Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Astound vs EarthLink
Where Astound and EarthLink differ
| Compare |  Astound |  EarthLink |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $19.95Lower | $24.95 |
| Reference plan prices | 150 Mbps: $19.95/mo, 150 Mbps, no contract; 1 Gig WiFi: $40/mo, 1000 Mbps, no contract; 1.5 Gig WiFi: $60/mo, 1500 Mbps, no contract | Fiber 100 Mbps: $24.95/mo, 100 Mbps, month-to-month / Fiber 1 Gig: price by address, 1000 Mbps, month-to-month / Fiber 5 Gigs: price by address, 5000 Mbps, month-to-month |
| Mid-contract price rises | Price for Life rate locked while service kept; other promos valid 12 mos then regular rates | 12 months consistent rates then full-price plan |
| Exit fee terms | No cancellation penalty; change or cancel anytime | Early Termination Fee up to $400 if Term Plan ended early |
| Router | Whole Home WiFi powered by eero included with Gig plans; eero Max 7 with 5 Gig | Leased router $15.00 per month |
| Address checker | https://www.astound.com/check-for-service/ | https://earthlink.net/internet-near-me/ |
| Setup fee | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Data cap (GB) | Not confirmed | 15 to 300 |
| Social tariff | Yes | Not confirmed |
| FCC broadband label | https://www.astound.com/labels/ | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Top download speed (Mbps) (5,000), Upload speed (Mbps) (5,000), Markets (US).
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Key differences
- Price from is lower at Astound: $19.95 vs $24.95.
- Technology: only Astound offers Cable.
- Technology: only EarthLink offers 5G, Satellite.
Our verdict on each
Astound
Astound suits US households that want matching download and upload speeds, a low entry price and no contract to be tied into, and the same account can carry mobile lines. Entry pricing starts at $19.95 a month, Gig tiers arrive with Whole Home WiFi included, and the setup fee is $0.
EarthLink
EarthLink suits US households that want symmetrical fibre with no long minimum term, with upload speeds of 5,000 Mbps and plans listed at 1 month. The catch is what sits around the plan: Leased router $15.00 per month, plus data caps of 15 to 300 GB on the satellite tiers.
Score breakdown
| Area | Astound | EarthLink |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.6Entry price of $19.95 a month and a setup fee of $0 put cost near the top of the range. | 9.6Entry tier at $24.95 on 1 month terms keeps commitment low, though intro pricing gives way to the full-price plan. |
| Offer | 9.3No cancellation penalty; change or cancel anytime, and Whole Home WiFi arrives included with Gig plans. | 9.4HigherSpeeds of 5,000 Mbps down and 5,000 Mbps up across fttp, 5G and satellite, with satellite data caps of 15 to 300 GB. |
The numbers side by side
| Fact | Astound | EarthLink |
|---|---|---|
| Top download speed (Mbps) | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Price from | $19.95 | $24.95 |
How they place
| Ranking | Astound | EarthLink |
|---|---|---|
| Broadband providers | 2 of 124 | 27 of 124 |
| Full fibre providers | 2 of 107 | 14 of 107 |
| Broadband without a long contract | 2 of 46 | 7 of 46 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Astound | EarthLink |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Cable, Fttp | Fttp, 5G, Satellite |
| Contract length | 1 | 1 |
| Legal entity | Radiate HoldCo, LLC d/b/a Astound Broadband | EarthLink, LLC |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Support channels | Phone, Chat, Help centre | Chat, Phone, Help centre |
Mobile plans
| Fact | Astound | EarthLink |
|---|---|---|
| Seller type | Reseller | Not confirmed |
| SIM-only | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Billing | Rolling | Not confirmed |
| Unlimited plan price | $30 | Not confirmed |
| 5G | Yes | Not confirmed |
| eSIM | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Wi-Fi calling | Yes | Not confirmed |
| EU roaming | Paid | Not confirmed |
| Data rollover | No | Not confirmed |
| Hotspot sharing | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Credit check required | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Multi-line discount | Yes | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Astound | EarthLink | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top download speed (Mbps) | 5,000highest quarter | 5,000highest quarter | 1,000 |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | 5,000highest quarter | 5,000highest quarter | 900 |
| Price from | $19.95lowest quarter | $24.95below the median | $29.99 |
| Setup fee | $0at the median | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Data cap (GB) | Not confirmed | 15 to 300at the median | 15 |
Median across 116 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Astound
Pros
- Download of 5,000 Mbps matches upload of 5,000 Mbps, so sending a large file is as quick as downloading one.
