Spectrum is a solid, reliable internet provider, but Optimum is more budget friendly.
Spectrum Internet vs. Optimum Internet: Which Provider Is Better?
Most reliable
Overall Quality ⁃ 3.7/5
4.0/5 - Speed and reliability
3.8/5 - Dollar value
3.2/5 - Customer experience
More budget friendly
Overall Quality ⁃ 2.5/5
3.0/5 - Speed and reliability
3.0/5 - Dollar value
1.5/5 - Customer experience 
8 min readSpectrum is the better of these two options, with its speeds and value being the main reasons why it bests Optimum. Spectrum Internet gives you fast, reasonably priced internet to power your whole household with a cable connection. Though Spectrum’s customer service can be spotty, it frequently offers promotional pricing, including big savings for a year when you bundle a phone plan with your internet plan. It might be more expensive than a 5G home internet plan, but Spectrum’s cable internet connection is much more reliable.
Optimum Internet customers can expect a budget-friendly pricing model with fast internet speeds, but costs typically jump after a year—and you also have to pay additional fees for things like installation and service visits. Optimum doesn’t require a long-term contract, and the lack of a data cap makes it a great value for many consumers. But some customers have bemoaned Optimum’s speeds and lackluster customer service.
“They’re very affordable, and if I’m having an issue, they’re very good about troubleshooting.” — Spectrum Internet customer Sakia Anwar
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Spectrum vs. Optimum: plans, pricing, and speed
| Provider | | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per month |
$24.99-$79.99
|
$40-$280
|
| Download speeds | 50-1000 Mbps* | 300-8000 Mbps |
| Upload speeds | 4-35 Mbps | 20-8000 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.
Spectrum’s download speeds can reach speeds up to 1,000Mbps. Spectrum doesn’t come with data caps or annual contracts, but your monthly bill will likely go up after your first 12 months and some fees pop up for self-installation AND a monthly fee to use your router for Wi-Fi.
Optimum is a cable internet provider that offers prices starting at $40 a month for its entry level cable internet plan of 300Mbps—a healthy amount of speed for a typical household. If you’re able to get its fiber internet service, you can get download speeds of up to 8,000Mbps. Like with Spectrum, Optimum will likely raise your monthly price after a year of service on top of a handful of fees for different services.
“They get the job done. It’s not bad.” — Optimum Internet customer Geoffrey Turbeville
Spectrum vs. Optimum: 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 Spectrum and Optimum customers to get their first-hand 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 Spectrum vs. Optimum
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 Spectrum review and Optimum review.
Speed and reliability
Spectrum: 4.0/5.0 | Optimum: 3.0/5.0
Optimum’s fiber connection may seem crazy fast on paper, but it’s hard to overlook how few of its customers have fiber and the fact that speed tests have shown it performs below what it advertises. Customers also told Reviews.org about issues with slow speeds and frequent outages. Spectrum has respectable speeds in its basic package, and its higher-end deal can reach up to 1,000Mbps—which is more bandwidth than most people know what to do with. Spectrum’s reliability is what gives it the edge, despite the huge download speeds Optimum boasts.
Spectrum’s basic package of 300Mbps is a great place to start for any small household with a standard internet demand—though Reviews.org’s speed test results show the average Spectrum download speed is around 140Mbps. That’s a lot slower than what you can get from fiber internet providers, but it’s still solid for a cable provider. If you need a faster option, go with Spectrum’s 1,000Mbps option.
Optimum’s entry-level cable package also starts at 300Mbps, with cable packages available up to 940Mbps. Optimum does have fiber options, too, starting at 300Mbps and ranging all the way up to 8,000Mbps—a huge leg up on Spectrum’s highest end package. However, only a small number of Optimum customers actually have fiber, according to a May 2024 shareholder report, meaning those speeds aren’t possible for standard cable customers.
If you can get Optimum’s fiber option, take it. If you’re comparing the two for a cable connection—and odds are that’s the case—stick with Spectrum.
Dollar value
Spectrum: 3.8/5.0 | Optimum: 3.0/5.0
Spectrum gives you a better dollar value overall between these two providers. While Optimum’s fiber option boasts faster internet speeds than its competitor, the Spectrum plans are more reliable and more cost effective too, even after the first year when your price will likely go up.
Spectrum prices start at $50 a month, and you can expect that monthly cost to jump by $20 after your first year. Spectrum also tacks on additional fees here and there, including a $30 fee for a self-installation kit and a monthly $5 fee for your modem to use the Wi-Fi.
Optimum also offers new customer prices, and like Spectrum, those prices only last for 12 months. After that your monthly bill could jump up by $10 to $30. That might be worth it for a fiber plan, but it might not for cable internet customers. But Optimum does offer great bundle deals if you combine your internet and phone plans, and customers have told Reviews.org they’ve successfully negotiated with Optimum to keep promo prices going for another year.
Customer experience
Spectrum: 3.2/5.0 | Optimum: 1.5/5.0
The clear winner here is Spectrum — its solid customer service reviews put it above Optimum, which has a streak of negatives in recent surveys.
