AT&T vs. EarthLink: Which Internet Provider Is Best for You?
Comparing two of the biggest providers of both fiber and wireless internet
Jun 6, 2026 | Share 
Provider Comparisons (Versus)
Starting price:
$50/mo.*
Speed range:
75–5,000Mbps
Starting price:
$39.95/mo.*
Speed range:
18–5,000Mbps
* Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. See AT&T disclaimers | EarthLink disclaimers.
Compare AT&T and EarthLink head-to-head
AT&T and EarthLink are both internet providers that reach a huge amount of the population. They offer a wide range of plans, including fiber, DSL, and wireless. AT&T’s plans have lower costs than comparable plans from EarthLink, and its high-end plans reach much faster speeds. EarthLink’s biggest strength is customer service, which is the provider’s main focus.
Services at a glance
| Provider | Services |
|---|---|
| | |
|
|
Pros and cons: AT&T vs. EarthLink
Pros
Fast speeds
No contracts
Cons
Limited fiber availability
Pros
Great customer satisfaction
Expansive coverage
Cons
Higher monthly cost
In this comparison:
Plans and pricing | Deals and promotions | Upfront costs | Recurring fees | Final call | FAQ | Methodology
In this comparison:
Plans and pricing: AT&T vs. EarthLink
Both EarthLink and AT&T have large coverage areas and lots of options, many of which depend on your location. Both offer fiber and fixed wireless connections in some areas, but most of their networks are still DSL, though they are in the process of moving away from these older connections.
As a general rule, AT&T’s plans have lower costs than those from EarthLink, and its high-end plans reach much faster speeds. EarthLink’s major focus is on customer service, which is the provider’s biggest strength.
AT&T plans and pricing
| Plan | Price* | Speed | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet 300 | $50.00/mo. | 300Mbps | Fiber |
| Internet 500 | $65.00/mo. | 500Mbps | Fiber |
| Internet 1000 | $80.00/mo. | 1,000Mbps | Fiber |
| Internet 5000 | $125.00/mo. | 5,000Mbps | Fiber |
| Internet Air | $60.00/mo. | 300Mbps | Fixed wireless/5G |
* Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. See AT&T disclaimers.
Our favorite plan: Internet 300
AT&T Internet 300 gives enough speed for everyone in the house, comes in below the cost of most fiber plans, and doesn’t include any price hikes. See our methodology for more information.
AT&T offers mostly fiber-to-the-home internet. Currently, its fastest plan is 5,000Mbps (5Gbps), which you’ll probably never use in its entirety, even if you invite your entire neighborhood over to watch different 4K movies on their laptops all at once. You probably get just as much use out of AT&T’s 1Gbps plan, which is reasonably priced compared to other gigabit plans.
If you can’t get fiber, Internet Air is your next best bet from AT&T—especially if you live in a rural area. It’s a 5G home wireless service with speeds up to 225Mbps, making it faster than satellite and DSL. AT&T still has DSL, but it’s not offered to new customers.
EarthLink plans and pricing
| Plan | Price* | Speed | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Mbps Internet | $64.95/mo. | 18Mbps | DSL |
| 24 Mbps Internet | $64.95/mo. | 24Mbps | DSL |
| 45 Mbps Internet | $64.95/mo. | 45Mbps | DSL |
| 75 Mbps Internet | $64.95/mo. | 75Mbps | DSL |
| Fiber 100 | $39.95/mo. | 100Mbps | Fiber |
| Fiber 300 | $49.95/mo. | 300Mbps | Fiber |
| Fiber 500 | $64.95/mo. | 500Mbps | Fiber |
| Fiber 1 Gig | $74.95/mo. | 1,000Mbps | Fiber |
| Fiber 2 Gig | $119.95/mo. | 2,000Mbps | Fiber |
| Fiber 5 Gig | $189.95/mo. | 5,000Mbps | Fiber |
| 100 GB | $59.95/mo. | Up to 100Mbps | Fixed wireless |
| 150 GB | $84.95/mo. | Up to 100Mbps | Fixed wireless |
| 200 GB | $109.95/mo. | Up to 100Mbps | Fixed wireless |
| 300 GB | $159.95/mo. | Up to 100Mbps | Fixed wireless |
| WFH Unlimited GB | $79.95/mo. | Up to 25Mbps | Fixed wireless |
| Unlimited 5G Home Internet | $59.95/mo. | Up to 425Mbps | 5G Home |
* Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. See EarthLink disclaimers.
