What Is Xfinity Mobile, and Is It Worth It? (2024)

Xfinity Mobile is Comcast's mobile provider, sitting alongside your existing internet and TV services. The idea is that if you're already getting internet and cable from Comcast, you might as well include your mobile service, too. And when you consider the value of bundling those services together, there's a pretty compelling argument in favor of Xfinity Mobile.

Comcast's customers certainly seem to feel that way. Xfinity Mobile launched in 2017 and has grown considerably in the ensuing seven years.

That rapid growth didn't occur because Comcast started erecting its own cellular towers. Rather, Xfinity Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator (or MVNO), which piggybacks on the existing network of one or more of the major carriers. In Comcast’s case, that’s Verizon’s network — including 5G coverage — coupled with the internet provider’s own Wi-Fi hotspots.

For wireless customers, getting service from an MVNO can sometimes mean a better deal than what you’d get from a major carrier while still enjoying the same great coverage (though your speed may be "deprioritized" — that means slowed down — if there's a lot of traffic on the network). Our look at what MVNOs are goes into greater detail on the pros and cons of getting your service from a virtual operator like Xfinity.

With Xfinity Mobile, it’s all about the bundling, as it is with Comcast’s other services. In fact, you aren’t even eligible for Xfinity Mobile if you don’t already do business with Comcast by getting your internet through that provider. Meet that criteria, and Xfinity Mobile service could be yours, with unlimited talk, text and data only costing you $45 each month for a single line of data. (That per-line price falls to $30 when you add another line.)

Should you turn to Comcast for your cellular service? Here’s a closer look at the rest of the details to see if Xfinity Mobile is right for you.

Xfinity Mobile: How it works

Xfinity Mobile is available exclusively to Comcast subscribers. The wireless service relies on Verizon’s network (the clear winner in our fastest wireless networks testing), along with access to Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide.

If you subscribe, you can pick between an unlimited data plan and paying only for the data you use. Unlimited nationwide talk and text are included regardless of your data choice. Xfinity Mobile users pay no access fees for up to five lines. Some carriers charge subscribers as much as $20 per line in access fees on top of their regular monthly data plan rate, though for unlimited plans, those access fees are often baked into the monthly rate.

Comcast TV subscribers will be able to use the Xfinity Stream TV App on their smartphone to stream live TV, on-demand content and shows stored on a cloud-DVR, no matter where they are; it will count against your data allotment, though, if you don’t have an unlimited plan with the carrier. More on that in a moment.

For the most part, Xfinity Mobile works just like any other wireless carrier. The two most notable differences are you must maintain a Comcast subscription and your connection will automatically transfer over to a Comcast Wi-Fi hotspot when one is in range. There's a pretty good chance one will be — there were 22 million Xfinity hotspots around the country the last time we checked, and Comcast said in 2023 that more than 80% of its mobile traffic runs over Wi-Fi. Using Wi-Fi instead of a cell tower should typically represent a boost in speed, and if you aren’t on the unlimited data plan, it will help save you data charges.

Xfinity Mobile: How much it costs

In March 2024, Xfinity rebooted its pricing for both its by-the-gigabyte and unlimited data plans. By-the-gig pricing now costs a little more each month, but the starting price for unlimited data has dropped now that Xfinity offers two different unlimited data options.

Let's talk by-the-gig pricing first. It now costs $20 per gigabyte, up from the previous starting price of $15. By-the-gig pricing is aimed at people who don't need a lot of data each month, since using 2GB of data would cost the same $40 as Xfinity Mobile's cheapest unlimited data plan.

For that reason, we think unlimited data is the better option at Xfinity Mobile — in fact, Xfinity's unlimited offering is among the best unlimited data plans out there, particularly for existing Comcast customers. Xfinity Mobile’s Unlimited plan costs $40 for a single line of data. And unlimited plans are even more attractive to families, as Xfinity drops the price when you have multiple lines.

Specifically, you pay $30 per line when you add a second line of Unlimited, bringing your total monthly bill to $60. A family of four would pay $100, or $25 per line.

The Unlimited Plan lets you stream video at SD resolution. You've got unlimited hotspot data at slower 3G speeds, and each line of data can use up to 30GB of data each month before Xfinity slows down your speed. You get unlimited talk, text and data in Canada and Mexico, though data speeds may be slower than usual.

There's a second unlimited option at Xfinity Mobile called Xfinity Plus. It starts at $50 for a single line of data, with two lines available for $80 (or $40 per line); a family of four would pay $35 per line for Unlimited Plus, and Xfinity lets you mix and match different plans.

Unlimited Plus subscribers can stream video at HD resolution, and they've got a 50GB cap before data speeds are throttled. Hotspot data includes 15GB at 5G speeds before data is slowed to 3G. There's also 5GB of high-speed data available for Unlimited Plus customers traveling in Canada and Mexico.

Should you opt for Xfinity Mobile, be sure to enable two-factor authentication for your account and get a PIN linked to your account, as some customers have reported that their mobile numbers have been hijacked.

