Xfinity's High-Speed Gig Internet: Is It Really Worth The Hype?

If you're looking for high-speed internet, this cable giant is known for offering a variety of plan selections, including its gig and multi-gig services. Comcast's Xfinity is one of the country's largest cable internet providers. Over 34% of households in the US have access to this cable giant, per the latest data from the Federal Communications Commission. If you're a resident of cities such as Atlanta, Denver or San Francisco, chances are your address is serviceable for Xfinity internet. In addition to Xfinity's wide array of plan options, new customers can also take advantage of its latest five-year price guarantee. Like many home internet users, I see Xfinity internet commercials promoting its speeds, particularly gigabit speeds, on a near-daily basis.

The commercials are a bit sensational, claiming "unbeatable internet, made to do anything, so you can do anything" on "hundreds of devices." I'm here to tell you if the service truly lives up to the hype.

Xfinity offers a fiber-optic service, featuring maximum speeds of 10,000Mbps but even on the standard single-gig and it's other cable tiers, Xfinity leads the way with download speeds up to 1,200Mbps compared to the 940 or 1,000Mbps available from other gig providers.

There are pros and cons to Xfinity's gig plans that could certainly prompt you to check out other, cheaper internet plans from Xfinity or another provider altogether. To better understand if Xfinity's gig or multi-gig service is right for your household, read on for more details.

What is gigabit internet?

Simply put, gigabit internet, from Xfinity or any other ISP, is an internet service that advertises max download speeds at or around 1 gigabit per second, equal to 1,100 megabits per second. Xfinity raises the gig bar a bit by also offering a 1,300Mbps plan, but it isn't a runaway victory for the cable ISP. 

Cable internet doesn't boast the same upload speed potential as a fiber-optic connection. While you won't see symmetrical speeds for any of Xfinity's cable offerings, the recent boost in speeds would offer customers upload speeds of 300Mbps for the Xfinity Gigabit plan. On the other hand, Xfinity's fiber service will offer you much faster internet with symmetrical speeds of 10Gbps. That said, you won't get the symmetrical or near-symmetrical upload/download speeds with Xfinity's gig plan versus those of a fiber internet service. Additionally, gig service from Xfinity is pricier than some, and its 10Gbps plan is just too expensive.

Xfinity's high-speed gig internet plans one year term (West division)

Xfinity's high-speed gig internet plans five year term (West division)

Plan pricing may vary by region, the prices you see above are for the West region. Xfinity began offering customers the option to sign up for its five-year price guarantee for all cable plans. Switching to the five-year price lock would mean that you would have slightly higher introductory rates, but these plans offer solid value in the long run. For instance, you won't have to deal with Xfinity's price hikes, which can add to your monthly bill after a year. In addition, your equipment is included for the first year ($15 afterward), and unlimited data is available for all plans, saving you from paying data overage fees if you reach your monthly data cap. Gig service with Xfinity comes at around $50 to $60 per month with the regular one-year price lock and $65 to $75 for the five-year -- factoring in a $10 discount for enrolling in autopay.

There's no promotional pricing on the Gigabit Pro plan, so you'll be paying $300 per month for service right off the bat, plus up to $500 in installation fees and a higher, unavoidable equipment fee of $20 per month. Gigabit Pro also comes with a two-year contract, so be sure you're prepared to commit to that high monthly price before signing up.

In the West region, the Gigabit x2 plan offers a similar rate to the Gigabit plan and may be a better value long term because of its faster speed tier.

Consider Xfinity's data caps and speeds

Before signing up, consider these factors to better understand if a gigabit service from Xfinity is worth it.

Data caps

Customers who opted for the five-year price gurantee won't have to worry about data caps. However, if you signed up for the regular one-year term, you can expect a monthly data cap. It's worth noting that Xfinity's pricing and service terms will vary by market. But most Xfinity customers can expect a monthly data cap of 1.2TB with the Gigabit and multi-gigabit plans and lower speed tiers. However, if you live in the Northeast region you won't likely deal with any data restrictions.

