Spectrum Internet Review 2023

While the Spectrum Internet service received some not-so-great news coverage in the past,¹ it offers up some good prices and download speeds when compared to other internet service providers (ISPs) that cover the same locations.

To top that off, Spectrum Internet plans come with a few extra perks you might not find elsewhere, like unlimited data. So is Spectrum the right internet provider for you? Let's dig into the facts and find out.

Before we get into the details, let's figure out if Spectrum is the right fit for you. 

One thing we like is that Spectrum is widely available across the US. Use that zip code internet finder above to see if you live in one of the 42 states it's available.

Spectrum only has three plans to choose from, and we wish their Gig plan was a little less expensive. In comparison to Xfinity internet, our top pick, Spectrum offers three fewer plans and the Gig internet is $15 more. Compared to Cox Internet, Spectrum has more expensive plans, especially after the second-year price hikes.

We do like how Spectrum doesn't require you to sign a contract, but the Spectrum Internet service could be a little better (this is why it didn't make our top five).

If you're looking for fast download speeds that'll keep a family gaming and streaming over the weekend, Spectrum has you covered. It offers a few different plans with speeds ranging from up to 300 to 1,000 Mbps.* Each of those speeds is juicy enough to keep that buffering icon away.

But we're not gonna lie, we'd love to see more plans from Spectrum. That's because we love choices, and right now Spectrum doesn't offer anything in the way of slower download speeds at lower prices.

Sure, the price for its up to 300 Mbps plan* is reasonable, but what about solo gamers or casual web surfers that don't need that much speed? (Of course, more speed is better than less speed, so we still think the Spectrum Internet® plan is a deal.)

You might hear Spectrum compared to AT&T Fiber or Frontier. That's because these three ISPs serve some of the same parts of the US.

When it comes to price, we think AT&T Fiber offers the best value—and the lowest prices. AT&T Fiber is also a fiber internet connection, which tends to be more reliable than the cable internet connection Spectrum uses.

But if you can't get AT&T Fiber and instead have a choice of Spectrum versus Frontier, we'd go with Spectrum. Frontier's prices start out great, but quickly skyrocket to the highest price we've seen for a gig speed plan.

Spectrum Internet is available in 42 states, so chances are pretty good that it's available near you. Especially if you live in the northeastern US, where Spectrum is focused on connecting cities and towns to the world wide web.

Of the states where you can find Spectrum, here are the top five states with the most availability:

1. Ohio
2. Maine
3. New York
4. Wisconsin
5. North Carolina

If you're not sure whether the Spectrum Internet service is available in your hometown, we can help you out. Just enter your zip code below and we'll tell you if Spectrum is in your area.

We mentioned we wished Spectrum offered more choices for download speeds, but what speeds it does offer are great for streaming The Boys on Amazon Prime Video or teaming up with your buddies in a PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds match.

The up to 300 Mbps plan* should be hefty enough to keep parents happily streaming Schitt's Creek while their kiddo watches Phineas and Ferb on Disney+. (Just maybe not in the same room.)

But if you've got more than a few connected devices, like cell phones, home security systems, and smart TVs, and still want to binge-watch The Great British Baking Show when you come home from work, you'll probably want to upgrade to Spectrum's up to 500 plan.*

And that Spectrum Internet Gig plan? That's perfect for a large family who loves to do all of the above—or for serious gamers or adults who make a living working from home.

So what about all this news coverage of Spectrum's slower-than-advertised speeds? Yeah, we've heard about that too, and it has us shaking our heads in disappointment.

In our latest analysis of the fastest internet providers in the US, Spectrum ranked 14th out of the 38 total ISPs we analyzed. That puts it far below other cable internet providers like RCN (ranked 6th), Xfinity (ranked 7th), and Optimum (ranked 9th).

Really quick, we want to note that Spectrum's weighted score of 35.6 out of 100 isn't representative of any download speeds you might see with it. Instead, that weighted score is a combination of the average download speeds, upload speeds, and latency that Spectrum Internet customers saw in more than 1 million speed tests taken between January and December 2019.

Our highest-ranked cable internet provider, RCN, earned 47.4 out of 100, while our lowest-ranked cable provider, Sparklight, earned 31.5 out of 100. That puts Spectrum toward the bottom of the pack when it comes to high-speed internet access from large cable ISPs. So, we expect that you'll likely get slower speeds than what you pay for with Spectrum.

The somewhat silver lining is that Spectrum has no contracts. So if you find your download speeds waning and customer service is no help, it's easy to put a stop to your service and find someone else. You won't get slapped with early termination fees either.