Our favorite plan: Fiber 500
This plan offers a reliable fiber connection and enough speed for a full household all at a reasonable cost. See our methodology for more information.
EarthLink offers service in all 50 states. It is able to do this by renting space on other service providers’ networks. Using all these different networks means that connection speeds and reliability vary by location. Fortunately, EarthLink’s focus on customer service makes it easy to get outages and other issues resolved quickly.
EarthLink fiber plans offer the provider’s best value for speed and reliability, plus they go all the way up to 5Gbps speeds, just like AT&T. EarthLink fiber is slightly more expensive than the DSL options, but it offers up to 20 times the speed. EarthLink also stands out from other fiber providers with its lower fiber-optic speeds, which is great if you want fiber reliability without paying.
Deals and promotions: AT&T vs. EarthLink
Get a $200 Reward Card when you choose a new Fiber 1000 plan from AT&T Fiber. Terms apply
Ends 06/30/2026
Upfront costs: AT&T vs. EarthLink
Both AT&T and EarthLink have some potential upfront installation costs that could make switching more difficult, but you also might be able to get around one or both of these costs, depending on availability in your area. It’s worth checking if a cheaper or free installation option is available at your address.
Installation cost
| Installation fee | |
|---|---|
| AT&T | |
| EarthLink |
Both AT&T and EarthLink offer professional installation at a fairly standard rate, though AT&T is a bit more expensive. EarthLink offers a big discount for new fiber customers, and AT&T gives the option for free self-installation in certain situations. So, depending on availability, you might be able to get either provider without a big up-front investment.
Want to know if AT&T or EarthLink is in your area?
Find out if AT&T and EarthLink are available where you live by entering your zip code below.
Recurring fees: AT&T vs. EarthLink
| Equipment fee | Other fees | |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T | ||
| EarthLink |
Both AT&T and EarthLink have pretty reasonable fees. The only one that really stands out is EarthLink’s early termination fee. Since EarthLink plans require one-year contracts, you get hit with a hefty fee if you cancel before the end of your agreement, so make sure you’re prepared for what you’re getting into.
Price hikes
EarthLink has no price hikes, which we think is great. The AT&T Internet 1000 plan comes with a $15 monthly discount for the first 12 months, going up to the full price at the end of the first year. Many of the AT&T plan prices also include a discount for signing up for paperless billing and autopay, so make sure you read the fine print on whichever plan you choose.
Ready to switch to AT&T or EarthLink?
Enter your zip code below to see if these two providers are available to you.
Final call: AT&T vs. EarthLink
Our first choice is AT&T’s fiber network, if you have access to it. The fiber plans are cheaper than those offered by EarthLink, which makes it an easy decision.
With so many plans available from each provider, it’s hard to compare every possible combination, but if you’re looking for straightforward billing and to avoid hassle with your internet service, EarthLink’s top-notch customer service could be the tiebreaker you’re looking for.
More about AT&T and EarthLink
FAQ about AT&T vs. EarthLink
Is there a contract requirement for AT&T internet services?
What are the installation fees for AT&T internet services?
What other services come with EarthLink internet?
Methodology
Our HighSpeedInternet.com editorial team bases our analyses on customer input from our Annual Internet Service Provider Review, 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.
Our favorite plan
The average household needs internet speeds of at least 300Mbps but not more than a gig (1,000Mbps), so the best plan we recommend for each provider is always within that range. We also consider plan specifics, like added costs or included perks, and compare all the options from each provider to national averages. Finally, we account for tech type differences, since you might not need as much speed on a fiber plan as you would on a less-reliable fixed wireless or cable plan. Learn more about how much speed you need, and enter your zip code in our provider lookup tool to see what you can get in your neighborhood.
