from users all over the country, to get a better idea on typical performance. When users run speed tests on our website, we keep a record of the results, including the ISP they used. Over the years, we've accumulated millions of data points, giving us the lowdown on download and upload speeds from various internet providers.

To round out our assessment of Google Fiber and AT&T internet, we also consult external sources like the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), HighSpeedInternet.com, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), though we acknowledge the FCC's data might not cover every ISP out there.

In a nutshell, our methodology for comparing Google Fiber and AT&T internet keeps things well-rounded by mixing our own data and hands-on experience with insights from various research sources.

  1. HighSpeedInternet.com, “Fastest Internet Providers 2022
  2. American Customer Satisfaction Index, “ACSI Telecommunications Study 2020-2021
Easton Smith
Written by
Easton Smith
Easton has worked as a freelance writer and researcher for several years, reviewing health, lifestyle, and technology products. He has probably read more Terms of Use contracts than any human alive. When he’s not sitting in front of a computer, Easton spends his time camping, climbing, and volunteering with humanitarian aid organizations.

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