Google Fiber Review: Comparing Plans, Pricing, Speeds and Availability

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Google Fiber rating

How we calculated our rating

7.5/10

CNET Score

We score internet providers for speed, value and customer care. Our data sources include the FCC, J.D. Power, The American Customer Satisfaction Index and extensive in-house research.

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7.5

/ 10

SCORE

Speed

8/10

Value

7.5/10

Customer Care

7/10

Pros

• Speeds start at 1Gbps
• No equipment fees, data caps or contracts
• Continuing fiber expansion

Cons

• No cheap plan options Fiber network still has room to grow

See more pros and cons

Google Fiber internet plans start at the gig level, up to 1 gigabit, or 1,000 megabits, per second, and only go up from there. A 2Gbps plan is also available in all Google Fiber markets while select areas will have the option of 5Gbps and 8Gbps speed tiers as well.

Google Fiber internet review

As one who appreciates high-speed internet and is willing to pay a little more for it, I'd say Google Fiber is worth the premium price. Few fiber providers match Google Fiber's speed potential, let alone service from cable or DSL providers. You'll want to consider more than speed when shopping for internet service in your area, so here's a full rundown of what you can expect from Google Fiber.

A better value than most ISPs

Google Fiber plans are priced competitively, although no there's no cheap internet plan. At $70 per month, Google Fiber's gig service is priced lower than fiber providers AT&T, Quantum Fiber and Verizon Fios, not to mention big cable ISPs including Cox, Spectrum and Xfinity (in select areas).

A good indicator of value is the cost per Mbps, which you can find for any internet plan by dividing the monthly fee by the maximum speeds. Google Fiber's 1 Gig plan starts at $70 per month for speeds up to 1,000Mbps, which comes to an estimated cost per Mbps of 7 cents. The 2 Gig plan is even lower at 5 cents per Mbps.

A sub-dime cost per Mbps is often a great internet deal, and the cost per Mbps of Google Fiber plans is on par with or lower than most providers at any speed tier.

For comparison, Spectrum's cheapest plan (in most markets) starts at $50 a month for speeds up to 300Mbps. While cheaper than Google Fiber, the cost per Mbps of around 17 cents indicates Google Fiber is the better deal.

Straightforward pricing with no added fees

Google Fiber doesn't have introductory pricing, so you don't have to worry about a steep price increase after 12 months. That's not to say the price will never go up, but there's no guarantee that it will after a certain number of months.

Additionally, Google Fiber plans come with unlimited data (so no overage fees) and no contracts with a required service length (no early termination fees). Unlimited data and no contracts are common among ISPs. Still, some big-name providers will require you to sign an agreement to get the lowest pricing or tack on $50 or more in overage fees for exceeding a data cap.

Router included at no extra cost

Google Fiber includes a Multi-Gig Wi-Fi 6 router with all plans. Multi-gig speed tiers, that's 2-gig and above, come with Wi-Fi router plus up to two mesh access points, which extend the range and coverage of Wi-Fi service throughout your home up to around 3,000 square feet. If you need greater Wi-Fi coverage, additional access points are available to purchase for $100 each.

Google Fiber's growing availability

Google Fiber has nowhere near the coverage of rival fiber providers like AT&T, Verizon Fios or Quantum Fiber, but it does offer service in some relatively major markets. 

Kansas City, Missouri and Huntsville, Alabama have the greatest availability, but service can also be found in parts of Mesa, Arizona; Orange County, California; Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte and the Raleigh/Durham area of North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Austin and San Antonio, Texas; Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah; and now also West Des Moines, Iowa.

Select cities -- specifically Chicago, Denver, Miami, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Oakland, California -- will only have access to Google Webpass, a high-speed fixed wireless internet service similar to Starry Internet. To be eligible for service, customers must live in a building that is wired for Google Webpass.

Google Fiber expansion continues

The list of cities that have access to Google Fiber is growing, as is the availability in markets where Google Fiber is currently. 

Admittedly, Google Fiber is still available to just over 1% of US households, according to the most recent FCC data. There are positive signs of growth and the rapid expansion continues in existing markets and new ones like Lakewood, Colorado.

Furthermore (and encouraging to a suburbanite like myself), Google Fiber shows signs of expansion outside major city limits. For example, Google Fiber is set to expand into Concord and Matthews, North Carolina. I've lived in both Charlotte suburbs and would not have anticipated Google Fiber's availability to reach that far away from the city center.

How does Google Fiber stack up against competitors?

If Google Fiber is available in your area, it's safe to assume you also have a cable provider and possibly even another fiber provider available at your address. In that case, you'll want to know how Google Fiber compares.

Compared to other fiber providers -- or really any ISP -- Google Fiber will have a higher starting price. You'll find lower monthly starting prices from AT&T Fiber ($55), Frontier Fiber ($45), Quantum Fiber ($50) and Verizon Fios ($50) but it is worth noting that the cheaper plans often come with significantly lower speeds. If such speeds are sufficient for your household, a more affordable plan like what's available from AT&T or Verizon Fios may be your best bet.

There's arguably no better gig or 2-gig provider

If you're interested in gig service, Google Fiber will be tough to beat, even among competing fiber providers. At $70 per month, the starting pricing for Google Fiber's gig service is lower than AT&T, Quantum Fiber and Verizon ($75 to $90 per month).

As for comparing gig service from Google Fiber to cable internet providers like Spectrum or Xfinity, not only will Google Fiber probably be cheaper, but it'll likely also be faster, especially when considering upload speeds, and more reliable.

Fiber internet has the potential to deliver symmetrical upload and download speeds, something cable internet can't do. In the case of Google Fiber's 2 Gig plan, you'll get maximum upload speeds of 1,000Mbps compared to maximum download speeds of 2,000Mbps, but that's still incredibly fast.

Upload speeds with cable internet top out at around 50Mbps, so you won't get anywhere near the same upload speeds with cable internet service. The connection quality of a fiber service is also typically better than a cable one, which can be susceptible to slowed speeds due to network congestion, especially during peak usage times.

Google Fiber customer satisfaction

In its most recent report, the American Customer Satisfaction Index gave Google Fiber a score of 76/100, the same as in 2023. Last year's 76 was good enough to beat the category average (75), but it's even with it this year as many other fiber ISPs improved their scores slightly. Still, AT&T Fiber and Verizon Fios were the only providers named above Google Fiber, although Frontier Fiber and Quantum Fiber also received a 76.

J.D. Power, another customer satisfaction resource we turn to when evaluating an internet provider, hasn't released its 2024 report for internet providers yet, but Google Fiber performed well in 2023. The ISP claimed the top spot in the South region with a score of 839 out of 1,000, followed by AT&T (753), Frontier (738) and Xfinity (735).

In short, customers appear to be as satisfied with Google Fiber as any other top provider, perhaps more so. While I would have liked to see Google Fiber's ACSI score increase year over year, there are no red flags indicating poor customer satisfaction.

The bottom line on Google Fiber

If you've got the need for speed, there is perhaps no better provider than Google Fiber -- that's if the service is available in your area. Google Fiber has some of the best pricing on gig service and favorable service terms such as free equipment rental, unlimited data and no contract requirements, further adding to the value. The service isn't for everyone, especially those looking for a cheap plan under $50 per month. Be sure to consider all of your home internet options before committing to one in particular.

Google Fiber FAQs