Xfinity TV Service Review
Plan | Price | TV channel count | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Extra | $49.99 | 140+ | View Plans |
Preferred Plus | $59.99 | 220+ | View Plans |
Digital Starter | $70.99 | 140+ | View Plans |
Digital Preferred | $89.49 | 220+ | View Plans |
Price | TV channel count | Details |
$49.99 | 140+ | View Plans |
$59.99 | 220+ | View Plans |
$70.99 | 140+ | View Plans |
$89.49 | 220+ | View Plans |
Xfinity is a name most of us have heard. It’s widely-known, reliable, and is an overall great cable TV provider. But is it worth the total amount at checkout?
At first glance, the monthly pricing doesn’t seem too hard to swallow … but wait until you see the fees list.
But this TV provider is #1 because it has a decent dollar to channel ratio and it’s the most widely available cable TV provider in the US.
Without further adieu, let’s dive into the details of Xfinity’s contract, channels, and awesome DVR.
Pros
- Xfinity is the most widely available cable TV provider in the US.
- We like the 1-year contract pricing.
- The X1 DVR has a decent storage space.
Cons
- Xfinity has too many fees.
- You'll want the Preferred package if you're a big sports fan.
How much does Xfinity cost?
Xfinity is about average in terms of pricing and number of channels
We’ll start off by clearing the pricing situation up: the first two packages (Extra and Preferred Plus) require you to sign a 1-year contract, while Digital Starter and Preferred don’t require the contract.
Now, in comparison to Spectrum and Cox, Xfinity is a little more expensive when it comes to the basic package, but you get the most out of your money with Xfinity.
Xfinity’s Extra package gives you more than 140 channels while other competitors don’t offer that high of a channel count in its entry-level package.
Unless you live in one of the four states Optimum is offered, you won’t find another reliable cable TV provider that offers 220 channels for less than $100.
Xfinity is a trusted company that gives you all of the popular channels, so why not commit for one year (or more)?
Plan | Price | TV channel count | Details |
Extra | $49.99* | 140+ | View Plans |
Preferred Plus | $59.99* | 220+ | View Plans |
Digital Starter | $70.99† | 140+ | View Plans |
Digital Preferred | $89.49† | 220+ | View Plans |
Xfinity also offers international packages and add-ons! (You’ll find these options at checkout).
It’s 2021. It’s about time a TV provider offered international packages or add-ons for the following languages:
- Arabic
- Brazilian
- Chinese
- Filipino
- French
- German
- Greek
- Israeli
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Portuguese
- Russian
- South Asia
- Spanish
- Vietnamese
Does Xfinity have a contract?
Xfinity has a contract, but it’s more beneficial than you might think.
If you sign a 1-year agreement, you’ll save $20-$30 monthly during your first year. We think that’s a pretty big deal.
Although you save money the first year, normal pricing will be applied to your bill for year two and onward. We’ll give you an idea of how much you’ll need to budget for next year.
Plan | Monthly price (year one) | Monthly price (after year one) |
Extra | $49.99/mo. | $70.00/mo. |
Preferred Plus | $59.99/mo. | $88.50/mo. |
Digital Starter | $70.99/mo. | $75.49/mo. |
Digital Preferred | $89.49/mo. | $93.99/mo. |
Date effective 12/10/2020.
Does Xfinity have fees?
Ok, this is by far the biggest list of fees we’ve seen from a TV provider (sheesh, Xfinity).
And if you’re the average cable TV watcher, you’re likely to need to pay all of these fees in the table below.
You’ll need a TV box ($5/month), an additional TV box for the TV room downstairs ($10/month), HD channels ($10/month), DVR storage ($15/month), news channels ($15/month), and sports channels ($9/month).
So … expect to pay an additional $65 per month. WHAT?
This could be a deal-breaker because other TV providers don’t have outrageous fees like this. DISH’s service includes 125 HD hours of DVR storage, and there isn’t a broadcasting or regional sports fee.
But hey, Xfinity gives you a free self-install kit and shipping. For some services, the installation fee can be up to $100, so we guess there’s that bonus.
Fee | Monthly price |
First TV box | $5.00/mo. |
Additional TV box | $9.95/mo. |
HD technology fee | $10.00/mo. |
DVR fee | $14.95/mo. |
Broadcast fee | Up to $14.95/mo. |
Regional sports fee | Up to $8.75/mo. |
Date effective 12/10/2020.
Which Xfinity bundle is the best?
Xfinity has some fancy names for their bundles
- Choice TV Select Double Play for $39.99/mo.
- X1 Saver Pro+ Double Play for $79.99/mo.
