Cox offers multi-gigabit cable speeds, while Spectrum has the edge with no overage fees and a free Spectrum Mobile line included with any internet plan.
Cox Internet vs. Spectrum Internet: Which One Is Worth Your Money?
8 min readCox and Spectrum both offer solid speeds and reasonable prices for cable internet. Cox offers speeds ranging from 300Mbps to 2Gbps, and it’s working on building up a fiber network. Some customers can already take advantage of symmetrical speeds and multi-gigabit capabilities, which put Cox a step above Spectrum’s limited “hybrid fiber coaxial” network. Here's what you get with Cox:
- Up to 2,000Mbps
- Internet as low as $9.95/mo.
- Unlimited data add-on feature
- No contracts
- Free self-installation
Spectrum offers three cable internet packages from 500Mbps to 1,000Mbps. While prices do go up by $20 after a year of service, customers still get a reliable connection with some great little perks. Here's what you get with Spectrum:
- Unlimited data (no overage fees)
- No annual contracts (no early termination fees)
- Discounted internet as low as $30/mo.
- Free Spectrum Mobile line with internet plan
But when it comes to Cox vs. Spectrum, Spectrum ultimately wins the matchup because it has unlimited data and better dollar value. Cox has more speed options and faster average speeds, but Spectrum’s 500–1,000Mbps range covers most households’ needs.
It’s rare to find providers like Cox and Spectrum in the same area. One might be the only high-speed broadband option in your area, which is often the case with Spectrum.
“Spectrum was the only service provider that offered anything faster than 100Mbps download.” —Sean Huntley, a Spectrum customer in Glendale, California
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Cox vs. Spectrum: Plans, pricing, and deals
Cox Internet plans and prices
Provider | Plan | Price | Download speed | Details |
 Cox Internet | Fast |
$50/mo.
| Up to 300 Mbps | View Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox Internet | Go Even Faster |
$80/mo.
| Up to 500 Mbps | View Plans |
| Cox Internet | Go Super Fast |
$110/mo. for 24 mos.
| Up to 1000 Mbps | View Plans |
| Cox Internet | Go Beyond Fast |
$150/mo. for 24 mos.
| Up to 2000 Mbps | View Plans |
Spectrum Internet plans and prices
Provider | Plan | Price | Download speed | Details |
 Spectrum Internet | Internet Premier |
$50/mo. 1 yr price guarantee
| Up to 500 Mbps | View Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet | Internet Premier |
$50/mo. 1 yr price guarantee
| Up to 500 Mbps | View Plans |
| Spectrum Internet | Internet GIG |
$70/mo. for 12 mos.
| Up to 1000 Mbps | View Plans |
Cox plans range from $50 a month for 300Mbps up to $150 a month for 2Gbps. As with many cable internet providers, this is a discounted, promotional price for the first 24 months. Afterwards, you can expect price increases to regular rates. There are also data caps on all plans, with a monthly cap of 1,280GB of data (1.25TB) and a $10 overage fee per 50GB when you exceed your cap. You can bundle Cox Mobile and Internet to get unlimited data for free (typically a $50/mo add-on). Finally, some Cox plans have annual contracts with cancellation fees, while others are contract-free.
Spectrum plans are even more straightforward and far less restrictive. There are no data caps or contracts, but speed tiers can vary slightly depending on region. Some customers may also be able to get speeds faster than 1Gbps if they’re in one of the select areas that offer fiber-to-the-home connections. After the promotional rate expires, you get a guaranteed $20 price increase after a year of service. There’s also a $5 monthly fee for Wi-Fi, but you can cancel it out with the AutoPay discount—see a full breakdown of Spectrum's hidden costs and fees.
“Cox hasn't failed to provide me what I pay for.” —Peter Drennan-Hart
Cox vs. Spectrum: Fees for modem and installation
Cox Internet add-ons and perks
Pay $49 to access unlimited data for your Cox Internet plan
Pay a flat rate of $50 for a 30-day cycle of 100Mbps
When friends sign up with Cox (up to $600/yr.)
For families with children through Connect2Compete
Spectrum Internet add-ons and perks
Get it on your first month of service (available in select areas).
