Google Fiber is the best internet service I’ve ever had.
8 min readOne of the many perks of living with my in-laws is sharing their Google Fiber service. After years of using a spotty cable internet service during college, GFiber is like a breath of fresh air: I get smooth, consistent speeds for working from home, calling my parents on Messenger, and streaming Netflix every night. The price is a flat $70 per month (plus $1.40 in fees), and it hasn’t changed since we signed up at the end of 2022.
I highly recommend Google Fiber. It’s reigned as Reviews.org’s Best Overall Internet Provider for the past two years, setting a high bar for reliability, value, and the overall customer experience. Otherwise, if it’s not available in your area, another fiber internet provider like AT&T Fiber is a great alternative.
Keep reading for all the details on Google Fiber’s prices and plans as well as my own personal experiences using it over the last couple of years.
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My breakdown of Google Fiber features
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.
Want to know how Google Fiber stacks up? See our full take below.
Overall score: 4.9/5
Speed and reliability
5.0/5.0
Through whatever task, Google Fiber delivers fast and reliable internet speeds. My plan has a typical latency of 13ms, so any games or real-time applications are lag-free. If I ever notice my computer slowing down or Netflix buffering, I use the tried and tested “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” method, and my speeds are back in a snap.
Granted, we amp up our Wi-Fi with a Ubiquiti Unifi mesh network to elevate the connection quality. I’d recommend looking into setting up a mesh network for reliable speeds in each room, although Google Fiber customer service can’t troubleshoot third-party equipment.
Even with this setup, I get only 92Mbps over Wi-Fi, where my husband gets 624Mbps with his PC connected to the router via a Cat6 Ethernet cable. I could order an Ethernet adapter for my laptop to experience faster speeds, but I’m lazy, and the near-100Mbps speeds work fine for my needs.
When I run a speed test for other devices over the Wi-Fi, I get a large range of speeds from 62Mbps to 500Mbps. This might be because of all the devices that share my home’s internet speed, or the age of the devices.
Reviews.org’s speed test measures download speed, upload speed, and latency by contacting a local server.
I checked our Google Fiber account online. To my surprise, I saw that we have 85 devices connected to the network. Even with this many devices, the internet works smoothly.
A screenshot of our Google Fiber home network.
Dollar value
4.8/5.0
Besides Google Fiber’s fast speeds, the flat monthly price is the second biggest thing that appeals to me. The monthly bill for the Core 1 Gig plan is $70 per month plus a $1.40 local access fee. This includes everything you need to get your internet and Wi-Fi up and running: Unlimited data, a Google router, an extender–you name it, it’s included.
Our Google Fiber 1 Gig monthly bill. The 1 Gig plan costs $70.00 for the internet service and $1.40 for the local access fee and has recently been replaced with the Core 1 Gig plan.
My biggest grievance when I’m reviewing internet providers is hearing that internet customers are getting ripped off by hidden fees or price increases after a year or two of service. Google Fiber doesn’t do that (knock on wood). “GFiber offers 1 Gigabit for $70 a month—which is the same price since we launched in 2012,” says Angie Welling, general manager of expansion at Google Fiber.
The only extra fees are taxes (and unreturned equipment fees if customers don’t give the hardware back after they’re done with the service.
Also, all Google Fiber plans come with perks, including a Wi-Fi 6E router rental and a mesh extender. You get a Nest Wifi Pro with the 1 Gig plan, and a GFiber Wi-Fi 6E router with 2 Gig, 5 Gig, and 8 Gig plans.
Customer experience
4.8/5.0
Like we say at Reviews.org, “Boring internet is usually the best internet.” My Google Fiber service chugs along behind the scenes, quietly doing its job as it should. I’ve never had a problem where I needed to call customer service.
The only issue I've had was during installation: A technician came by to set it all up, but then the next day another person accidentally cut through the fiber line. So we sufficed with our T-Mobile 5G hotspot data until they fixed the issue. Everything has been smooth sailing since.
