Google Fiber Internet Review 2021

Google Fiber provides affordable, fast, and reliable internet that lives up to the hype. It’s consistently earned one of the top five spots in our analysis of internet speeds.

But the biggest problem is that it still hasn’t landed in many places across the country. So if you’re lucky enough to have Google Fiber internet in your city, is it worth the cost? Let’s dig in.

Google Fiber prices and plans

Google Fiber prices are excellent for the speeds you get.

Google Fiber has two types of plans: Fiber and Webpass. Fiber operates like most other internet service providers (ISPs): It hooks up individual residences to the internet.

And recently, Google Fiber introduced a second fiber internet plan with speeds up to 2,000 Mbps. Both its 1 gig and 2 gig plans are priced reasonably compared to the competition and come with unlimited data. And both plans offer enough speed for a large family, home full of roommates, or even a small business.

Webpass is unique because it’s available only in certain apartment and office buildings located in Austin, Chicago, Denver, Miami, Nashville, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle.

But the Webpass service is pretty straightforward, even though your price and download speeds depend on where you live.

For example, some Webpass cities offer a discounted price if you pay for a year in advance—in one case we found that equaled out to a $700 payment up-front. But if you don’t have that much cash on hand, you can still opt for the up to $70.00 month-to-month payment plan.

We even found an apartment building in San Francisco where Google Fiber Webpass was included as an amenity, meaning you’d pay nothing for gigabit speeds if you lived there. (Though you’d still pay those sky-high San Francisco real estate prices.)

Webpass speeds also depend on your building’s infrastructure. So you may get speeds slower than 1,000 Mbps—but Google plays fair by discounting your monthly cost if your building can’t support gig speeds.

We saw this fair play at work at another apartment building in San Francisco where the fastest speed was 500 Mbps. Because that’s slower than the max Google Fiber Webpass speed of 1,000 Mbps, the monthly cost was discounted to $60.00 a month.

You’ll need to check your specific address to find out which payment plans and speeds are available to you.

Is Google Fiber internet cheap?

If you know you don’t need gigabit speeds, you may want to check out other ISPs with slower and cheaper internet plans, like Xfinity or CenturyLink.

But we should mention that Google’s Fiber 1000 plan is one of the cheaper gigabit-speed plan available in the United States, putting it alongside big names such as Verizon Fios Home Internet and AT&T Fiber.

Where is Google Fiber and Google Fiber Webpass available?

You can get Google Fiber if you live in one of these major US cities or metro areas:

• Huntsville, AL
• Orange County, CA
• Atlanta, GA
• West Des Moines, IA (coming soon)
• Kansas City, KS and MO
• Charlotte and The Triangle, NC
• Nashville, TN
• Austin and San Antonio, TX
• Provo and Salt Lake City, UT

Google Fiber Webpass is also available these cities:

• Oakland, San Diego, and San Francisco, CA
• Denver, CO
• Chicago, IL
• Miami, FL
• Nashville, TN
• Austin, TX
• Seattle, WA

Google Fiber internet speed and data

Google Fiber earned the title of the fastest internet provider and our Editor’s Choice pick for speed.

Some have suggested that Google developed Fiber just to spur competition in the ISP market, raising speeds for all internet users.¹ Higher user speeds means more revenue for Google (which owns Youtube and many other online services).

Well, if that was Google’s goal, then it worked. Ever since Google’s announcement in 2009, there’s been a sort of race to the top among ISPs to develop gigabit speed internet networks. No one wants to lag behind in an industry that’s based on speed.

But the question is, now that other companies have started catching up, how does Google Fiber compare?

Just by looking at the numbers, it’s clear that Google Fiber offers fast internet. But speed isn’t just about the numbers. If your ISP is unreliable or has a data cap, you could miss the new The Mandalorian episode no matter how many Mbps you’ve paid for.

Fortunately for Fiber customers, Google’s service runs on a brand-spankin’-new fiber-optic network that provides reliably fast upload/download speeds and no data caps. Fiber-optic networks will almost always beat out older cable networks, no matter what the advertised speeds are.

Google Fiber earned the top weighted score in our 2020 analysis of the fastest ISPs in the US. It scored almost 10 points higher than the next fastest ISP, making it a no-brainer if you live in a city where Google Fiber is available.

Real quick: that weighted score isn’t a reflection of Google Fiber’s actual download speeds. Instead, it’s a combination of the average download speeds, upload speeds, and latency seen in more than 1 million speed tests from 2019.

