AT&T vs. Optimum: Which Internet Provider Is Best for You?
Both have insanely fast fiber, but AT&T wins with great ratings and straight pricing
Apr 30, 2025 | Share 
Provider Comparisons (Versus)
-
Best customer ratings
- Customer rating: 3.9/5.0
- Price: $55.00–$250.00/mo.*
- Speed: 75–5,000 Mbps
- Internet type: Fiber, DSL, fixed wireless
- Data cap: Varies
- Contract: No contract
-
Best introductory rates
- Customer rating: 3.3/5.0
- Price: $40.00–$280.00/mo.†
- Speed: 300–8,000 Mbps
- Internet type: Cable, fiber
- Data cap: No cap
- Contract: No contract
See disclaimers.
Compare AT&T and Optimum head to head
AT&T and Optimum look fairly similar on paper—both offer multigig fiber packages and no-contract plans. But AT&T takes the lead thanks to its excellent customer satisfaction ratings and straightforward pricing, while Optimum suffers because of its price increases, confusing bundles, and low rankings in our customer satisfaction survey.
Pros and cons: AT&T vs. Optimum
Pros:
- Simple pricing with no hidden price hikes
- Free Wi-Fi equipment rental
Cons:
- Limited 5G availability
- 5G deprioritized relative to mobile traffic
Pros:
- Low introductory prices
- Free Wi-Fi equipment rental
Cons:
- Below-average customer satisfaction ratings
- Limited availability
Want to know if AT&T or Optimum are in your area?
Take a look by typing in your zip code below.
Plans and pricing: AT&T vs. Optimum
AT&T is best known for its fiber plans—which are extremely fast and affordable—but it also has 5G and 4G LTE fixed wireless plans that are better for rural customers. Optimum’s cable and fiber plans deliver speeds similar to AT&T’s fiber plans. Introductory prices are lower than AT&T’s, but match AT&T in year two. By year three, Optimum raises prices another $15 per month, making AT&T the better deal.
AT&T plans and pricing
| Package | Price | Speed | Connection type | Order online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet 100 | $60.00/mo.† | 100Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 300 | $55.00/mo.* | 300Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 500 | $65.00/mo.* | 500Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 1 Gig | $80.00/mo.† | 1,000Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 2 Gig | $150.00/mo.† | 2,000Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 5 Gig | $250.00/mo.† | 5,000Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet Air | $60.00/mo.‡ | 75–225Mbps | Fixed Wireless/5G | View Plan |
Data as of 10/23/24.
Read disclaimers.
AT&T and Optimum are pretty much neck and neck when it comes to top speeds—both providers boast fiber plans reaching all the way up to 5,000 Mbps, while Optimum also offers one 8,000Mbps plan. Optimum initially looks like the better pick because its prices are lower. But you get a better deal from AT&T in the long run because you don’t have to worry about annual price hikes of $15 per month.
You can also get a 5G internet plan from AT&T. Dubbed Internet Air, this service is similar to T-Mobile and Verizon’s 5G home internet packages, giving you solid speeds for a decent price, with no extra cost for installation or equipment. AT&T launched the service as a replacement for its DSL plan, which the provider is slowly phasing out. Compared to DSL, you’re a lot better off with the robust performance of this 5G-based fixed wireless service.
Pro tip:
It’s really impressive to see 8,000 Mbps speeds, but do you need internet that fast? Not likely. Use our “How Much Internet Speed Do I Need?” tool for an accurate assessment of what works best for your household.
Optimum plans and pricing
| Package | Starting price | Speed | Connection type | Order online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 Mbps Internet | $40.00/mo.* | Up to 300Mbps | Cable | View Plan |
| 500 Mbps Internet | $60.00/mo.* | Up to 500Mbps | Cable | View Plan |
| 1 Gig Internet | $70.00/mo.† | Up to 940Mbps | Cable | View Plan |
| 300 Mbps Fiber Internet | $40.00/mo.* | Up to 300Mbps | Fiber | View Plan |
| 500 Mbps Fiber Internet | $60.00/mo.* | Up to 500Mbps | Fiber | View Plan |
| 1 Gig Fiber Internet | $70.00/mo.† | Up to 940Mbps | Fiber | View Plan |
| 2 Gig Fiber Internet | $120.00/mo.* | Up to 2,000Mbps | Fiber | View Plan |
| 5 Gig Fiber Internet | $180.00/mo.* | Up to 5,000Mbps | Fiber | View Plan |
| 8 Gig Fiber Internet | $280.00/mo.* | Up to 8,000Mbps | Fiber | View Plan |
See disclaimers.
Optimum has been ramping up its speeds and lowering prices to compete with AT&T and Verizon Fios. So its plans have similar speeds to AT&T’s fiber packages, and its introductory prices blow AT&T out of the water.