Xfinity Mobile: How plan pricing compares

Xfinity Mobile offers attractively priced plans compared to the major carriers. Your cheapest unlimited plan option at T-Mobile costs $50 per month for the carrier's stripped down Essentials plan. AT&T customers pay $65.99 a month for Unlimited Starter while Verizon's Unlimited Welcome plan starts at $65.

Some rival MVNOs charge less for unlimited data than Xfinity does— at Visible, which also uses Verizon's network, you'll only pay $25 a month for unlimited data with taxes and fees included. Mint Mobile charges $30 a month, though to get that rate, you've got to commit to a year of service upfront.

Because of discounts on multiple lines, Xfinity Mobile compares favorably to the best family cell phone plans. Only T-Mobile really compares to Xfinity on pricing, with four lines of the Essentials plan costing $100 per month, but only after autopay discounts. That's now what four lines of Unlimited data at Xfinity cost.

Xfinity Mobile's per-gigabyte pricing doesn't compare as well to other discount carriers. At Tello, for example, you'll now pay $14 a month for 5GB of data, which is $6 less than Xfinity's per-gig rate. Google Fi undercuts Xfinity by $10 for each gigabyte of data, though Google's wireless service also charges $20 for talk and text on top of data charges. And, of course, neither of those services require you to get your cable or internet from Comcast.

Xfinity Mobile: What about 5G?

The Verizon 5G network launched in 2019, so it was only a matter of time before MVNOs like Xfinity Mobile were able to use the faster 5G service. Xfinity Mobile 5G service went live in May 2020, and the good news is, you don't have to pay extra for the faster service. It's included with regularly priced Xfinity Mobile plans.

That means Xfinity customers who pay $45 a month for unlimited data are getting access to 5G for around half the cost of what Verizon customers pay. Verizon includes 5G with its plans, and the cheapest unlimited offering currently costs $20 more than what Xfinity is charging.

There are some caveats to Xfinity Mobile's 5G service. First, you'll need a 5G-ready phone, but those are more readily available at different price points. Grab yourself any Galaxy S24 model or an iPhone 15 — Xfinity sells the phones directly in addition to cheaper midrange devices.

Verizon 5G now reaches coast to coast, with service covering 230 million people. Verizon's faster Ultra Wideband 5G reaches 200 million. That's not as extensive as T-Mobile's network, so if 5G speed is important to you, you may want to consider T-Mobile (or one of the smaller carriers that use T-Mobile's network) instead.

Xfinity Mobile: No contract required

You can cancel your Xfinity Mobile plan within 30 days of your next billing cycle date and you are only responsible for charges for the current month on your account and any remaining device payments you might have. In the first 30 days, you can cancel and return your device for a full refund, minus a $35 restocking fee. Beyond 30 days, you would be responsible for the restocking fee and any outstanding charges on the device.

According to Comcast, if you transfer your number to another carrier, your Xfinity Mobile service will be automatically canceled. If you're on the By the Gig plan, you will only be charged for the data you used between the start of your billing cycle and the day you cancel your service. Unlimited users' total at cancellation will be pro-rated based on where they are in their billing cycle.

If you're making payments on a device, you are responsible for any outstanding payments. However, if you keep at least one other Xfinity service (e.g. internet), you can continue to make payments if you don't want to pay the remaining balance up front.

Xfinity Mobile: What devices are supported?

Device selection had been the biggest downside to Xfinity Mobile, which largely sells top flagships. However, in recent years Xfinity has broadened its selection of Android devices, and now allows users to bring some of those handsets to the network as well.

If you prefer to bring your own phone, Xfinity lets iPhone users bring their own device, provided it's an iPhone 6 or newer. BYOD service for Android phones is currently limited to select Samsung and Pixel models.

If you've got a supported phone, you send away for a free SIM card from Xfinity, and then sign in once you've received it to activate your account.

Xfinity Mobile also sells tablets (all iPad models) and smartwatches (both Apple Watches and the Galaxy Watch 6) in addition to other mobile accessories like cases and charging pads. You'll pay $10 per line per month for an Xfinity Mobile plan covering those devices.

Is Xfinity Mobile worth it?

It depends on your situation, but for some customers, Comcast’s mobile service seems like a solid value, especially for single users who want unlimited data. The included 5G is just the cherry on top. Families should also give Xfinity Mobile a look now that there are discounts on multiple lines.

Users that can get by on 1GB of data per month would also likely do well on Xfinity Mobile. But as noted above, the more data you use at Xfinity Mobile, the less attractive a single line of the service becomes when compared to the best prepaid phone plans.

Xfinity Mobile is more appealing now that you can bring your own phone to the service, though Android users will need to have very specific Samsung or Google phones to take advantage of that feature. You can check if your current phone will be compatible using the Comcast's checker tool.

You can use Xfinity Mobile when traveling to other countries, though you'll be charged for talk, text and data (rates vary by country). In other words, there are better international data plans.

More from Tom's Guide

• Cell phone plans —figuring out just how much data you need
• Best mobile hotspots
• Google Maps wants to be your new travel guide for planning vacations — here's how