Cox and Spectrum both offer good speeds at reasonable prices, but Spectrum’s flexibility makes it a winner.
Cox Internet vs. Spectrum Internet: Which One Is Worth Your Money?
Fast speeds with limits
Overall Quality ⁃ 3.6/5
3.8/5 - Speed and reliability
3.3/5 - Dollar value
3.8/5 - Customer experience
Affordable and reliable
Overall Quality ⁃ 3.7/5
4.0/5 - Speed and reliability
3.8/5 - Dollar value
3.2/5 - Customer experience 
8 min readCox and Spectrum both offer solid speeds and reasonable prices for cable internet. But Spectrum ultimately wins the matchup because it has unlimited data and better dollar value. Cox has more speed options and faster average speeds, but Spectrum’s 300–1,000Mbps range covers most households’ needs.
It’s rare to find providers like Cox and Spectrum in the same area. One might be the only high-speed broadband option in your area, which is often the case with Spectrum.
Though we have a slight preference for Spectrum, Cox is still a reputable choice. It offers speeds ranging from 100Mbps to 2Gbps, and it’s working on building up a fiber network. Some customers can already take advantage of symmetrical speeds and multi-gigabit capabilities, which put Cox a step above Spectrum’s limited “hybrid fiber coaxial” network.
“Spectrum was the only service provider that offered anything faster than 100Mbps download.” —Sean Huntley, a Spectrum customer in Glendale, California
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Want to know if Cox Internet or Spectrum Internet are available where you live? Run a search with your zip code below to find out.
Cox Internet vs. Spectrum Internet: Plans, pricing, and speed
| Provider |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per month |
$9.95-$150
|
$24.99-$79.99
|
| Download speeds | 100-2000 Mbps | 50-1000 Mbps* |
| Upload speeds | 5-100 Mbps | 4-35 Mbps |
| Details | View Plans | View Plans |
Data as of 04/05/2023. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
*
Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter.
Cox plans range from $50 a month for 100Mbps up to $150 a month for 2Gbps. As with many cable internet providers, this is a discounted, promotional price for the first 24 months. Afterwards, you can expect price increases to regular rates. There are also data caps on all plans, with a monthly cap of 1,280GB of data (1.25TB) and a $10 overage fee per 50GB when you exceed your cap. Finally, some Cox plans have annual contracts with cancellation fees, while others are contract-free.
Spectrum plans are even more straightforward and far less restrictive.
- $50/mo. for 300Mbps
- $70/mo. for 500Mbps
- $80/mo. for 1Gbps
There are no data caps or contracts, but speed tiers can vary slightly depending on region. Some customers may also be able to get speeds faster than 1Gbps if they’re in one of the select areas that offer fiber-to-the-home connections. After the promotional rate expires, you get a guaranteed $20 price increase after a year of service, there’s also a $5 monthly fee for Wi-Fi, but you can cancel it out with the AutoPay discount.
“Cox hasn't failed to provide me what I pay for.” —Peter Drennan-Hart
Cox Internet vs. Spectrum Internet: Fees for modem and installation
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 Cox Internet and Spectrum Internet 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 Cox Internet vs. Spectrum Internet
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 Cox Internet review and Spectrum Internet review.
Speed and reliability
Cox Internet: 3.8/5.0 | Spectrum Internet: 4.0/5.0
Cox isn’t the fastest provider, that title belongs to fiber services, but in the world of cable internet, it does pretty well with an average download speed of 160.347Mbps according to Review.org’s speed test last year. This puts it above Spectrum, AT&T, and Frontier. However, speeds aren’t symmetrical, so upload speeds are 26.442Mbps, which is good for cable, but not for fiber.
According to customers, speeds can also vary widely, and reliability can be a mixed bag, with some mentioning frequent outages. Lastly, there are data caps on every plan, at 1,280GB monthly. That’s a fair amount of data for most people and the average household, but heavy users who do a lot of large downloads and high-resolution streaming may hit limits.
Spectrum offers decent speeds, but it comes second to Cox. Speed test results show the average customer getting 140Mbps, with speed tiers ranging from 300Mbps to 1Gbps. Naturally, this is slower than fiber providers, but also slower than cable competitors like Cox, Optimum, and Xfinity. Still, Spectrum will provide better speeds than DSL, but don’t expect it to be symmetrical, which may be a problem or upload-heavy tasks.
Dollar value
Cox Internet: 3.3/5.0 | Spectrum Internet: 3.8/5.0
Spectrum provides better bang for the buck than Cox despite a guaranteed $20 price hike on all plans after the discounted promotional rate expires. There’s no annual contract or cancellation fee, nor any data caps, making Spectrum much less restrictive than Cox. There are some fees to be mindful of, including $30 for self-install and $5 monthly for using Wi-Fi, but you can avoid that with your own modem or cancel it out with the $5 AutoPay discount. Certain plans also may come with a $100 Visa Rewards Card, and a free Unlimited Mobile cellular line.
Cox doesn’t offer great value. You can get faster speeds at lower prices with Spectrum or Xfinity. Cox’s $50-$150 promotional pricing expires after 24 months. On top of that, you may incur overage fees that can run you an extra $10 for every 50GB, up to a maximum of $100 If you want unlimited data, that costs an extra $49.99 a month. There’s also a router rental fee.