Spectrum will neither throttle your speeds nor charge you extra for your data use. That's the best kind of "no" we've ever heard.

While most ISPs offer only 1 TB of data (which is usually more than enough data for most of us), Spectrum's unlimited data is a dream come true for anyone who uses the web for file sharing, (legally) downloading movies, or working from home.

We like that Spectrum offers a no-contract internet option because it frees you up to switch providers if you’re moving homes or unsatisfied with the service. That's perfect if you're renting, temporarily in a city for work, or just don't like commitments. (We get it.)

Other options for no-contract internet access that may be in your area include Frontier and Xfinity.

The only issues we have with Spectrum are it's additional fees. Those fees are a confusing bunch, so we'll try to clear them up for you.

Spectrum throws in a free modem with your internet, which is pretty nice of them. Most other companies charge anywhere from $10 to $20 extra a month to rent equipment.

Of course, you can still bring your own modem and router combo if you prefer. If you need a recommendation, we're fans of this ARRIS SURFboard modem router combo from Amazon.

The professional installation fee for the Spectrum Internet and Spectrum Internet Ultra plans is one of the most reasonable we've seen. Spectrum also gives its customers the option to self-install.

• Pro installation fees: $59.99 
• Self installation fee: $24.99
• Early termination fees: No contract means no early termination fee. Yay!

Internet service as a whole doesn't do well in the customer service department. We know that's no excuse, but we want to put the situation in perspective before we dive into how Spectrum's customer service performs.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) scores ISPs for customer service each year, and the internet industry averaged a score of 65 out of 100 for 2021.3 So if you look at Spectrum's latest score of 63 out of 100, it may not seem that great. But that score is still a major improvement from two years ago, when Spectrum scored a lackluster 59 out of 100.

So, while we're pleased to see Spectrum improved over the past couple of years, we're still expecting bigger and better things from it.

But if you have no other choice but to call customer service, what can you do? First thing's first, take a deep breath and grab a pen and paper.

1. Use online chat or email if you can. Chat and email free you up to continue living your life without a cell phone attached to your ear. Both of these methods also keep a log of what was said or promised, which is perfect if you need to refer back to it for proof.
2. Advocate for yourself. If your current customer service rep isn't cutting it, ask to speak to someone else—or their manager. It may seem disrespectful, but at the end of the day you're the customer and you deserve fair and respectful treatment!
3. Negotiate. Spectrum doesn't have contracts, so this can be a huge bargaining chip for you. Research other internet providers' prices and speeds before you call or chat, and don't be afraid to say you'll cancel your service if Spectrum can't give you what you're asking for.

Get in touch with Spectrum here:

• Phone: 1-855-707-7328
• Online chat
• Twitter: @Ask_Spectrum
• Facebook: @Spectrum
• Spectrum also has options to pay your bill including their app.

As we mentioned earlier, Spectrum Internet barely made our top internet service provider picks. 

Although it's still a good provider for some, we'll give you some context of how Spectrum stacks up against our top four internet providers.

Who it’s best for: If your family loves to stream videos or play Farming Simulator 19 together online, the Spectrum Internet plan's up to 300 Mbps* is fast enough to keep you connected on a budget.

But hey, if your house is home to a large family, you've got kiddos uploading YouTube videos, or a partner who works from home, you'll want to look into the up to 500 or 1,000 Mbps* plans instead.

Why we picked it: The price Spectrum charges for its up to 300 Mbps plan* isn't the best out there, but it's still reasonable. We also think it's the best deal of all three Spectrum plans available. So if you're stuck on a budget but still love to game and stream reruns of Parks and Recreation, we think this plan is the perfect compromise.

As the nation’s second largest internet provider, Spectrum has to compete with big dogs like Xfinity, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T.

How does it stack up? Mmm, so-so if you ask us.

It’s widely available in the United States, offers a wide range of speeds that work for streaming or gaming households, and keeps you going with unlimited data—all while avoiding contracts.

But its confusing fees and iffy customer service make us hesitate. Can you find better than Spectrum? Yes. But are there worse ISPs out there? Again, yes.

• Spectrum Internet: $49.99/mo. for the first 12 months, up to 300 Mbps download speeds,* no data cap
• Spectrum Internet Ultra: $69.99/mo. for the first 12 months, up to 500 Mbps download speeds,* no data cap
• Spectrum Internet Gig: $89.99/mo. for the first 12 months, up to 1,000 Mbps download speeds,* no data cap

We research and rate our internet providers based on the following criteria:

• Prices
• Availability
• Speed scores
• Customer service scores
• Connection type

After comparing the criteria, we give you our honest opinion about each provider while giving you the information you need to know before signing up.

Sources