Pro tip:
Download our speed test app to see what kind of bandwidth you have on your current internet connection. It could be time for an upgrade!
Pro tip:
Take our speed test to see what kind of bandwidth you have on your current internet connection. It could be time for an upgrade!
Deals and promotions: AT&T vs. Optimum
- Get six months of internet for free when you sign up for both AT&T Fiber and a wireless plan and buy a smartphone on installment, until June 30
- Get a reward card up to $150 when you sign up for AT&T Fiber and an eligible wireless plan by June 30
- Try for an extra $50 reward card with the code FLASH50 on certain internet plans through June 20
- Get a gift card worth up to $500 and a price lock of up to five years with certain triple play bundles until June 29
- Get a free iPhone 16 with certain mobile and internet bundles June 29
- Perks and promotions vary based on which plan you choose and where you live, so look for options during checkout
Extra fees: AT&T vs. Optimum
| Equipment Fee | Installation Fee | Other Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Customers get unlimited data with AT&T fiber, but the fixed wireless and DSL plans with speeds below 100 Mbps have data caps. AT&T charges you $10 for every 50 GB of data you use when you exceed your data cap. Other than that, the extra fees on AT&T and Optimum’s plans are all fairly standard.
Customer ratings: AT&T vs. Optimum
| Overall | Speed | Price | Reliability | Customer service | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 3.9/5 | 3.9/5 | 3.7/5 | 3.8/5 | 3.8/5 |
|
| 3.3/5 | 3.6/5 | 2.9/5 | 3.4/5 | 3.3/5 |
* Rating based on a five-point system used in our annual customer satisfaction survey
Clearly, folks are happy with what they get from AT&T—the provider has some of the highest ratings overall in our annual customer satisfaction survey. Its highest rating is in speed, which isn’t surprising given that you can find AT&T fiber plans with speeds of up to 5Gbps. AT&T rates fourth in overall satisfaction and stays in the top five for all other categories.
Optimum is a different story. It sits at rock bottom among the 15 national internet providers in our survey for customer service and price, and ties with Earthlink in last place for overall satisfaction. However, Optimum’s few fiber customers tend to give better scores than its cable ones.
Best mobile and internet bundles
| Package | Internet speed | Starting price | Monthly phone data | Order online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum 500 Mbps Internet Fiber + Unlimited Mobile | Up to 500Mbps | $65.00/mo.‡ | Unlimited | View Plan |
| Optimum 1 Gig Internet + Unlimited Mobile | Up to 940Mbps | $75.00/mo.† | Unlimited | View Plan |
| Optimum 1 Gig Fiber Internet + Unlimited Mobile | Up to 940Mbps | $75.00/mo.† | Unlimited | View Plan |
| Optimum 2 Gig Fiber Internet + Unlimited Mobile | Up to 2,000Mbps | $95.00/mo.‡ | Unlimited | View Plan |
| Optimum 5 Gig Fiber Internet + Unlimited Mobile | Up to 5,000Mbps | $125.00/mo.‡ | Unlimited | View Plan |
| AT&T Unlimited Extra + AT&T Fiber Internet 300 | Up to 300Mbps | $105.99/mo. | 50GB (after which speeds can be slowed) |
*w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill plus taxes & fees. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. iPhone 16 (128 GB) available with trade-in via 36-mo. bill credits. Terms apply.
†w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill plus taxes & fees. Wired connection up to 940 Mbps. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. iPhone 16 (128 GB) available with trade-in via 36-mo. bill credits. Terms apply.
‡w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill plus taxes & fees. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. iPhone 16 (128 GB) available with trade-in via 36-mo. bill credits. Terms apply.
A lot of internet providers have offered generous discounts to customers who combine a Wi-Fi plan with a cellular plan from the same provider, and Optimum and AT&T both offer solid deals. Optimum gives you a $10 discount when you combine one of its internet packages with an Optimum Mobile plan. AT&T meanwhile offers a 25% monthly discount for pairing internet with a qualifying mobile plan.
Optimum gets you the cheaper bargain—as you can see in the table above, its bundle ends up costing you less per month than if you got something similar from AT&T. However, AT&T’s bundle gets you better phone service, since you’re a primary customer on AT&T’s cellular network rather than hopping on through Optimum’s off-brand, Verizon-rented “MVNO” setup. You also get a lot more premium data per month from AT&T, which is another plus.
Internet types: AT&T vs. Optimum
| Internet type | Order online | |
|---|---|---|
| | Fiber, DSL, fixed wireless | |
|
| Fiber, cable | View Plans |
Fiber is the fastest type of internet you can get—it’s the only internet connection that gets you symmetrical upload and download speeds, so your uploads are fast enough to handle regular Zooming, livestreams, large uploads, and whatever else you throw at it. Cable internet isn’t quite as powerful, but it’s still fast and reliable and works great for most people.