- X1 Preferred Pro+ Double Play for $104.99/mo.
Choice TV Select Double Play is perfect for money savers or small families
Xfinity actually offers a Limited Basic package with 10+ channels when you choose to bundle. But as you can see in our best cable basic packages list, this channel lineup actually includes close to 90 channels.
So why not take advantage of that along with 100 Mbps download speeds for $40 per month? And keep in mind, that pricing is with the 1-year contract. But no biggie.
X1 Saver Pro+ Double Play is average with its channel count and download speeds
This bundle includes the Digital Starter package with more than 140 channels and download speeds of up to 200 Mbps.
With the contract, this bundle is $30 more with internet in the mix. And who doesn’t need the internet? Might as well bundle and pay one bill for zero hassle.
X1 Preferred Pro+ Double Play will give you the most channels and high download speeds
For $15 more than the Digital Preferred package by itself, you can get more than 220 channels on your TV, 600 Mbps download speeds, and SHOWTIME.
You’ll want 600 Mbps download speeds if you have a big family who is likely to use the internet on their laptops or cell phones all at once. Or it’s beneficial for vloggers when they don’t want to spend hours uploading and downloading videos.
Which channels does Xfinity have?
The Extra package has most of your popular channels, and the Preferred package has channels that make the upgrade sweeter
Xfinity has all of the popular channels most people crave for. And let’s be honest, we like a good variety. Xfinity has got your back.
We must alert you that when you upgrade from the Starter package to Preferred, you’ll no longer have the Hallmark Channel or Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel (gasp! We know!).
So we recommend you check out the channel lineups, but we’ll give you a little sneak peek here. Oh, and scroll down a little for the best section: the sports channels.
Xfinity’s Extra and Digital Starter packages include the following channels:
- ABC
- Animal Planet
- BBC America
- CBS
- CNN
- Cartoon Network
- CNBC
- Disney Channel
- Food Network
- Fox News
- FX
- Hallmark Channel
- HISTORY
- HGTV
- NBC
- FOX
- Lifetime
- Telemundo
- PBS
- Univision
Xfinity’s Preferred Plus and Digital Preferred packages include the following channels:
- Cooking Channel
- Disney Jr.
- Disney XD
- DIY Network
- FX Movie Channel
- Game Show Network
- Hallmark Drama
- Newsy
- Nick Jr.
- Nicktoons
- Paramount Pictures
- Starz Encore
- Sundance TV
- Universo
Does Xfinity have premium channels and add-ons?
Xfinity has all of your premium channels. We like that convenience.
You won’t have to miss out on your Westworld, Power, Shameless, Warrior, or any other one-worded shows.
Channel | Add-on monthly price* |
HBO Max | $15.00/mo. |
SHOWTIME | $12.00/mo. |
STARZ | $8.99/mo. |
CINEMAX | $12.00/mo. |
EPIX | $5.99/mo. |
The Movie Channel | $12.00/mo. |
Sports Tier | $9.99/mo. |
*Data effective 12/10/2020.
Which Xfinity package is best for sports?
Plain and simple: if you’re an avid sports fan … you’re going to need the Preffer Plus or Digital Preferred package.
You’re going to get all of your major sports channels with a total of 20 sports channels. That’s what we like to see.
The Extra and Digital Starter package is a little disappointing from a sports fan point of view. But again, if you just want the popular channels, you may only want ESPN and FOX Sports.
Xfinity’s Extra and Digital Starter packages include the following sports channels:
- ESPN, ESPN2
- FS1
- Stadium
- NBC Sports Network
- PAC-12 Network
- Tennis Channel
- Golf Channel
Xfinity Preferred Plus and Digital Preferred packages include the following sports channels:
- CBS Sports Network
- ESPN, ESPN2
- ESPNews
- ESPNU
- FS1, FS2
- Stadium
- MLB Network
- NBA TV
- NBC Sports Network
- NFL Network
- NHL Network
- Olympic Channel
- Outdoor Channel
- PAC-12 Network
- SEC Network
- Tennis Channel
- Golf Channel
- Sportsman Channel
Does Xfinity have on-demand content?
Xfinity has a streaming option, and you’ll just have to get Xfinity internet to use it.
As an Xfinity internet customer, you can get a free Flex 4K streaming device, voice remote, and a subscription to NBC Peacock.
Xfinity’s TV box will give you access to thousands of movies, the latest episodes of the top 100 shows, and many kids’ programming.
