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In this article, we compare Comcast and Verizon with a thorough breakdown of the internet services you can get from these two providers so that evaluating which company will be the best fit for your home internet is much easier.

Let’s dive right in!

Comcast vs. Verizon: A Side-by-Side Comparison

What is Comcast?

Comcast is one of the world’s largest telecommunications and mass media companies and the largest internet service provider in the U.S. It has over 30 million active subscribers to its cable internet services which are available as a selection of service plans. 

Its internet brand, Xfinity, is accessible and its widespread coverage means that it is the default choice for many households. As with many large companies, service quality and customer satisfaction levels are variable and prices can vary significantly between different parts of the U.S.

Comcast has been at the forefront of telecommunications and broadcasting for over 60 years. It has grown from the small cable company, American Cable Systems, to a multinational telecommunication company second only to AT&T. This Philadephia-based company has delivered its cable internet services under the brand name Xfinity for the last 12 years. 

Alongside Xfinity Internet, Comcast has numerous subsidiaries that include the NBCUniversal network, Universal Studios, Sky Television, Bravo, and the Peacock video streaming service. Comcast Xfinity services include: 

Comcast Xfinity 

Xfinity has been the subsidiary brand for Comcast’s cable internet service since 2010. It has a customer base of just over 31 million with coverage that spans over 40 states. Alongside its long-standing cable service, Xfinity increasingly delivers fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) for faster network speeds. 

A plan is offered that includes cable TV, internet, and landline services. Its internet-only packages are available with cable and fiber optic connectivity for the highest speeds. Like many other internet companies, Xfinity provides its Internet Essentials subsidized internet to qualifying low-income families. They were directed to set up this program as part of the conditions of a merger they undertook in 2011.

Comcast Internet Plans and Prices

Xfinity has numerous price plans that vary in price across the country. The east coast prices are usually between $10 and $30 higher than the rest of the country for equivalent price plants.

Most plans are contract-free, but there are one and two-year contracts for the Pro packages. Comcast also applies a 1.2 Terabyte data cap to its plans, but it’s unlikely that regular household use will exhaust this. If you do go over the price cap, Comcast will charge you $10 per additional 500 Mb you use.

Below are the main Xfinity home internet plans (northeast region):

Performance Starter

  • Upload speed: 10 MbpsDownload speed: 75 MbpsPrice: $65 per month

Performance 

  • Upload speed: 10 MbpsDownload speed: 200 Mbps Price: $84 per month

Performance Pro

  • Upload speed: 10 MbpsDownload speed: 400 MbpsPrice: $30 per month promotional price, then $92 after contract renewalContract: 1 year

Blast!

  • Upload speed: 20 MbpsDownload speed: 800 MbpsPrice: $60 per month promotional price, then $97 after contract renewal

Extreme Pro

  • Upload speed: 20 MbpsDownload speed: 1 Gbps Price: $70 per month promotional price, then $102 after contract renewal

Gigabit Plus

  • Upload speed: 35 MbpsDownload speed: 1.2 Gbps Price: $80 per month promotional price, then $107 after contract renewal

Gigabit Pro

  • Upload speed: 6 Gbps Download speed: 6 Gbps Price: $300 per month promotional price, then $300 after contract renewalContract: 2 years

Xfinity will also require a $100 installation fee and an optional $14 per month charge for hiring mobile and Wi-Fi equipment. You can skip this charge by buying your own Comcast-compatible router. Xfinity Internet also charges a $24.99 late installation fee and a $10 late payment fee. 

Comcast Xfinity Internet Speeds

With Xfinity, you can choose from plans that range from 75 Mbps to 6 Gbps. Upload and download speeds are largely asymmetrical. The slower upload speeds do not usually affect regular domestic internet use but may become a problem if you rely on upload-heavy technologies like VoIP, virtualization, or teleconferencing.

Comcast Provided Equipment

In return for a $14 hire fee, Comcast provides its customers with high-quality wireless networking equipment that provides coverage across your home along with a decent number of ports for getting your network just the way you like it. The xFi range of gateways, mesh Wi-Fi solutions, and range extenders include:

  • xFi advanced gateway (XB8) with Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5 Gbps max xFi advanced gateway (XB7) with Wi-Fi 5 xFi advanced gateway (XB6) with Wi-Fi 5xFi fiber gateway with Wi-Fi 5Xfinity gateway with Wi-Fi 5 xFi wireless gateway with Wi-Fi 5

Verizon launched its wireless home internet solution way back in 2018, and since then, demand has soared. The positive response has led to Verizon expanding the service to over 900 cities, upgrading connectivity to 5G where available. 