However, it’s possible to get some discounts if you bundle services. Combining Cox Internet with Cox Mobile can reduce your internet service costs by $15 a month. You can also bundle service with Cox TV, a landline phone, or home security system, but the savings can vary. One Cox customer told us that he only saves $5 a month compared with ordering the services separately.
Customer experience
Cox Internet: 3.8/5.0 | Spectrum Internet: 3.2/5.0
Customer satisfaction on Cox tops Spectrum, though neither company stands out as exceptional. Cox gets average scores compared with other providers, scoring two points below average in a 2023 American Customer Satisfaction Index survey. Many customers Reviews.org spoke with were dissatisfied, with some mentioning frequent outages, but that Cox isn’t proactive about informing them about issues. That said, connecting to a real human was easy when we tried it, but often wait times can be lengthy and the chat service isn’t useful.
Spectrum is similarly average, ranking in the middle for overall satisfaction, price, and customer service in HighSpeedInternet.com’s 2023 customer satisfaction survey. It also gets a few points below average in the 2022-2023 ACSI Telecommunications Study. Customer reviews are a mixed bag, with some customers reporting positive results and few outages, but others complaining about pushy customer service agents and unreliable support on the My Spectrum app.
Overall quality: Which internet provider should you pick?
Cox Internet: 3.58/5.0 | Spectrum Internet: 3.7/5.0
Spectrum wins this matchup due to its straightforward plan options, solid speeds, and reliable cable connectivity. It has limited fiber availability, so speeds aren’t symmetrical, but outages are infrequent, and regular deals can help balance some of the fees and price hikes. Not to mention that there are no data caps.
Cox has its upsides, with faster average speeds than Spectrum, but it doesn’t offer great dollar value compared with Spectrum, costs too much for unlimited data, and has high overage fees. Customer service also needs quite a bit of improvement.
Cox Internet vs. Spectrum Internet: What deals and promotions can you get?
Cox offers few deals or promotions to new customers. Our preferred offer is one that lets you save $15 a month by bundling a Cox Internet plan with Cox Mobile, the prepaid phone brand.
Spectrum customers have some better options. They can get a $100 Visa Rewards Card with a plan that’s 300Mbps or faster, and it comes with a 90-day Peacock Premium trial. You can also get an unlimited free phone line with Spectrum Mobile by signing up for a qualifying Spectrum Internet plan.
$14.99 off with Cox Mobile service
When you sign up for Cox Mobile service, you can get $14.99 off the Go Fast, Go Faster, Go Even Faster, and Go Super Fast internet plans.
Free unlimited Spectrum Mobile phone line for 1 year
Sign up for a qualifying Spectrum Internet plan to get a free unlimited mobile phone line for 12 months. After the first year, the price is $29.99/mo.
Cox Internet add-ons and perks
Get unlimited data for an extra $49.99/mo.
Spectrum Internet add-ons and perks
Sign up for a qualifying internet plan
Sign up for a 300Mbps or faster plan
Sign up for AutoPay
Cox Internet vs. Spectrum Internet: What do customers think?
Solid speeds with data caps, but few like the support
Cox customers have fairly mixed opinions on the cable internet provider, verging on negative. Review.org spoke with a number of Cox customers, and while some are satisfied with the service overall, others complain about value and customer service support.
Isaac Chandler, a Cox customer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, says he’s experienced frequent outages and slowdowns, and he doesn’t find the service reliable, especially with the inflated price for what he’s getting. Despite that, he did like the easy setup and had positive experiences with customer service reps.
M.J. Stevens, a longtime customer we spoke with also echoed that Cox service is too expensive for the value it provides, “But I still do it because I get everything I need with a minimum of fuss and bother,” he said.
Customer support doesn’t get much praise, and it is the biggest area of complaint for several customers. Paul, a systems administrator in Tulsa, complained about the messy repair work performed by Cox technicians, who left his neighborhood a mess. Another Tulsa-based customer said she had got hung up on by a customer service agent who accused her of being abusive after she tried to find out if her unlimited data plan was being throttled.
“They didn't actually replace the cable so much as [string] new cable, and they left the old cable lines just dangling off poles onto the ground where they dropped." —Paul
Spectrum is a necessity for many, but customer service is a mixed bag
Spectrum customers don’t necessarily love their cable internet service more than Cox, but they often find it necessary in their area. Sean Huntley, a Spectrum customer in Glendale, California, compares it to the way utility companies operate monopolies in communities. “What are you going to do? Go to a different water company? It’s a water company,” he says. Spectrum is the only service provider in his area that offers anything faster than 100Mbps download, so he’s thankful for the rare outages and quick setup.
Conrad Burnham, a Spectrum user in Los Angeles, echoes that opinion. He says Spectrum responded quickly to an outage in his area. However, other customers have had less positive experiences. One New York-based customer, Sakai Anwar, found herself being upsold by a Spectrum agent when she was trying to resolve a service outage.“I told him three or four times, ‘No, I am not interested,’ and he just would not stop,” she said.
Another customer in St. Cloud experienced daily outages in the summer of 2023 which took hours to fix each time, resulting in missed work calls and long wait times. She’s now considering a switch to Starlink, a satellite provider.
"Spectrum is competent—and compulsory.” —Sean Huntley
Want Spectrum Internet? Find it in your area
Spectrum offers solid speeds and generally reliable connectivity without data caps. If you’re looking for a good cable internet provider, run a search with our zip code tool to see if it’s available in your area.
Find out if you can get Spectrum Internet in your neighborhood.
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