How long it took to get a real human on the phone: Two minutes. The chatbot had a hard time understanding my fading New Zealand accent and asked me to repeat my phone number over and over.
Once it finally understood me, I immediately got connected to a live agent who was kind and helpful. He provided a few suggestions on how to improve my Wi-Fi connection and was willing to keep troubleshooting over the phone until the problem was fixed.
How the chat service is: Fast, helpful, and clear.
A screenshot of my conversation with a Google Fiber customer service agent.
Overall quality
4.9/5.0
Signing up for Google Fiber is worth every penny. The swift speeds and low latency support a myriad of devices and applications, so you hardly ever have to worry about slow-downs or lag. For my household of four people, the 1 Gig (now Core 1 Gig) plan is everything we need. Even when we add more and more connected devices, the concept of the internet slowing down doesn’t even cross our minds.
If we wanted to experience the maximum speeds possible, we could connect more of our devices with an Ethernet cable. However, the Wi-Fi speeds work perfectly fine for us.
How did I research this review?
To put together this review, I drew on my own experiences as a residential Google Fiber customer in Provo, Utah for the past two years. To measure Google Fiber's impact I did the following:
- Testing my speed and latency over Wi-Fi and Ethernet on multiple devices and various locations around the house
- Taking video calls over Zoom and Messenger
- Streaming Netflix, Hulu, live TV channels, and YouTube
- Browsing the web or scrolling through Facebook and TikTok
- Listening to music on Spotify
- Asking my husband about how the internet fares when he plays Apex Legends and Marvel Rivals
- Downloading and uploading files up to 1GB e.g. PDFs and photos
- Calling and chatting online with Google Fiber customer service
- Checking all the “touchpoints” of Google Fiber: The fiber cabinet, ONT box outside, fiber jack, router, and extender
I also interviewed five Google Fiber customers about their experiences. I let their experiences guide my research and shape my conclusions. I studied our proprietary data as well as maps from the Federal Communications Commission to understand where Google Fiber is available. And I analyzed thousands of customer results from Reviews.org's speed test to get a better grasp of performance.
To verify information and better understand Google Fiber's business strategy, I also chatted with the general manager of expansion at Google Fiber, who provided some insights into Google Fiber’s growing availability.
Google Fiber vs. the competition
Google Fiber is Reviews.org’s top pick for internet service, but you might find other providers are more widely available in your city and may offer a better fit for your budget or speed needs. AT&T Fiber is a major competitor of Google Fiber and comes with all the same benefits (equipment included, free installation, no extra fees) plus a 20% discount if you also bundle with AT&T's wireless service. AT&T also offers a wide range of plans, starting from $55 per month for 300Mbps. That's less speed, but it’s also cheaper.
If you can’t get a fiber internet provider, several cable providers like Xfinity, Spectrum, or Optimum deliver fast download speeds, albeit with eventual price increases.
Otherwise, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is another good option. You can’t expect the epic performance of fiber internet with a 5G internet provider, but you can expect flat rates as low as $35 per month when bundled with a T-Mobile wireless plan.
Compare internet providers and prices
*
Above pricing is after $10/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount with a debit card or bank account; if using a credit card, then price is $5/mo more.
†
Limited time offer; subject to change; new residential customers only (no Spectrum services within past 30 days) and in good standing with Spectrum. Taxes and fees extra in select states. SPECTRUM INTERNET: Standard rates apply after promo period. Additional charge for installation. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds (including wireless) vary and are not guaranteed. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Not available in all areas. Restrictions apply.
‡
Offer for new residential customers. Advertised price reflects $5 discount for enrolling in Auto Pay & Paperless Billing, must maintain both to keep discount.
^
with AutoPay, taxes and fees included.
What do customers think of Google Fiber?
In summary:
- People love that Google Fiber prices haven’t increased in years
- The customer service is often great, although not everyone has a good experience
- Most users don’t need a multigigabit plan
In general, Google Fiber customers are satisfied with their service and prices. “The customer service is excellent,” says Monica Yoshida, a fellow staff writer at Reviews.org who loves her Google Fiber 1 Gig plan. “I like the predictable billing. I know it’s not going up or down.”