A note about pricing
The prices you see may not reflect the standard rates these providers could charge after an introductory period. You’ll see the standard rates on broadband nutrition labels displayed during checkout, along with equipment fees, installation fees, contract requirements, and data caps (if any). Always view this information before you sign up for internet service.
Plans disclaimers
AT&T Fiber plans
Internet 300 | Internet 500 | Internet 5000 — Price includes $10/mo. discount when you sign up for paperless billing and AutoPay with a debit card or bank account. Or $5/mo. with a credit card.
Internet 1000 — New AT&T Fiber customers will receive $15 off the monthly recurring charge for 12 mos on an AT&T Fiber plan (300Mbps or higher). $10/mo if enrolled in Autopay & paperless billing w/ your bank account or the AT&T Points Plus® Card from Citi. Discount reduced to $5/mo when enrolled with a debit card. No discount if enrolled with any other credit card.
AT&T Internet Air plans
Internet Air — Includes $5 off with AutoPay and Paperless Bill
EarthLink DSL plans
All DSL plans — with a 12 month contract. Actual speeds may vary depending on the distance, line-quality, phone service provider, and number of devices used concurrently. All speeds not available in all areas
EarthLink fiber plans
All fiber plans — with a 12 month contract. Actual speeds may vary depending on the distance, line-quality, phone service provider, and number of devices used concurrently. All speeds not available in all areas
EarthLink FW/5G plans
Unlimited 5G Home Internet — Actual speeds may vary depending on the distance, line-quality, phone service provider, and number of devices used concurrently. All speeds not available in all areas. Exclusions, taxes, fees, or modem service charges may apply. Not available in all areas. Limited-time offer; subject to change.
100 GB | 150 GB | 200 GB | 300 GB — Actual speeds may vary depending on the distance, line-quality, phone service provider, and number of devices used concurrently. All speeds not available in all areas. Exclusions like taxes & fees apply. Not available in all areas. Limited-time offer; subject to change.
WFH Unlimited GB — With the Work From Home Unlimited Plan, you’ll enjoy speeds up to 25 Mbps for the first 300 GB of data usage each month; speeds will reduce if usage exceeds 300 GB within that month.
Deals Disclaimers
AT&T, Get a $200 Reward with Fiber 1000 Internet — $200 REWARD CARD OFFER: Subj to change. $200 AT&T Visa® Reward Card for purchase of an AT&T Fiber plan (1 GIG or higher). For new residential AT&T Fiber customers. Redemption req’d. Residents of select multi-dwelling units not eligible. Reward Card: Will be sent email or letter with redemption info. Redemption req’d. w/in 75 days from reward notification email or mail date. Card delivered w/in 3-4 weeks after redemption to customers who maintain and pay for qualifying service for a minimum of 90 days and through reward fulfillment. Card expires at month-end 6 mos after issuance. For Cardholder Agreement, go to rewardcenter.att.com. Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted in the United States, District of Columbia, US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. No cash access. The Bancorp Bank N.A. does not endorse or sponsor and is not affiliated in any way with any product or service offered by AT&T. Offers may not be combined with certain other promotional offers on the same services and may be modified or discontinued at any time without notice. Other conditions may apply to all offers.
Author - Peter Christiansen
Peter Christiansen writes about telecom policy, communications infrastructure, satellite internet, and rural connectivity for HighSpeedInternet.com. Peter holds a PhD in communication from the University of Utah and has been working in tech for over 15 years as a computer programmer, game developer, filmmaker, and writer. His writing has been praised by outlets like Wired, Digital Humanities Now, and the New Statesman.
Editor - Jessica Brooksby
Jessica loves bringing her passion for the written word and her love of tech into one space at HighSpeedInternet.com. She works with the team’s writers to revise strong, user-focused content so every reader can find the tech that works for them. Jessica has a bachelor’s degree in English from Utah Valley University and seven years of creative and editorial experience. Outside of work, she spends her time gaming, reading, painting, and buying an excessive amount of Legend of Zelda merchandise.
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