AT&T vs Xfinity Mobile: Plans Compared

Considering signing up for a plan from either Xfinity Mobile or AT&T? 

The two carriers offer very different experiences. For one, Xfinity Mobile service is limited to those already signed up for Xfinity Internet service, while AT&T is open to anyone. Beyond that, though, Xfinity Mobile is a far smaller brand that runs on Verizon’s national network. AT&T, meanwhile, operates its own system of 4G and 5G towers. Also, Xfinity Mobile’s plans are pared-back and very affordable, while AT&T’s are more feature-packed and comparatively expensive. 

We’ll dig into all of this and more in this article. By the end, you should have a good sense of whether Xfinity Mobile or AT&T makes more sense for you.

AT&T vs Xfinity Mobile: Cheap Unlimited Plans

AT&T and Xfinity Mobile both offer cheap unlimited plans—but they take very different approaches to getting there.

Xfinity Mobile's idea of cheap is $0/month for the first year, and $30/month thereafter—that's how much the company's entry-level Mobile Select plan costs. AT&T's version of cheap is $50/month—the price of its entry-level Value 2.0 plan.

Beyond price, these two plans diverge on features. Xfinity Mobile's Select plan gives you 50GB/month of premium cellular data before speeds are subject to deprioritization. AT&T's Value 2.0 delivers just 5GB of premium data per month before potential deprioritization slowdowns.

Both plans include a high-speed mobile hotspot data allowance. Xfinity Mobile Select offers 15GB LTE/5G hotspot data per month, while AT&T's Value 2.0 gives you 3GB. Neither is going to replace your home internet, but both should cover the occasional email or document upload when you're away from a WiFi signal.

Bottom line: if you're looking for the lowest possible entry price and don't mind going with a cable-backed MVNO, Xfinity Mobile's Select plan is hard to beat. If you'd rather stay with a major carrier and want a straightforward cheap unlimited option, AT&T's Value 2.0 gets the job done.

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AT&T vs Xfinity Mobile: Mid-Priced Unlimited Plans

Looking for better features from your cell phone plan? These options from Xfinity Mobile and AT&T may fit the bill, since they're designed for those willing to spend a few more dollars in exchange for more high-speed cellular data and mobile hotspot data.

Mid-priced means two very different things for these carriers. Xfinity Mobile's Plus plan costs $15/month for the first 12 months and $45/month thereafter, while AT&T's Extra 2.0 is priced at $70/month regardless of how long you keep it.

On the data front, Xfinity Mobile's Plus plan gives you unlimited premium cellular data—no deprioritization threshold to worry about. AT&T's Extra 2.0 offers 100GB of premium cellular data before potential slowdowns can occur. When it comes to mobile hotspot data, both plans are evenly matched at 50GB per month.

Bottom line: if you want unlimited premium data and a low introductory price, Xfinity Mobile's Plus plan makes a compelling case. If you'd rather have the backing of a major carrier and are comfortable paying a higher flat rate, AT&T's Extra 2.0 is a solid pick—especially for the 100GB of premium data it delivers each month.

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AT&T vs Xfinity Mobile: Premium Unlimited Plans

This section is really a debate within AT&T's own lineup, since Xfinity Mobile doesn't offer a premium-tier plan of its own—only AT&T competes at this level, in the form of its Premium 2.0 and Elite 2.0 plans.

Price is the first fork in the road. AT&T's Premium 2.0 runs $90/month for a single line, while stepping up to Elite 2.0 costs $110/month—a $20 premium for the top tier.

Both plans deliver truly unlimited premium data and unlimited deprioritized data, so neither one will throttle you no matter how much you stream, browse, or game. Where they part ways is mobile hotspot data: Premium 2.0 includes a generous 100GB of LTE/5G hotspot data per month, while Elite 2.0 more than doubles that with 250GB.

Bottom line: if 100GB of hotspot data is plenty for your needs, Premium 2.0 gets you the same unlimited premium data experience for $20 less per month. If you regularly lean on your phone's hotspot as a substitute for home internet, Elite 2.0's 250GB allowance is worth the higher price tag.

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AT&T vs Xfinity Mobile Capped Plans

Unlike Xfinity Mobile, AT&T offers both prepaid and postpaid capped plans with a set amount of data. Those plans do not permit sharing data across multiple lines. 

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AT&T vs Xfinity Mobile Coverage

AT&T’s national 4G LTE and 5G networks cover the majority of the United States with fast, reliable coverage. AT&T’s 4G network coverage is the second-best in the country, behind Verizon, and its 5G coverage is similarly impressive, trailing only T-Mobile in terms of nationwide reach. 

As noted above, Xfinity Mobile runs on Verizon’s national 4G and 5G networks. As a result, where there's Verizon coverage, there's Xfinity Mobile coverage. The only caveat is that during busy times on its network, Verizon gives priority to its own customers ahead of MVNOs like  Xfinity Mobile.

To compare AT&T and Xfinity coverage, enter your address into our AT&T coverage map, and use our Verizon coverage map as a proxy for Xfinity.

AT&T vs Xfinity Mobile: Similarities

• With both AT&T and Xfinity Mobile, you can rely on plans that give you both 4G LTE coverage and 5G coverage. 
• AT&T and Xfinity Mobile include hotspot data with their unlimited data plans - though with caveats, more below.
• Neither AT&T nor Xfinity include taxes and fees in their plans, so be ready to add 10-12 percent to plan prices. 
• Both Xfinity and AT&T offer home Internet plans and other services you can bundle with cell phone plans.
• Both Xfinity Mobile and Xfinity Mobile offer plans with fully unlimited premium data.

AT&T vs Xfinity Mobile: Differences

• Xfinity Mobile is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). Instead of owning cell tower infrastructure, as AT&T does, Xfinity rents infrastructure from Verizon’s network.
• AT&T plans are available to everyone, but only Xfinity Internet customers can get an Xfinity Mobile phone plan.
• AT&T offers multi-line pricing, which means that every subsequent line you add lowers your monthly cost per line. Xfinity Mobile adds new lines at a flat rate.

The Bottom Line

If low upfront cost and generous premium data on Verizon's network appeal to you—and you're already an Xfinity Internet customer—Xfinity Mobile's plans are hard to beat, especially the Plus plan's unlimited premium data. If you'd rather have plan access without a bundling requirement, multi-line discounts, and the option to go all-in on a premium unlimited plan, AT&T is the better fit. Your choice ultimately comes down to whether you value price and simplicity or brand backing and flexibility more.