Choose Xfinity NOW Internet if its $30 prepaid plan meets your household’s needs and you can self-install the supplied gateway. Compare regular Xfinity Internet if you need a faster download tier, more equipment features or help with installation. Both current offers include WiFi equipment and unlimited data, so those benefits alone do not justify paying more.
This Xfinity NOW vs Xfinity Internet comparison uses U.S. offers in USD checked October 21, 2026. It compares official prices and support documentation, not personal speed or installation tests. The advertised regular offer is for new customers; an existing customer’s account may show a different price.
What the current prices actually include
The NOW Internet offer lists two prepaid download tiers: up to 100Mbps for $30 per month or 200Mbps for $45. Taxes, fees, unlimited data and the required gateway are included. Automatic online payments and paperless billing are required, and the price can change.
| Offer checked | Advertised monthly price | Main price condition |
|---|---|---|
| NOW100 | $30 | Prepaid; taxes and fees included |
| NOW200 | $45 | Prepaid; taxes and fees included |
| Regular Xfinity 300Mbps | $45 for five years | New-customer offer; bank-account AutoPay and paperless billing |
| Regular Xfinity 500Mbps | $60 for five years | New-customer offer; bank-account AutoPay and paperless billing |
| Regular Xfinity 1 Gig | $70 for five years | New-customer offer; bank-account AutoPay and paperless billing |
The regular Xfinity Internet page advertises those five-year base rates, WiFi equipment and unlimited data, with the offer ending October 25. Taxes, installation and other applicable charges are extra. Its expanded 300Mbps terms specify an additional $10 per month without the required stored-bank-account AutoPay and paperless billing. Check the terms attached to your selected tier rather than assuming the headline is your complete bill.
A five-year price guarantee is not a five-year contract. Xfinity says the current regular plans have no annual contract or early-termination fee, and you can change or cancel them. The guarantee covers the base internet rate, not every tax or optional service. It also is not a quoted rate for year six.
At unchanged monthly rates, 12 payments for NOW100 total $360; 12 payments at the regular $45 base rate total $540 before extras. That is a $180 base-price difference, not a guaranteed saving for every address. NOW200 and the advertised regular 300Mbps tier both start at $45, so the faster advertised download tier may be worth comparing before ordering NOW200.
Do not subtract a whole year of free mobile service from the internet bill unless you want that line and qualify for it. The regular page advertises a Mobile Select line for one year, but mobile has separate conditions and possible charges afterward. Use our internet-plan fee checklist to separate the service rate from extras you would not otherwise buy.
Equipment, installation and hotspots differ
| Practical question | NOW Internet | Current regular Xfinity offer |
|---|---|---|
| Is equipment included? | Required refurbished NOW gateway | WiFi equipment included in the advertised plan |
| Can I activate my own modem? | No; use the supplied gateway | Check approved equipment and the selected offer |
| What if I need an installer? | Professional installation is not available | Ask about installation options and charges at your address |
| Is household data unlimited? | Yes | Yes for the current advertised plans |
| Are public Xfinity WiFi hotspots included? | No | Included with post-pay Xfinity Internet, subject to availability |
Xfinity’s NOW overview identifies the supplied gateway as an XB3, model TG1682P, with a power cable and coaxial cable in the setup kit. This is a wired home service, not a cellular hotspot. Do not buy a replacement cable modem expecting to activate it on NOW; customer-owned modems are not compatible with that service.
Check the outlet and setup requirement before paying. A kit you can connect yourself is useful when the address is ready, but it does not solve missing or unsuitable wiring. If installation help is the reason you are considering regular service, confirm that help is available and what it costs at the property.
The NOW Internet FAQs also say the gateway’s WiFi name and password cannot be changed. That is a specific limitation worth checking before switching a house full of connected devices. Do not assume every control available on another Xfinity gateway is available on NOW.
Xfinity’s hotspot guide includes access with post-pay internet and excludes prepaid customers. NOW WiFi Pass is a separate hotspot product, not the same thing as the NOW gateway providing internet at home. This matters if you often use public hotspots to reduce phone-data use.
Choose speed by the household’s busy period
List what happens at the same time: someone on a work call, another person watching TV, and a game update downloading. The number of connected gadgets alone is less useful than which ones are actively moving data. Our household internet-speed guide can help you choose a starting tier.
For a household with light simultaneous use, NOW100 is the lower-cost option to evaluate. For frequent large downloads or several active users, compare the regular tiers too. A higher download figure will not by itself repair weak WiFi in a back room, and no advertised tier is a measured speed in your home.
Check upload speed separately for work calls, cloud backups and cameras. During this review, the NOW overview and expanded pricing dialog listed up to 20Mbps upload, while the offer page’s footer still stated 10Mbps. Do not treat that inconsistency as a promise of either rate at your address. Confirm the current Broadband Facts label before ordering, especially if upload performance drives your decision.
Pausing NOW is different from canceling it
NOW requires automatic payments when you sign up. Its FAQs say turning off AutoPay pauses renewal, with service continuing through the paid period. Once activated, service refunds and prorations are not available; the normal Xfinity 30-day money-back guarantee does not apply to NOW service.
You can restart a paused NOW account within 180 days. If you leave it paused longer, Xfinity says it cancels the service and the gateway can no longer be used. Moving is a different process: the FAQ calls for a new account and gateway at the new address, and says not to take the old NOW gateway with you. A prepaid gateway is not a portable internet box for any house you visit.
These rules make NOW worth considering for some temporary or seasonal use, but only after checking the address and inactive period. Do not press cancel when you mean “stop the next automatic renewal.” The FAQ says a move-related cancellation takes effect immediately.
Check eligibility before changing existing service
NOW is not available at every Xfinity property. The overview excludes fiber properties and certain bulk, managed-WiFi or WiFi Ready arrangements. Other Xfinity services can also affect eligibility. Being inside a general coverage area does not confirm that your apartment or account qualifies.
If you already have regular Xfinity Internet, contact an agent to coordinate the switch. The FAQ describes a disconnection step but also says you can keep existing service active until the new NOW gateway arrives and is activated. Do not turn that into an instruction to cancel immediately and hope the new kit works. Confirm the handover, any affected TV or phone services, and the return of your old regular Xfinity equipment.
Start with NOW100 when saving on the recurring bill is the priority and its setup and gateway limits fit. Compare regular Xfinity when higher download tiers, equipment features or installation options matter more. Save the exact address-qualified price, upload specification and cancellation terms before choosing; the cheapest national headline cannot answer those questions for your home.