DSL is no longer available to new customers, but you may be able to get a fixed wireless called AT&T Air. You can get download speeds up to 300Mbps, at reasonable prices. But the service is available only if there’s excess wireless internet capacity in the area, and speeds are deprioritized relative to mobile traffic.
Data caps: AT&T vs. Optimum
| Data Cap | Order online | |
|---|---|---|
| | None | |
|
| None | View Plans |
There are no data caps to worry about with either AT&T or Optimum. Feel free to use all the data you need.
Pro tip:
Want unlimited data? Take a look at our data caps guide to see which providers give you unlimited data and which have monthly caps.
Contracts: AT&T vs. Optimum
| Contract length | Order online | |
|---|---|---|
| | No contract | |
|
| No contract | View Plans |
Neither AT&T nor Optimum have annual contracts on their plans. You can cancel your internet any time without paying early termination fees. That means you have more flexibility to do things like subscribe for just a few months (say, if you’re living in a sublet for a few months).
Installation: AT&T vs. Optimum
| Installation options | Order online | |
|---|---|---|
| | ||
|
| View Plans |
*With online orders
AT&T and Optimum both charge $99 for professional installation, but the cost is waived when you order online. With AT&T, you can also opt for a self-install kit that doesn’t cost anything.
In some cases, you may need to pay more for Optimum’s “premium installation.” This is required if you live in a home that needs wiring or other amenities that you can’t set up yourself, like an optical network terminal or wiring from your home to a node on the street.
Availability: AT&T vs. Optimum
AT&T is available in 22 states nationwide, including California, Texas, and parts of the Midwest and South. Optimum is available in 25 states, including large parts of the South, West, and East Coast. Use our zip code tool below to see what plans and prices you can get from either of these providers in your area.
Ready to make the switch?
Enter your zip code below to see if AT&T or Optimum are in your area!
Final call: AT&T vs. Optimum
AT&T and Optimum are evenly matched on speed, since both offer fiber plans that can hit up to 5,000 Mbps. Both providers also offer no-contract plans and unlimited data (at least for speeds of 100 Mbps and up in AT&T’s case).
Optimum has an edge on AT&T when it comes to introductory rates, but massive price hikes kick in after a year. You don’t have to worry about that with AT&T, making it a better bet long-term. AT&T also has solid options for rural users that you can’t get from Optimum.
Methodology
Our HighSpeedInternet.com editorial team bases our analyses on customer input from our annual customer satisfaction survey, results from our speed test tool, and proprietary internet provider data on speeds and pricing. To strengthen our research, we look closely at provider contracts to get hard-to-find information on price hikes, data caps, and extra fees, and we keep tabs on the latest news reports and online reviews. When applicable, we also rely on our personal experiences testing these services.
Disclaimers
AT&T vs Optimum
* Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. One time install charge may apply. Ltd. avail/areas. Call or go to www.fiber.att.com to see if you qualify. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds may vary. For more info, go to www.att.com/speed101.
Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. Ltd. availability/areas. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds may vary. For more info, go to www.att.com/speed101.
$60/mo after $5 discount when enrolled in Autopay. Paperless billing req’d. Not available in NY. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. . Service subj. to Internet Terms of Service at att.com/internet-terms. Offers may be modified, or discontinued, at any time without notice. Other conditions may apply to all offers. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds may vary. For more info, go to www.att.com/speed101.
†Optimum disclaimers
- w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Terms apply.
- w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection up to 940 Mbps. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Terms apply.
AT&T plans and pricing
* Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. One time install charge may apply. Ltd. avail/areas. Call or go to www.fiber.att.com to see if you qualify. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds may vary. For more info, go to www.att.com/speed101.
† Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. Ltd. availability/areas. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds may vary. For more info, go to www.att.com/speed101.
‡ $60/mo after $5 discount when enrolled in Autopay. Paperless billing req’d. Not available in NY. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. . Service subj. to Internet Terms of Service at att.com/internet-terms. Offers may be modified, or discontinued, at any time without notice. Other conditions may apply to all offers. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds may vary. For more info, go to www.att.com/speed101.
Optimum plans and pricing
*w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Terms apply.
† w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection up to 940 Mbps. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Terms apply.
Author - Peter Holslin
Peter Holslin has more than a decade of experience working as a writer and freelance journalist. He graduated with a BA in liberal arts and journalism from New York City’s The New School University in 2008 and went on to contribute to publications like Rolling Stone, VICE, BuzzFeed, and countless others. At HighSpeedInternet.com, he focuses on covering 5G, nerding out about frequency bands and virtual RAN, and producing reviews on emerging services like 5G home internet. He also writes about internet providers and packages, hotspots, VPNs, and Wi-Fi troubleshooting.
Editor - Aaron Gates
Related Posts
