While Kinetic offers fiber plans with no contracts and no data caps, Cox offers big cable speeds, excellent bundle deals, and even prepaid and low-income packages.
Cox Internet vs. Kinetic
8 min readCox Internet offers reliable internet service—both fiber and cable—that most customers rate positively. It features good download speeds, discounted mobile service when you bundle it with the internet, and freshly-rotating discounts. Cox Internet includes the following benefits:
- Cable speeds up to 2,000Mbps
- No equipment fees for the first 14 months
- Free self-installation
- Unlimited data option
- Mobile, TV, and home phone bundle options
- No contracts
- Prepaid internet package
Kinetic Internet, formerly known as Windstream, offers fiber plans across the Midwest and East Coast to 18 states. While it does offer DSL, we always recommend you go with its fiber options if they're available to you. With Kinetic, you get:
- Fiber speeds up to 2,000Mbps
- No annual contract
- No data caps or overage fees
- Prepaid cards and other sign-up bonuses
- $20/mo. savings when you bundle with an AT&T Wireless plan
“Overall, I'd say the service is pretty good and dependable.” —Cox customer M. J. Stevens
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Kinetic vs. Cox: Plans, pricing, and deals
Kinetic Internet plans and prices
Provider | Plan | Price | Download speed | Details |
 Kinetic Internet | Kinetic Internet 100Mbps (avail. in select areas) |
$24.99/mo. for 12 mos.
| Up to 100 Mbps | View Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinetic Internet | Kinetic Internet 300 Mbps |
$39.99/mo. for 12 mos.
| Up to 300 Mbps | View Plans |
| Kinetic Internet | Kinetic Internet 300 Mbps - Tier 2 |
$39.99/mo. w/ autopay for 12 mos.
| Up to 300 Mbps Mbps | View Plans |
| Kinetic Internet | Kinetic Internet 1 Gig Tier 2 |
$49.99/mo. w/ autopay for 12 mos.
| Up to 1000 Mbps Mbps | View Plans |
| Kinetic Internet | Kinetic Internet 1 Gig |
$69.99/mo. for 24 mos.
| Up to 1000 Mbps | View Plans |
| Kinetic Internet | Kinetic Internet 2 Gig |
$99.99/mo. for 24 mos.
| Up to 2000 Mbps | View Plans |
| Kinetic Internet | Kinetic Internet Max 2 Gig |
$99.99/mo. w/ autopay for 48 mos.
| Up to 2000 Mbps | View Plans |
| Kinetic Internet | Kinetic Internet Max 2 Gig - Tier 2 |
$99.99/mo. w/ autopay for 48 mos.
| Up to 2000 Mbps | View Plans |
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 |
Kinetic's fiber plans are reasonably quick. The slowest plan offers download speeds of 100Mbps, but it's not available in all areas, making the 300Mbps plan the slowest option for most customers. Plans range up from there—technically, Kinetic offers plans up to 8,000Mbps, but that’s barely available, and effectively, its plans range up to 2,000Mbps. That’s still very fast, and with symmetrical download and upload speeds, most will find that Kinetic is easily fast enough for their needs. In addition to fast, symmetrical speeds, Kinetic’s fiber plans come with two pricing tiers to choose from.
Cox’s internet plans get pretty quick, too, though. Its slowest plan offers 300Mbps download speeds, which isn’t blazingly fast like Kinetic or Cox’s bigger plans. But its plans also reach up to 2,000Mbps, subject to availability. Given the fact that Cox often relies on cable infrastructure, its upload speeds are much slower than Kinetic’s. If you do manage to get onto a Cox fiber plan, you won't get symmetrical download and upload speeds. Plus, Cox’s plans are more expensive than Kinetic’s. However, you could qualify for Cox's low-income internet options that start as low as $9.95 per month.
“I am very happy with Kinetic so far,” gushed one fiber customer who spoke to us over Reddit. “The speeds are better than advertised.”
Kinetic vs. Cox: fees for modem and installation
Kinetic add-ons and perks
Free for three months, then $14.99 per month
When you add a mobile phone plan from AT&T
Pay a minimum of $84.99/mo. to get 190 channels and thousands of on-demand titles
Cox add-ons and perks
How to get it: Sign up for unlimited data for $49.99/mo.
Bundle Cox Mobile and Cox Internet to get unlimited data for free.
Available with every package, though some for only 24 months.
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 Kinetic and Cox 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 Kinetic vs. Cox
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 Kinetic review and Cox review.
Speed and reliability
Kinetic
2.5/5.0
Cox
3.8/5.0
Kinetic and Cox offer similarly fast speeds. When it comes to plans that are widely available, they both offer up to 2,000Mbps, but only Kinetic offers symmetrical download and upload speeds. Many of Cox’s plans are either fully cable or hybrid cable-fiber connections. Kinetic's slowest fiber plan is 300Mbps, and it also has symmetrical download and upload speeds; however, Cox’s slower plans are cable-based and have much slower upload speeds.
So why does Cox get a better score here if its plans can be much slower? We took Kinetic as a whole for our numerical ratings, which includes Kinetic's slower DSL plans—which we are not considering in this comparison. That really brings down its score. In fact, Kinetic probably offers better speed and reliability than Cox, considering that Cox imposes a data cap of 1.25TB on all of its plans unless you pay $49.99 per month for no data caps. While it’s unlikely you have access to fiber plans from both Kinetic and Cox, if you do, Kinetic's lack of data cap makes it more compelling when it comes to speed and reliability. Of course, Kinetic’s fiber plans are also faster and more reliable than Cox’s cable plans.