For qualifying low-income households and seniors aged 65+.
And add other popular apps included with select TV plans (limited-time offer).
What makes this review legit?
Our fact-based research process centers on interviews with internet customers across the country, helping us understand how internet services hold up against diverse needs and challenges.
To put together this review, we looked at results from our speed test, pulled data from customer satisfaction surveys, and pored over the fine print to compare prices and speeds between the two providers. To flesh out our analysis, we also interviewed Cox Internet and Spectrum Internet customers to get their firsthand insights. We let their experiences guide our research and shape our conclusions. We also speak with ISP spokespeople and industry experts to get insights into connection types, speed capabilities, and other technical issues related to internet service.
The matchup: How we rate Cox Internet vs. Spectrum Internet
For all our internet reviews, we give a rating based on three main criteria—speed and reliability, dollar value, and customer experience—which we then average to make an overall score.
Here, we compare those ratings face to face. We then offer some analysis and context for important factors to keep in mind.
Want to know more? Read our full-length Cox Internet review and Spectrum Internet review.
Speed and reliability
Cox Internet: 3.8/5.0 | Spectrum Internet: 4.0/5.0
Cox isn’t the fastest provider, that title belongs to fiber services, but in the world of cable internet, it does pretty well with an average download speed of 160.347Mbps according to Review.org’s speed test last year. This puts it above Spectrum, AT&T, and Frontier. However, speeds aren’t symmetrical, so upload speeds are 26.442Mbps, which is good for cable, but not for fiber.
According to customers, speeds can also vary widely, and reliability can be a mixed bag, with some mentioning frequent outages. Lastly, there are data caps on every plan, at 1,280GB monthly. That’s a fair amount of data for most people and the average household, but heavy users who do a lot of large downloads and high-resolution streaming may hit limits.
Spectrum offers decent speeds, but it comes second to Cox. Speed test results show the average customer getting 216Mbps, with speed tiers ranging from 500Mbps to 1Gbps. Naturally, this is slower than fiber providers, but also slower than cable competitors like Cox, Optimum, and Xfinity. Still, Spectrum will provide better speeds than DSL, but don’t expect it to be symmetrical, which may be a problem or upload-heavy tasks.
Dollar value
Cox Internet: 3.3/5.0 | Spectrum Internet: 3.8/5.0
Spectrum provides better bang for the buck than Cox despite a guaranteed $20 price hike on all plans after the discounted promotional rate expires. There’s no annual contract or cancellation fee, nor any data caps, making Spectrum much less restrictive than Cox. There are some fees to be mindful of, including $30 for self-install and $5 monthly for using Wi-Fi, but you can avoid that with your own modem or cancel it out with the $5 AutoPay discount. Don't miss out on Spectrum's fantastic perks and discounts such as a $100 Visa Rewards Card with some plans, and a free Unlimited Mobile cellular line.
For more ways to save, check out our guide on how to lower your Spectrum internet bill.
Cox doesn’t offer great value. You can get faster speeds at lower prices with Spectrum or Xfinity. Cox’s $50-$150 promotional pricing expires after 24 months. On top of that, you may incur overage fees that can run you an extra $10 for every 50GB, up to a maximum of $100 If you want unlimited data, that costs an extra $49.99 a month. There’s also a router rental fee.
However, it’s possible to get some Cox discounts if you bundle services. Combining Cox Internet with Cox Mobile gives you free access to unlimited data (normally $50/mo extra). You can also bundle service with Cox TV, a landline phone, or home security system, but the savings can vary. One Cox customer told us that he only saves $5 a month compared with ordering the services separately.
For more ways to cut on costs, read our guide to lower your Cox internet bill.
Customer experience
Cox Internet: 3.8/5.0 | Spectrum Internet: 3.2/5.0
Customer satisfaction on Cox tops Spectrum, though neither company stands out as exceptional. Cox gets average scores compared with other providers, scoring two points below average in a 2023 American Customer Satisfaction Index survey. Many customers Reviews.org spoke with were dissatisfied, with some mentioning frequent outages, but that Cox isn’t proactive about informing them about issues. That said, connecting to a real human was easy when we tried it, but often wait times can be lengthy and the chat service isn’t useful.
