Verizon Fios Home Internet vs. Xfinity Internet Review 2023

Xfinity’s plans are technically cheaper than Verizon Fios, but both companies provide good value when comparing what you actually get.

Verizon Fios’ straightforward pricing structure may appear more expensive at first glance, but for many customers the price will be worth it for better speeds and terms of service. We’ve collected all the nitty-gritty details for you here, starting with Xfinity’s plan offerings.

Xfinity offers a respectable range of speed and affordability in its plans. The table above reflects average prices for its services in the northeast, but keep in mind that Xfinity sometimes charges different rates in different markets.

These prices also reflect a $10 discount for autopay enrollment and paperless billing.  Further discounts might be available when you bundle your service with a TV package or mobile phone service.

All in all, Xfinity’s prices look pretty competitive at first glance. Unfortunately these low monthly rates come with a catch or two.

It’s important to note that Xfinity’s advertised rates are based on a timed promotional model, which guarantees a large discount for 12 to 36 months. But if you keep your service beyond that period, your monthly rate will automatically increase.

For instance, Xfinity’s entry level Connect More plan starts reasonably at $25 a month for 12 months, but increases to a whopping $77 per month thereafter.

Xfinity charges an additional $15-per-month rental fee to use the company’s standard modem and Wi-Fi router, unless you want to provide your own. We think bringing your own router is a good for those trying to keep their monthly price down.

These plans come with a one-time installation fee, which is typically $50. This type of charge is common across high-speed internet providers but still something to keep in mind.

Xfinity’s three fastest plans require a 12-month contract, while the lower tiers can be canceled at any time. Given the terms, we’re guessing that most customers will end up calling Xfinity to cancel or renegotiate their contracts after the promotional period ends. 

Without the promotion, Xfinity’s prices don’t look quite so hot.

Verizon Fios Home Internet has a more streamlined approach to plans and pricing. Prices are guaranteed for two to four years, depending on the plan, and you never have to sign a pesky contract or pay hidden fees.

All Verizon Fios plans include free wireless router equipment rental. The only fee you may incur is a $99 setup charge, which is waived when you order online. Verizon will even throw in a free gift card just for signing up.

All said and done, we’re very impressed with the simplicity of Verizon Fios’ terms and pricing, though we would have liked to see a more affordable option in the mix for low-budget users.

We think that Verizon’s lack of contracts and straightforward pricing structure may be worth the extra cost for some. Afterall, Verizon Fios’ plans only cost $5 to $10 more per month than Xfinity (when you include equipment rental fees) and come with some additional benefits.

When we peek under the hood, it’s no surprise that Verizon can provide a faster and more reliable internet experience.

A critical difference between Comcast Xfinity Internet and Verizon Fios Home Internet lies in their physical infrastructures. Verizon uses a network of fiber-optic lines capable of delivering information more efficiently than the cable television lines used by Xfinity Internet.

Of the two companies, only Verizon is able to offer virtually symmetrical download and upload speeds. Upload speeds are talked about less frequently than download speeds, but they’re important to anyone who plans on uploading large files, streaming content, or playing certain types of online games.

Internet service providers like to talk a big game, but they don’t always deliver the speeds that they advertise. We know because we tested and compared the largest internet providers to find out who actually offers the fastest speeds. Luckily, both Verizon Fios and Xfinity scored well in our comparison.

Both companies offer three middle-tier plans with download speeds from 300 to 1,000Mbps. We expect that most households will be happy with one of these plans, including casual gamers and work-from-home professionals.

If you’re not sure how much speed is enough to cover your bases, check out this handy internet speed guide.

We were impressed that Xfinity offers an extra tier on the low and high ends of the spectrum. The Connect More plan (200Mbps) might suffice for casual internet users who want to stream video, check email, and keep up their winning streak in Wordle. Meanwhile, the Gigabit Extra plan (1,200Mbps) might appeal most to families with heavy downloaders or many simultaneous connections.

At the end of the day, we’d recommend going with Verizon Fios if speed and reliability is a priority, especially when it comes to upload speeds.

The plus side to Xfinity using its pre-existing cable TV network to provide high-speed internet is that it already exists in a staggering number of cities and rural areas across the country. In fact, Xfinity has connections in at least 40 U.S. states from Maine to California.

Meanwhile, Verizon has had less time to expand its newer fiber-optic network, which currently has a much smaller geographical reach. This service is available primarily in metro and suburban areas of the Mid-Atlantic United States.

The choice between Xfinity and Verizon Fios might be a tough one if you live in the eight or so Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states where both services are offered. But ultimately, there’s a much better chance that Xfinity is available where you live.

All of Verizon’s plans come with unlimited data, plain and simple. You can’t beat that.

Xfinity’s plans come with a standard data cap of 1.2TB which, though generous, is still a limitation. It means that if you want to use more than 1.2TB per billing cycle, you’ll need to either pay a fee or upgrade to a premium data plan.

While many users will never reach the cap (you could stream over 300 hours of HD television on Netflix before you’d burn through 1.2TB of data), it’s nice to know that you won’t be charged an extra premium for using the services you already pay for. That’s why our vote goes to Verizon in this category.

Over the years, Verizon Fios Home Internet has enjoyed a reputation for relatively smooth customer service while Xfinity’s has been much maligned. However, the most recent data shows that the gap might be closing.

Based on the latest industry—wide customer satisfaction surveys, users prefer Verizon’s customer service experience only slightly over Xfinity’s. On a scale of 1 to 5, the companies received a 3.7 and a 3.9 respectively.

These ratings are based on criteria including how often customers need to contact customer support and how easy it is to get help when they do. If you ever find yourself in this position, remember these customer service tips before reaching out to your ISP.

We don’t doubt that Verizon still offers better customer service than Xfinity.  But we’ll give some credit to Xfinity for upping its game.

When it comes to an overall winner, we think that most people will be happier with Verizon Fios Home Internet. Fios’ internet speeds are impressive and its pricing is more transparent than Xfinity. There are no contracts or data caps and the customer service receives good ratings.

Xfinity might still appeal to anyone looking for fast download speeds, especially budget-conscious users looking to save a few bucks in the short term.

• Price: Xfinity. There are ways to ensure that your monthly bill is cheaper with Xfinity, especially if you purchase your own equipment and cancel your plan before the promotional pricing ends.
• Internet speed: Verizon Fios. While download speeds are evenly matched, Verizon’s fiber-optic network is more reliable overall and capable of much faster upload speeds.
• Data caps: Verizon Fios. Verizon has no data caps while Xfinity charges users for using more than 1.2TB per billing cycle.
• Customer service: Verizon Fios. Verizon Fios scores better in customer satisfaction for customer service, though Xfinity seems to be improving.

We spend a lot of time collecting, comparing, and synthesizing information so that you don’t have to. Our sources include first party publications, surveys, internal research, and user testimonials. Information regarding plans, pricing, performance, and availability are taken directly from the companies themselves whenever possible. Next, we reference third party sources and individuals. Ultimately, we hope to make our extensive research accessible to you in a clear, concise, accurate, and (occasionally) fun manner.

Our hope is that you will use this article to better understand what type of internet user you are and whether Verizon Fios Home Internet or Xfinity Internet will be the best fit for your unique needs. If you have any questions or feedback about this article, please don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know!