Previously, Yoshida used Xfinity but was unhappy with the lack of communication and frequent price increases. This isn’t a surprise, considering Google Fiber snags a score of 76/100 in the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which indicates an above-average score for customer satisfaction. Xfinity scores a 68/100 in the same survey.
In the last two years, Yoshida experienced one hiccup with Google Fiber: A stressful, hour-long outage that interrupted her work day. “Any outage could mean you miss meetings and all your projects are on hold. I didn’t want to go out and find a coffee shop to work in because I had a small baby depending on me to be at home,” Yoshida says. However, she praises Google Fiber’s customer service for their attentiveness and ability to resolve the issue remotely. “They walked me through it. It didn’t feel like they were reading off a script.”
“The customer service is excellent.” –Monica Yoshida, Google Fiber customer
However, not all customers rave about Google Fiber. My other colleague, Bryan Mill, at first only got meager 1Mbps speeds on his 1 Gig plan in Salt Lake City, Utah. “They would force me to try to troubleshoot it on my own first before deeming if it was necessary to send someone out,” explains Mill. Google Fiber eventually sent out a technician, but the problem persisted. “It was a great service when it worked, but it was a pretty abysmal experience trying to get consistently working.”
Google Fiber does have a 99.9% uptime guarantee for Edge 8 Gig customers, or you get a 25% refund on your monthly bill if your internet is down for more than 45 minutes.
Google Fiber’s multi-gig plans aren’t worth it for the average user
Google Fiber advertises its multi-gig plans for content creators and gamers, but it’s not worth it for the average household. “It’s like paying for a giant water main pipe that connects to a garden hose. The water can only come out as fast as the garden hose will allow it,” says Katie Donaldson, a current Google Fiber 5 Gig customer and network operations manager. To experience the advertised speeds, Donaldson and her husband, Kenneth, purchased a 10Gbps-compatible router and replaced the network interface cards in their computers.
Over the years, the couple tried out Google Fiber’s 1 and 2 Gig plans and say that even for avid gamers, there isn’t a need to get more than 1 Gig. However, Kenneth is a software engineer and AI enthusiast, so he likes how he can download large language models in a matter of seconds on the 2 Gig or 5 Gig plan.
When I asked Kenneth if his 5 Gig plan was worth it, he replied, “Is it worth it to get DoorDash, rather than driving to get food?” He adds, “I don’t need it. This is the nerd version of conspicuous consumption.”
“It’s like paying for a giant water main pipe that connects to a garden hose. The water can only come out as fast as the garden hose will allow it.” –Katie Donaldson, Google Fiber customer
Need to contact Google Fiber customer service or tech support?
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New customers can call +1-833-942-0105 to sign up for a Google Fiber plan
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Existing customers can call +1-866-777-7550 for any issues or questions
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Chat or schedule a call with Google Fiber
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Send an email to Google Fiber support
Want Google Fiber? Get a deal
Google Fiber is a rare gem of an internet provider, and I highly recommend you try it out, especially if you can get a promotion.
Google Fiber FAQ
Is Google Fiber good for gaming?
Yes, Google Fiber is good for gaming. The fiber provider ranks as Reviews.org’s Best Internet Provider for Gaming for its reliable performance, low latency, and fast speeds.
How much is Google Fiber monthly?
Google Fiber costs $70 to $150 monthly for 1 to 8Gbps speed. There are no extra fees for installation, router rental, or technical support.
Is Google Fiber faster than 5G?
Yes, Google Fiber delivers faster download and upload speeds than most 5G internet providers, although Starry and Verizon 5G internet can deliver up to 1,000Mbps download speeds in some locations. Google Fiber uses a wired network to bring reliable, gigabit speeds straight to your home, whereas 5G internet providers connect wirelessly to a 5G tower. The wireless connection is prone to interference, so speeds are slower and less reliable.
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