Dollar value
Kinetic
3.3/5.0
Cox
3.3/5.0
DSL plans also bring down Kinetic’s score when it comes to dollar value—and when you compare Kinetic plans to Cox, you’ll find that they’re actually cheaper. Kinetic’s 300Mbps plan comes at $39.99, while Cox’s cheapest plan, the 300Mbps plan, costs $50 per month. The fastest Cox plan, with speeds of 2,000Mbps, costs $150 per month, which is $10 more than the $99.99 2000Mbps Kinetic plan.
Both internet providers charge extra fees, though. They both charge you for modem/router rental ($10.99 for Kinetic and $10 for Cox), and they both charge for professional installation—with Cox’s fee at an expensive $100.
They also both raise rates after a promotional period ends. Kinetic customers can expect to pay more after one or two years, depending on their plan—though the exact amount depends on the service area. Cox also raises its rates, and it’ll charge you if you go over the 1.25TB data cap – at a hefty $10 per 50GB. Most won’t get close to those data caps, but if you use a lot of data, it’s still worth keeping data overages in mind.
A way to bypass these overage fees is to bundle Cox Mobile and Internet to access free unlimited data (normally $50/mo on top of your internet plan price). For more ways to bypass a big internet bill, read our guide on how to lower your Cox internet bill.
Customer experience
Kinetic
3.8/5.0
Cox
4.0/5.0
Neither Kinetic nor Cox offers a stellar customer experience, but overall, Cox’s customer experience is better. We spoke to a number of customers from both Kinetic and Cox, including companies from both companies that find customer service to be lacking. HighSpeedInternet.com’s 2023 customer satisfaction survey indicates Cox scores higher than Kinetic in customer satisfaction. However the ACSI ranked Kinetic as scoring higher.
Kinetic once again gets a lower score because of its subpar DSL connection, and actually, when it comes to Kinetic's fiber plans, customer satisfaction seems higher than Cox. Still, overall, Cox seems to do better when it comes to customer satisfaction.
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.
Kinetic
3.2/5.0
Cox
3.7/5.0
The provider that’s better for you has more to do with the type of service that’s available in your area. Ultimately, go for whichever offers fiber plans in your region.
While Kinetic has lower prices and lack of data cap, Cox fiber plans offer blazingly fast speeds, some notable discounts, and are better than many cable plans out there. It's possible that you have access to a Cox cable plan and no fiber plans, and in that case, most should find Cox to be perfectly fine.
Kinetic and Cox both have a lot to offer, especially when it comes to their fiber offerings. That said, Cox is the better option for most customers, and those who have access to Cox fiber should go for it over Kinetic. That’s especially true for those who have Cox’s full fiber-to-home connection, though things get a little more complicated for Cox’s partial “fiber-powered” service.
That’s not to say that Kinetic should be ignored though—and in fact, if Kinetic offers fiber in your area and Cox doesn’t, you should go for Kinetic instead.
Kinetic vs. Cox: What do customers think?
Kinetic customers give points for fast speeds and reliable tech support
Kinetic fiber customers express generally positive feelings about their internet service, noting that they’ve found their connectivity to be fast and reliable.
Peter, an IT administrator in Sugar Land, Texas, noted not having to talk to customer service all that much. “I haven't talked to Kinetic customer service in the last 12 months. That says a lot about the quality of their data line,” he says.
Other Kinetic customers were even positive about the installation experience. One customer we spoke to on Reddit says: “My Kinetic install tech was great.” According to the customer, when they pushed back about unnecessary equipment, the technician did some quick research and agreed that the equipment wasn’t needed—instead of insisting he was right.
Most of the customers we spoke to that have had negative experiences with Kinetic had these experiences as customers of its DSL service—not the fiber service we discuss in this piece. “They lie about their service, their speeds, their price,” says one DSL customer, Mikayla, a small business owner in Bent, New Mexico. “We were told in 2016 we would have fiber within the year. We still don't have it today and later found out that Kinetic never had any plans to bring fiber to our neighborhood.”
“Overall, still much better than Xfinity.” —Peter, a Kinetic customer in Sugar Land, Texas
Some Cox customers don’t like the prices
We spoke to Cox customers around the country, and found that they had generally positive experiences with Cox. This is somewhat surprising given the fact that Cox largely relies on cable connections rather than fiber-to-the-home connections.
Isaac Chandler is an e-sports lounge manager in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who notes that he doesn’t love Cox service. Chandler thinks the price of his service is too high, and notes that he’s experienced outages relatively frequently. Despite these issues, he still seems largely positive about the service.
"It's pretty easy to set up and doesn’t require any weird cabling,” he says. He’s also had positive experiences with customer service reps: “They solve my problems pretty quickly.”
Other customers also note that Cox is a little expensive. Longtime Cox customer M.J. Stevens finds that it doesn’t offer great value for money. "But I still do it because I get everything I need with a minimum of fuss and bother," he explains.
“It's pretty easy to set up and doesn't require any weird cabling.” —Isaac Chandler, Cox customer in Tulsa, Oklahoma
FAQ about Cox vs. Kinetic Internet
Is Kinetic a good internet provider?
Yes. If you want the potential for faster and symmetrical speeds that come with fiber internet, Kinetic is a great option. Kinetic Internet plans don't require contracts, don't charge overage fees, and won't charge you a fee if you own your modem. Even its DSL service may be a great option if you're in a rural area.
What's the cheapest Cox Internet plan?
Cox's cheapest plan is called Fast at $50 per month for up to 300Mbps. It also offers some low-income Cox internet plans starting at $9.95 per month for up to 100Mbps.
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