Xfinity vs. Frontier: Which One Is Worth Your Money?

Frontier’s fiber internet plans start at $29.99 for up to 200Mbps and go up to $299.99 for 7,000Mbps speeds. Xfinity starts at $35 per month and offers speeds up to 2,000Mbps, which is remarkably fast for a cable internet provider. Both Frontier and Xfinity offer amazing promotional rates for new internet customers (with price guarantees from 12 to 24 months), but both also come with price hikes once promotional periods end. Xfinity includes a data cap of 1.2TB with the option to pay $30 for unlimited data, while Frontier offers unlimited data.

Frontier’s internet plans include free installation, a free eero router, and no activation fees, plus a few more Frontier deals. Xfinity offsets these extra fees with its deals, giveaways, and huge Xfinity perks. One option allows Xfinity internet customers to add StreamSaver for $15 per month that gives access to the entire bundle of Netflix, Apple TV+, and Peacock Premium. Frontier does offer a DSL internet option, but no mobile service. However, Xfinity rewards its internet users with a mobile line through its own Xfinity Mobile for only $25 per month for an entire year.

Xfinity and Frontier’s fiber internet service are pretty much neck and neck when it comes to promised download speeds.

We recommend at least 50Mbps for one person to stream, game, and take Zoom calls, and both ISPs offer these speeds plus faster download speeds for larger families.

But, as we said previously, Frontier’s DSL internet speeds leave a lot to be desired. We don’t recommend these speeds for anyone—unless you absolutely have no other choice. (Frontier’s DSL prices and unlimited data are still a better deal than satellite internet.) Nevertheless, Frontier performed pretty well in speed tests, averaging over 200Mbps download speed and 185Mbps upload speed. Perfect for most small or medium households.

(Not sure what download speed is right for you? We feel you. That’s why we created our internet speed guide to help you make choosing an internet plan a little bit easier.)

Looking at our latest report on internet speeds, Xfinity gives you the most bang for your buck when it comes to the actual download speeds you’ll get.

Our spidey sense tells us that Frontier’s fiber internet speeds probably match Xfinity’s internet speeds.

There’s no hemming and hawing here: Frontier takes the win with unlimited data on all of its internet plans. Even its DSL internet.

Xfinity, on the other hand, caps your data at 1.2 TB (unless you qualify for Xfinity's Gigabit X2 plan exclusive to Seattle). While most of us probably won’t go near that data cap, it definitely starts to loom large by the end of the month if you’re working from home or need to download a boatload of video games.

• Xfinity data cap: 1.2 TB
• Frontier Fiber data cap: Unlimited
• Frontier DSL internet data cap: Unlimited

Okay, let’s start this chat by saying that no internet provider offers amazing customer service. It’s the sad truth, and we wish it would change.

That said, Frontier’s customer service is on the lower end. It scored 61 out of 100 points in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) report for the second year in a row. Still, yuck.

On the other hand, Xfinity scored 68 out of 100, putting it right in the middle of the pack. That's better than the 66 out of 100 score the previous year. Sure, we’ve all heard the horror stories about Xfinity customer service, but we’d rather deal with Xfinity than Frontier.

If you do need to call your ISP’s customer service center, be not afraid. You can take these steps before you call to make your life easier.

• Xfinity customer service: 1-800-XFINITY (1-800-934-6489)
• Frontier customer service: 1-800-921-8101

Xfinity and Frontier are pretty evenly matched. But if you can get Frontier’s Fiber internet plans where you live, the prices are lower and you’ll get unlimited data. Xfinity has wider coverage and availability, so you might have a better chance getting Xfinity. 

But if you’re comparing Frontier DSL service with Xfinity, go with Xfinity.

• Price: Frontier Fiber. Both Xfinity and Frontier Fiber internet offer great promo prices. But Frontier’s unlimited data pushes it into the lead. That said, Frontier’s DSL internet prices aren’t good for the speeds you get.
• Internet speed: Xfinity. Xfinity scored well in our fastest ISPs report, but it’s hard to say how Frontier performs. We think its Fiber internet matches Xfinity, but its DSL service isn’t worth writing home about.
• Data caps: Frontier. You get unlimited data on every Frontier internet plan—including its DSL service. But Xfinity puts a 1.2 TB limit on your data.
• Customer service: Xfinity. Internet customer service isn’t great, but at least Xfinity improved. That said, Frontier’s rock-bottom score is scarier than a Stephen King novel.

Some services are hard to gather data about, but there are objective ways to measure internet service! We look at speed tests and the ACSI scores of every ISP we review, and when possible, we run our own internet tests on various internet plans.

We have 8+ years of experience in testing, researching, and writing honest reviews to give you the best information on whether a service is right for you or not. 

When we review internet service providers, we look at the following factors to help choose our star ratings and overall rankings:

• Price for download speeds offered
• Variety of download speeds
• Availability
• Connection type 

Xfinity and Frontier have limited availability, so make sure you check if they’re available in your area first before you go any further down the rabbit hole. After you hit submit, you’ll get a list of all the providers and plans available in your zip code so you can compare prices and speeds.