In customer satisfaction surveys, Spectrum is pretty middle-of-the-road. A 2023 survey from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) put Spectrum just below the average mark for customer satisfaction. HighSpeedInternet.com’s 2023 customer satisfaction survey had Spectrum squarely in the middle of all providers.
For Optimum, the reviews are a bit more negative. It ranked last among internet service providers in that same ACSI survey, and the HighSpeedInternet.com survey also put Optimum toward the bottom. It doesn’t help that it costs Optimum customers an $80 fee to have someone come to your home for a visit.
Overall quality: Which internet provider should you pick?
Spectrum: 3.7/5.0 | Optimum: 2.5/5.0 (average of previous scores)
Spectrum is the better internet option for most customers. While both will tack on fees and will likely increase your monthly prices after a year, Spectrum’s speeds offer a better deal for what you get in a cable connection, and its superior customer service is an added plus.
If you have its fiber internet, Optimum is a good option, but again, only a fraction of its customers have that option. Its spotty customer service track record is less than ideal, and there’s a hefty fee if you need a professional to come and fix an issue in person. Optimum’s internet and phone bundle is a good way to stretch your dollar further, if you choose it as your internet provider.
Spectrum vs. Optimum: what deals and promotions can you get?
New Spectrum customers can get a $100 Visa Rewards Card after signing up for an internet plan of 300Mbps or faster. New customers can also sign up for the Spectrum One deal — which includes one free year of its Advanced Wi-Fi router (which normally costs $7 a month) and one unlimited mobile line for free.
Optimum customers can get a $50-$200 prepaid Mastercard and a $60 bill credit after signing up online for any plan with speeds of 500Mbps or faster. New customers can also get a professional installation for free if they sign up online — a savings of $100.
Get a $100 Visa card when you sign up with Spectrum Internet
Sign up for a plan of 300Mbps or faster and get a free Visa card
New Optimum customers can get free installation and a $60 bill credit
Sign up online for a plan of 500Mbps or faster for these deals
Spectrum add-ons and perks
Sign up for Autopay
Sign up for a Spectrum One plan
Sign up for autopay in your plan
Optimum add-ons and perks
Sign up for 1,000Mbps internet plan
Transfer four numbers on any Unlimited line and get up to $100 per line on a Prepaid Mastercard
Sign up for a 500Mbps or faster plan and bundle with a mobile plan
Sign up for a 300Mbps plan and bundle with a mobile plan
Spectrum vs. Optimum: What do customers think?
Customers say Spectrum is often the only option—but it’s still solid
Sean Huntley, a documentary producer who lives in Glendale, California, said Spectrum was the only option in his area. He likened his internet provider to another type of utility.
“Spectrum was the only service provider that offered anything faster than 100Mbps download,” Huntley said in Review.org’s latest assessment of Spectrum. “What, are you going to go to a different water company? It’s a water company.”
Still, most customers say they get fast speeds and (mostly) reliable service. On Los Angeles resident Conrad Burnham said his customer service experience has been positive. He said if there is an outage in his area, Spectrum is able to fix it swiftly. “They seem to respond quickly and take care of problems pretty fast,” Burnham said.
Sakia Anwar, a Spectrum customer in New York CIty, also appreciates the speeds and reliability of Spectrum, and she doesn’t mind the price either. She’s had some odd experiences with customer service, though. She told Reviews.org in our Spectrum review that when she called tech support about an outage, a customer service agent repeatedly tried to sell her a cable TV plan instead of helping her get her internet back up.
“I told him three or four times, ‘No, I am not interested,’ and he just would not stop,” Anwar said. “I think he was reading off a script or something. He was like, ‘Oh, okay, thank you for your feedback,’ and he would keep going on.”
“They seem to respond quickly and take care of problems pretty fast.” — Conrad Burnham, Spectrum customer
Optimum customers aren’t excited about spotty speeds
Speaking with Reviews.org, some customers say they’re frustrated with Optimum’s frequent price jumps, especially if it’s the only provider in their area. Luther Shoultz, a resident of Freehold, New Jersey, thinks having multiple options around keeps companies like Optimum honest. “If there were multiple providers available, companies could really start on really making sure customers are happy instead of making promises they can’t keep,” Shoultz says in Review.org’s review of Optimum.
But Josh Michael, an Optimum customer in Brooklyn, New York, said he was able to negotiate his monthly price down after another internet service provider moved into the area. “Once Verizon Fios came to my street, it changed things … Now I’m getting a good deal. Before I thought it was expensive,” Michael tells Reviews.org.
Optimum offers credits on your bill for any outage that’s longer than four hours, but outages can still be annoying. Shoultz tells Reviews.org that he and his wife work from home, and she’s experienced spotty connectivity at inopportune moments. “She’s on [Zoom] calls and they’re getting dropped while she’s talking,” Shoultz says.
Courtney Joan is an Optimum customer in Beacon, New York. She thinks she is getting a fair deal for her internet service, but it’s frustrating when the internet drops out while she’s working from home. “It’s a good value, but you get what you pay for,” Joan says. “I don’t like the speed and the irregularity of it. There are certain times Wi-Fi just drops out.”
“It’s a good value, but you get what you pay for.” - Optimum customer Courtney Joan
Find the best provider that’s right for you? Here’s where you can sign up.
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