Some of the on-demand movies and TV shows you can watch when you’re winding down for the day are the following:
- 30 Rock
- Parks and Recreation
- House
- Shrek
- Jurassic Park
- Meet the Parents
- Law & Order
- The Handmaid’s Tale
- Stranger Things
- Below Deck
- New Amsterdam
- Chrisley Knows Best
With the Flex 4K streaming device, you’ll also be able to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, HBO, YouTube, EPIX, and CBS All Access.
The X1 DVR has 500 GB of storage
The number of DVR storage hours (and pricing) is a big deal when picking a TV provider
No one is home 24/7, on time and ready to watch their favorite show at 7 p.m. every Monday.
This is where a DVR saves the day.
Xfinity’s X1 DVR lets you record and store 60 HD or 300 SD hours. If you get two X1 DVRs for your home, you can store up to 120 HD or 600 SD hours of recordings, and so on.
And you’ll be able to record six shows at once. So if you go on a family vacation, your daughter can record The Rookie, your spouse can record Mixed-ish, and you can record Saturday Night Live featuring your favorite actor … all at once!
Besides the fact that we also like how you’ll get an included hands-free voice remote, we don’t like the monthly pricing.
You’ll have to pay an extra $15 per month for the DVR service on top of the $5 per month for the TV box and the $10 per month HD technology fee (because you need your HD viewing).
Stop this nonsense right now, Xfinity.
Which devices are compatible with Xfinity?
Not all devices are created equal when it comes to Xfinity’s Stream app because not all have the necessary hardware requirements.
We hope that Xfinity changes this because we know we like to watch anywhere, anytime.
You can schedule and download DVR recordings or watch live TV with the following streaming devices:
- Roku TVs
- Roku Ultra, Roku Express, Roku Premiere
- Roku 2, 3, and 4
- Roku Smart Soundbar
- Samsung smart TVs
- LG smart TVs
Recap: Is Xfinity worth it?
It’s one of the best cable TV providers in the US, but you will have to budget for their silly fees
Plan | Price | TV channel count | Details |
Extra | $49.99* | 140+ | View Plans |
Preferred Plus | $59.99* | 220+ | View Plans |
Digital Starter | $70.99† | 140+ | View Plans |
Digital Preferred | $89.49† | 220+ | View Plans |
Xfinity isn’t for you if you’re looking for the cheapest cable package possible.
But Xfinity is for you if you want a solid channel lineup, a decently priced bundle, and a legit DVR.
Xfinity might have a lot of fees, but at least you won’t be disappointed by Xfinity’s service. This cable TV company is reliable, widely available, and you’ll get most, if not all, of the channels you and your family want.
If Xfinity isn’t available in your area or doesn’t have the channel lineup you need, check out our top cable TV providers for other options. If you’re trying to save as much money as possible, check out the cheapest cable TV providers.
What do you think?
Do you have Xfinity? What’s your experience with it been? Or do you like a different provider better? Drop us a comment below!
-
Terri Oliver
-
http://dev-reviewsorg.pantheon.io/ Trevor Wheelwright
-
Bill Mars
-
Terri Oliver
-
http://dev-reviewsorg.pantheon.io Scott T.
-
Terri Oliver
-
-
-
-
-
Jolie Lorenz
-
Jenn Diffley
-
-
halork
-
http://dev-reviewsorg.pantheon.io Scott T.
-
Bill Mars
-
-
-
Suzanne L. Pisano
-
http://dev-reviewsorg.pantheon.io Scott T.
-
-
Sara
-
http://dev-reviewsorg.pantheon.io/ Trevor Wheelwright
-
Tracey
-
-
-
David
-
http://dev-reviewsorg.pantheon.io Scott T.
-
David
-
Thamar Conley
-
-
-
-
Bill Mars
-
Elli Mathis
-
Ron
-
Jarret Garner
-
Natalia Zhirnova
-
Kara Pacelia
-
Lex
-
Sidified
-
Lee Mesham
-
Kevin A Gurney
-
Jennifer
-
http://8ch.net/ Yue Kuze
-
Hua Jin Yang
-
Customartdesign DK
-
Jennifer M
-
Rodrigo Leiva
-
TVFan411
-
Jeff Younce
-
Truth seeker
-
Clemente Villalobos
-
ANDY G H
-
marla mcintyre
-
unclebarb
-
Angela Morris-Long
-
Stan Nevedomskis
-
Bev Steiner
-
Friday’s_cat
-
cbjr
-
Shc
-
Shc
-
Am Jones
-
Kate Webb
-
Kate Webb
-
-
Allen Leigh
-
twmissmt
-
Kristine Yang
-
sandy scott
-
Stephanie Demmons-O’Brien
-
Mareike
-
Tracie
-
Bijan Davari
-
Andy A