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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
Google Fiber internet review
The average cost of home internet in the US is around $63 a month. With service starting at $70 a monthly, Google Fiber’s pricing is above average, but that’s because it’s service is also well above average.
The $70 plan delivers symmetrical speeds up to 1,000 megabits per second, and the speeds only go up from there. Google Fiber is one of the fastest ISPs available, currently offering 8,000Mbps or 8 gigabits per second in select areas.
Coverage is limited to metro areas in 16 states, plus parts of Washington, DC. However, that number is steadily growing as Google Fiber expands its coverage to new markets. In September, Google Fiber opened its doors to Lakewood, Colorado residents, offering symmetrical speeds of up to 8 gigabits.
“We’re continuing to build our network across Lakewood. As new segments are complete, we’ll open service in those neighborhoods. Additionally, we’re set to start construction in Westminster soon, and actively working on design and permitting for Golden, Wheat Ridge and additional parts of Adams County,” Google Fiber wrote in a company press release.
Limited availability aside, there’s a lot to like about Google Fiber. As someone who appreciates high-speed internet and is willing to pay a little more for it, I’ll 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.
Google Fiber internet plans
| Plan | Monthly price | Max speeds | Fees and service details | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Gig | $70 | 1,000Mbps download, 1,000Mbps upload | No monthly equipment fees, no data caps, no contracts | ||
| 2 Gig | $100 | 2,000Mbps download, 1,000 Mbps upload | No monthly equipment fees, no data caps, no contracts | ||
| 5 Gig | $125 | 5,000Mbps download, 5,000Mbps upload | No monthly equipment fees, no data caps, no contracts | ||
| 8 Gig | $150 | 8,000Mbps download, 8,000Mbps upload | No monthly equipment fees, no data caps, no contracts | ||
| Google Webpass Read full review |
$70, or $63 with a yearly plan | 1,000Mbps download, 1,000Mbps upload | No monthly equipment fees, no data caps, no contracts |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Google Fiber’s overall value: Better than competitors
Google Fiber plans are priced competitively, although there’s no cheap internet plan. At $70 a month, Google Fiber’s gig service is priced lower than fiber providers like AT&T, Verizon Fios and Quantum Fiber.
Dividing the monthly fees by the maximum speeds of an internet plan reveals the value of a given internet plan down to the cost of megabits per second or Mbps. Google Fiber’s 1 Gig plan starts at $70 a 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. It’s cheaper than Google Fiber, but 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 period of time.
Additionally, Google Fiber plans come with unlimited data (so no overage charges), no fees for installation and no contracts with a required service length (no early termination fees). While unlimited data and no contracts are becoming more common among ISPs, 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. We appreciate Google Fiber’s straightforward approach.
Router included at no extra cost
Google Fiber includes a Multi-Gig Wi-Fi 6E router with all plans except for the 1Gbps plan, which includes a Nest Wi-Fi Pro router with Wi-Fi 6E capability. Multi-gig speed tiers, that’s 2-gig and above, come with a 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 5,000 square feet. If you need greater Wi-Fi coverage, additional access points are available to purchase for $100 each.
Google Fiber availability: Continuing to grow
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; West Des Moines, Iowa; and soon, Las Vegas, Nevada.
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 ($30), Quantum Fiber ($30) 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 a month, the starting pricing for Google Fiber’s gig service is lower than AT&T and Quantum Fiber ($80 and $75).
As for comparing gig services from Google Fiber to cable internet providers like Spectrum or Xfinity, Google Fiber will probably be cheaper in the long term since most ISPs increase their prices after a year. But it’ll likely also be faster, especially when considering upload speeds, and more reliable. Although Xfinity’s gig plan is only $65 a month in some markets, making it a cheaper option than Google Fiber, that price jumps up to $106 after two years. Similarly, Spectrum’s $80 gig plan will eventually jump to $110 after the first two years.
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. If you want to learn more about these connection types, read our review on cable vs. fiber.
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 other fiber ISPs improved their scores slightly. Still, AT&T Fiber and Verizon Fios were the only big 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, gave Google Fiber the top spot in the South region in 2023 and 2024.
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 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 a month. Be sure to consider all of your home internet options before committing to one in particular.
Google Fiber FAQs
Does Google Fiber have a 5 gig plan?
Google Fiber has a 5Gbps plan and an 8Gbps option. However, the provider notes the 5-gig and 8-gig services are not available in all locations.
Is Google Fiber still expanding?
Google Fiber availability is still highly limited — only around 1% of US households are eligible for service, per the latest data from the FCC — but the provider is working to increase its availability through continued growth in current and new markets. Just recently, Google Fiber announced that residents of Lakewood, Colorado, can now sign up for service.
A Google Fiber spokesperson confirmed the provider is continuing its expansion efforts and “building on our mission to connect more people to fast, reliable internet in Google Fiber cities across the country. Google Fiber construction teams are actively working to build out our networks in each one of our existing Fiber cities, and we’re expanding to new neighboring communities in some of those cities.”
Is Google Fiber the fastest internet?
Google Fiber’s 8Gbps plan certainly makes it one of the fastest internet providers, although not the absolute fastest you may find. Last year, Ziply Fiber introduced a ridiculously fast 50Gbps plan, and smaller, local providers may offer 20Gbps or faster in select areas.
Google Fiber offers the fastest entry-level plan of any major provider. While many fiber-optic ISPs have plans starting at speeds of 200Mbps, 300Mbps or lower, Google Fiber’s “slowest” plan offers symmetrical speeds of up to 1,000Mbps.
Is Google Fiber here to stay?
Considering recent growth in existing and new markets, there’s no indication that Google Fiber is going anywhere anytime soon, other than into new households and cities.
The release of two new 5Gbps and 8Gpbs plans further indicates that Google Fiber is intent on not only expanding its coverage areas but also its plan selection and speed offerings.