Spectrum is similarly average, ranking in the middle for overall satisfaction, price, and customer service in HighSpeedInternet.com’s 2023 customer satisfaction survey. It also gets a few points below average in the 2022-2023 ACSI Telecommunications Study. Customer reviews are a mixed bag, with some customers reporting positive results and few outages, but others complaining about pushy customer service agents and unreliable support on the My Spectrum app.
Overall quality: Which internet provider should you pick?
Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change. Data verified as of the article's publication date.
Cox Internet
3.58/5.0
Spectrum Internet
3.7/5.0
Spectrum wins this matchup due to its straightforward plan options, solid speeds, and reliable cable connectivity. It has limited fiber availability, so speeds aren’t symmetrical, but outages are infrequent, and regular deals can help balance some of the fees and price hikes. Not to mention that there are no data caps.
Cox has its upsides, with faster average speeds than Spectrum, but it doesn’t offer great dollar value compared with Spectrum, costs too much for unlimited data, and has high overage fees. Customer service also needs quite a bit of improvement.
Cox Internet vs. Spectrum Internet: What do customers think?
Solid speeds with data caps, but few like the support
Cox customers have fairly mixed opinions on the cable internet provider, verging on negative. Review.org spoke with a number of Cox customers, and while some are satisfied with the service overall, others complain about value and customer service support.
Isaac Chandler, a Cox customer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, says he’s experienced frequent outages and slowdowns, and he doesn’t find the service reliable, especially with the inflated price for what he’s getting. Despite that, he did like the easy setup and had positive experiences with customer service reps.
M.J. Stevens, a longtime customer we spoke with also echoed that Cox service is too expensive for the value it provides, “But I still do it because I get everything I need with a minimum of fuss and bother,” he said.
Customer support doesn’t get much praise, and it is the biggest area of complaint for several customers. Paul, a systems administrator in Tulsa, complained about the messy repair work performed by Cox technicians, who left his neighborhood a mess. Another Tulsa-based customer said she had got hung up on by a customer service agent who accused her of being abusive after she tried to find out if her unlimited data plan was being throttled.
“They didn't actually replace the cable so much as [string] new cable, and they left the old cable lines just dangling off poles onto the ground where they dropped." —Paul
Spectrum is a necessity for many, but customer service is a mixed bag
Spectrum customers don’t necessarily love their cable internet service more than Cox, but they often find it necessary in their area. Sean Huntley, a Spectrum customer in Glendale, California, compares it to the way utility companies operate monopolies in communities. “What are you going to do? Go to a different water company? It’s a water company,” he says. Spectrum is the only service provider in his area that offers anything faster than 100Mbps download, so he’s thankful for the rare outages and quick setup.
Conrad Burnham, a Spectrum user in Los Angeles, echoes that opinion. He says Spectrum responded quickly to an outage in his area. However, other customers have had less positive experiences. One New York-based customer, Sakai Anwar, found herself being upsold by a Spectrum agent when she was trying to resolve a service outage.“I told him three or four times, ‘No, I am not interested,’ and he just would not stop,” she said.
Another customer in St. Cloud experienced daily outages in the summer of 2023 which took hours to fix each time, resulting in missed work calls and long wait times. She’s now considering a switch to Starlink, a satellite provider.
"Spectrum is competent—and compulsory.” —Sean Huntley
Want Spectrum Internet? Find it in your area
Spectrum offers solid speeds and generally reliable connectivity without data caps. If you’re looking for a good cable internet provider, run a search with our zip code tool to see if it’s available in your area.
Find out if you can get Spectrum Internet in your neighborhood.
FAQ about Cox Internet vs. Spectrum Internet
Which is better, Spectrum or Cox?
We recommend Spectrum over Cox because Spectrum doesn't require annual contracts, won't charge you overage fees, and has infrequent outages.
While Cox has faster speeds, it will charge you overage fees, and its customer service doesn't have a great reputation.
What's better than Spectrum?
AT&T is even better than Spectrum. It has a big overlap with Spectrum and Cox Internet availability. It offers fiber internet packages (fiber is the best kind of internet you can get), and we recommend it second only to Google Fiber—which is very limited but provides the best overall internet.
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