Verizon is America’s largest wireless carrier with over 120 million users. The company, Verizon Communications, Inc. emerged after the break-up of Bell into seven companies in the 1980s. Verizon was originally known as Bell Atlantic with a heavy commercial presence on the east coast which has continued to the present day. 

Bell Atlantic’s acquisition of the national telecommunications company, GTE, in 2000, enabled the company to have national coverage. It was at this stage that its name changed to Verizon. It is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.

Verizon has over 70% 4G/LTE coverage and 12% 5G coverage nationwide. Most Americans should be able to access Verizon services that include: 

Verizon’s 5G home internet is revolutionary because it delivers broadband internet without wires, cable, or fiber. Rather than using conventional fixed broadband technologies, Verizon has leveraged its extensive cellular infrastructure for the fast efficient data exchange you expect from your home internet service. 

Verizon’s 5G home internet uses a special cellular router as a gateway for exchanging data on the Verizon mobile network. To connect to Verizon’s mobile internet services the router requires an inserted SIM card so that it can be authenticated by Verizon and use the networks in accordance with the specified data plan. The system works just like using your cellphone as a hotspot. Your household devices can then connect via the Wi-Fi signal that the router broadcasts throughout your home. 

Below are the plans:

  • Upload speed: 10 MbpsDownload speed: 85-300 MbpsPrice: $50 per month (Verizon Unlimited mobile customers pay $25)

  • Upload speed: 50 Mbps Download speed: 300-1000 Mbps  Price: $70 per month (Verizon Unlimited mobile customers pay $35)

Verizon delivers 5G connectivity with 4G/LTE as a backup or alternative in areas that do not have 5G coverage. This means that, though you aren’t going to get the multigigabit speeds of fiber, you can still enjoy respectable speeds of up to 1 Gbps. 

The only thing you have to be prepared for is some variability in speeds. This is because 5G is not a mature technology and there isn’t always the density of cell towers necessary to provide headline speeds. However, 300 Mbps is very respectable and outcompetes several of Comcast’s plans. 

The Verizon Internet Gateway is a home router that is capable of partnering with the fast speeds that the Verizon network can deliver. It is equipped with a powerful Qualcomm antenna to provide the coverage you need.

For optimal reception, the router needs to be located near a window. Where available, the Internet Gateway will use 5G connectivity. Otherwise, it can also use the 4G/LTE network to maintain your service with slightly lower speeds.

What’s the Difference Between Comcast and Verizon?

Verizon’s wireless approach is a cord-cutter’s dream. The cellular network has the infrastructure and bandwidth to meet the demands of home internet connectivity, without the tethering and contracts that come with fixed broadband. 

A wireless home internet service may be the ideal solution if you live in a remote or rural area. Though 5G connectivity is centered on urban areas, you can still benefit from Verizon’s 4G/LTE connectivity for home internet if you have coverage. If you want to hit the road, you know that it will be easy to set up your home internet wherever you go. 

Right now, Comcast has the edge on coverage with cable internet available in 40 states versus 900 cities. But, Verizon is accelerating its 5G rollout and coverage should extend across the U.S. accordingly. 

Similarities and Differences

Similarities

Differences

The fees are much more simple and, at most, you’ll be paying $70, and if you’re a Verizon cellphone customer, your bills may be halved. There are no equipment hire charges, contracts, or data caps. However, speeds and coverage are a weakness, primarily because of the limited 5G coverage Verizon has right now. 

Verizon vs. Comcast: 6 Must-Know Facts

  • 5G internet requires cell smaller and more densely distributed cell towers because the higher frequencies it uses travel shorter distances. This makes it harder to achieve optimal coverage in rural areas. You can buy a cellular router and use a SIM card with a data plan to have any 4G/LTE cellular network for home internet.Comcast is gradually transitioning its network to fiber. It currently operates a hybrid fiber-coax network with a fiber backbone in many areas. Comcast Xfinity customers can connect to hotspots across the U.S. for free. Verizon’s Fios cable home internet has some of the highest customer satisfaction scores in its sector.

Final Thoughts

Comcast is a tried and trusted home internet provider, but times have changed, and in a society where over a third of households rent, people are beginning to think differently about fixed broadband that comes with contracts and high installation costs. Verizon is cleverly zoning in on an emerging market that requires the speed and bandwidth of a fixed internet connection but desires the flexibility and mobility that comes with a cellular connection.