- The setup fee is $0, and it ranks 1 of 86 on that measure, ahead of every other brand compared.
- Service runs on cable and fttp, so one provider can cover a cable street or a fibre to the home street.
Cons
- EU roaming is paid, so European travel is billed separately.
- Data rollover is no, so unused mobile allowance does not carry into the next cycle.
- A credit check is required on the mobile side, which adds a step before a line is active.
EarthLink
Pros
- Upload of 5,000 Mbps matches download of 5,000 Mbps, and that pairing ranks 7 out of 46 compared brands.
- Rolling terms at 1 month mean little to serve out if you move home, unlike a fixed minimum term.
- The entry fibre tier sits at $24.95 a month on month-to-month terms, with the gigabit tiers priced by address.
Cons
- Hardware is a recurring extra: Leased router $15.00 per month sits on top of the plan price every month.
- The entry rate is introductory only: 12 months consistent rates then full-price plan.
- Satellite tiers are metered, with data limits of 15 to 300 GB for heavier users to watch.
Who each suits
Astound
Who it suits
- Households in US whose street already has cable or fibre to the home and who want equal download and upload speeds.
- Families adding mobile lines to the same account, where a multi line discount and rolling billing apply.
- Renters and short-stay households, since No cancellation penalty; change or cancel anytime.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a fibre to the home provider and nothing else, because cable and fttp includes cable while Abissnet and Kinetic list fibre to the home alone.
- Homes a wired network does not reach, where EarthLink adds fttp, 5G and satellite options.
- Travellers who expect European roaming to come included, since EU roaming is paid.
EarthLink
Who it suits
- Households in US on fibre who send large files, back up to the cloud or run video calls upstream.
- People who prefer short commitments, with plans listed at 1 month.
- Remote workers and creators who judge a connection on upload, since 5,000 Mbps upstream matches the download figure.
Who should look elsewhere
- Astound, if cable alongside fibre matters, since Astound lists cable and fttp while EarthLink's list is fttp, 5G and satellite.
- Kinetic, if you want a straightforward fibre-only supplier, since Kinetic lists fttp.
- Abissnet, if a single-technology provider suits you better, since Abissnet lists fttp and EarthLink carries a wider fttp, 5G and satellite range.
Country by country
| Country | Astound | EarthLink |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Astound
How much does Astound broadband cost a month?+
Plans start at $19.95 a month on the entry tier. The listed lineup then steps up through Gig and multi-Gig WiFi plans, and every plan shown is on no-contract terms, so the monthly figure is the whole commitment. Whole Home WiFi is included with Gig plans rather than sold as an extra.
Is there a setup or installation fee with Astound broadband?+
Setup costs $0 to add, and in this comparison the brand ranks 1 of 86 for setup fee, ahead of every other brand measured on that point. Equipment also counts: Whole Home WiFi is supplied with Gig plans, with the top tier hardware paired to the quickest speeds.
EarthLink
How much does EarthLink broadband cost at the entry price?+
The entry fibre tier is $24.95 a month on month-to-month terms. The gigabit and multi-gigabit tiers above it are priced by address, so what you actually pay depends on the fibre available at your street. Get a quote for your address before putting it against other offers.
Does the entry price stay the same after the introductory period?+
Not necessarily. The published rate is introductory: 12 months consistent rates then full-price plan. The figure you sign up on is therefore not the figure you keep, and the full-price plan rate takes over once the consistent-rate period ends. Budget for a higher monthly amount beyond that point.
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