Either way, 1.2TB is generally a lot of data. The average home uses only half of that, approximately 698GB, according to OpenVault, so you likely won't have anything to worry about. Don't completely overlook your data use each month, though, as going over will add $10 per 50GB block you go over, with a max fee of $100 per month.

The average household might not meet and exceed that 1.2TB limit, but burning through data is much easier to do with gigabit speeds. All that speed and bandwidth make it tempting to stream in HD or 4K on multiple TVs -- that's where the bulk of most people's data usage comes from -- and add an arsenal of data-consuming smart home devices to your network. 

Suppose you'd rather avoid watching your data usage and potentially paying added fees. In that case, you can enroll in unlimited data for an additional $30 per month or sign up for the Gigabit Pro plan, but that'll come with a hefty price tag.

Gigabit Pro, priced at $300 a month, comes with unlimited data, so you can download huge video game files and stream in 4K to your heart's content without worrying about how much data you're consuming. Get your money's worth out of that 10,000Mbps connection. 

Speeds

I love fast internet but I'll be the first to admit that 10,000Mbps is overkill for the average home. According to OpenVault's fourth quarter 2024 report, the average US household uses downstream speeds of 569Mbps and 32Mbps upstream. Your household may not even need the fastest speeds, 500Mbps should be enough.

If I were back in college with three roommates who all had their own smart TVs, computers and smart devices (and who split the bills equally with me), I'd probably consider the Gigabit Pro plan for its speed and unlimited data. Otherwise, I'll pass. Depending on the price of the Gigabit x2 plan, I'd likely pass on 2,100Mbps as well.

On the other hand, standard gigabit service has become much more practical. As the number of connected devices in the home has risen in recent years -- the average American household now has approximately 25 connected devices -- along with more data-demanding activities such as 4K streaming, faster speeds have become increasingly necessary. The more devices you connect, the slower your average speeds to each device will be, especially when connecting over Wi-Fi. A gigabit connection ensures you have plenty of speed to go around. 

That said, it's understandable if you deem speeds of 1,100 to1,300Mbps faster than your home needs. Xfinity is known for having a variety of plan options, including slower and cheaper 75,100, 400 and 600Mbps speed tiers, so don't feel like you're tied to gig service if you decide to make Xfinity your home internet service provider.

How does Xfinity's gig service compare?

I've mentioned that Xfinity's gig plan is faster (considering download speeds) than some ISPs, but there's more to compare than just max download speeds. How does Xfinity's gig service compare to other ISPs?

Xfinity's gig plan starting rate is cheaper than what you'll find among leading gig providers. However, it's important to note that without the five-year price lock, your price will jump by $10 a month in the second year. In addition, while Xfinity's download speed potential is a bit faster than others, upload speeds are dramatically slower than what you can expect from a fiber connection. Additionally, most gig providers offer unlimited data and waive the equipment fee (if they have one) with gig service.

So although Xfinity's gigabit plan is certainly impressive, you'll want to compare details from other potential providers in your area before signing up. Given the choice of gig service from AT&T Fiber versus Xfinity, for example, I'd likely go with AT&T Fiber even though the max download speeds are slower. It's cheaper when you factor in equipment fees -- and it comes with unlimited data and significantly faster upload speeds.

Is Xfinity's gigabit service worth it?

I can't fault Xfinity for running commercials boasting its fast speeds, but there's more to Xfinity's gigabit and multi-gig services than how fast they are. Xfinity's gig plan is decently priced compared to other providers. Still, the equipment fee and data cap (and potential fees for going over) take away some of the value the plan and its faster max speed offer.

Gigabit Pro is a premium fiber-to-the-home service priced at $300 per month. Its speeds of 10Gbps are much faster than most multi-gig providers and plans (AT&T and Optimum offer a max of 5Gbps and 8Gbps, respectively; Frontier and Verizon Fios currently tap out at 2Gbps). It's also tough to justify spending a third of a thousand dollars monthly (after taxes and fees) for your broadband connection. This doesn't even include the looming price increases after your promo period ends. That said, if you want faster speeds, just be ready for it to come with a hefty price tag.

Xfinity's high-speed gig internet FAQs