Google Fiber contracts, equipment, and fees

Google doesn’t require a contract for Fiber or Webpass internet.

Contracts. Companies love ‘em, people hate ‘em.

Luckily, Google promises no contracts for both its Fiber and Webpass internet services. Now that’s what we love to hear.

Google Fiber service fees

Google Fiber claims to have no hidden fees—and, in fact, that seems to be the case. It even offers this nifty list of possible fees to help you avoid that rollercoaster ride of a surprise.

• Service deposit: $10.00, but credited toward any other fees charged to your account.
• Construction fee: $300.00, but not everyone pays this. The construction fee is waived if you purchase at least one year of service, and you can also opt to pay it in $25.00 increments.
• Early termination fees: None. For real.

Google Fiber equipment and fees

Google’s got a long list of equipment you can rent or replace, including fiber jacks and mesh Wi-Fi extenders. And we’re going to award a few bonus points here for offering free fiber jacks (though you have to pay if you want more than one).

Here’s a quick look at how much some of the Google equipment costs if you need a replacement.

• Fiber jack: $100.00 replacement fee
• Network box: $200.00–$300.00 replacement fee
• Google WiFi: $100.00–$110.00 replacement fee
• Google Fiber Multi-Gig Router + Optical Connector: $280.00 replacement fee
• Google Fiber mesh extender: $180.00 replacement fee

You can also get online with Webpass without renting any extra equipment. However, if you want Wi-Fi with Webpass, you’ll have to provide your own router. (We recommend this NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 router from Amazon.)

Google Fiber customer service

Google Fiber customer service is almost as helpful as a Google search.

Google Fiber has helped revolutionize the home-internet industry. However, it’s still a telecommunications company, and that means customer service complaints.

You can find plenty of horror stories online—mostly about installation and billing issues—from people who signed up for Google Fiber. But I challenge you to find a company that doesn’t have similar online complaints.

While Google Fiber certainly has its issues, a Consumer Reports survey suggests that customers are happier with Google than with pretty much any other ISP.³

You can also contact Google Fiber online here:

• Online chat
• Social media

Our recommended Google Fiber plan

Google Fiber 1000

Who it’s best for: Gamers, home-businesses, large families

Why we picked it: If you want a fast internet plan, Fiber 1,000 brings the speed without asking for your firstborn child in return. Yup, the Fiber 1,000 plan could go toe-to-toe with any of the top gaming ISPs and probably win.

Recap: Is Google Fiber good?

Google Fiber is a simple, reliable, and truly fast internet service. But even with blazing fast internet speeds and low-priced, zippy internet plans, Google Fiber still doesn’t serve most of the United States. Until the company can get better coverage in suburban and rural areas, it will sadly never be a real leader in the ISP world.

But if you do live in the company’s service area and you want gigabit internet speeds, then Google’s affordable fiber internet is nearly unbeatable.

Google Fiber prices, plans, and download speeds recap

• Google Fiber 1,000: $70.00/month,* 1,000 Mbps download speeds, unlimited data
• Google Fiber 2,000: $100.00/month,* 2,000 Mbps download speeds, unlimited data

^{Data effective 8/12/2021. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
*Terms and Conditions: Plus taxes and fees. Service not available in all areas. If you live in an apartment or condo, Google Fiber’s ability to construct and provide Fiber is subject to the continued agreement between Google Fiber and the property owner. 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}

FAQ

Q: How does Google Webpass work?

Google’s sluggish pace in rolling out its internet service definitely ruffled a few feathers. Maybe that’s why Google bought a company called Webpass to extend its service footprint into major cities like Miami, Seattle, and Atlanta.

In these cities, Google Fiber uses Webpass’ network technology. Rather than running a cable into your house, Webpass has an extensive network of tower-to-tower wireless relays that connect nearby apartments and office buildings to a central hub.

This means Webpass is only available in equipped buildings, and your internet speed will depend entirely on your building’s infrastructure. It’s certainly not traditional internet, but it can be a screamin’ deal for gigabit speeds if you live in the right place.

Sources

1. Blair Levin and Larry Downes, Harvard Business Review, “Why Google Fiber Is High-Speed Internet’s Most Successful Failure,” September 2018. Accessed September 2020.
2. James K. Willcox, Consumer Reports, Inc., “People Still Don’t Like Their Cable Companies,” September 2018. Accessed September 2020.
3. Catherine McNally, Reviews.org, “The Fastest Internet Providers 2020,” December 2020. Accessed December 2020.