Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
EarthLink vs Frontier Communications
Where EarthLink and Frontier Communications differ
| Compare |  EarthLink | Frontier Communications ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Top download speed (Mbps) | 5,000 | 7,000Higher |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | 5,000 | 7,000Higher |
| Price from | $24.95Lower | $29.99 |
| Reference plan prices | 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 | Fiber 200: $29.99/mo, 200Mbps, no contract; Fiber 500: $44.99/mo, 500Mbps, no contract; Fiber 7 Gig: $124.99/mo, 7000Mbps, no contract |
| Exit fee terms | Early Termination Fee up to $400 if Term Plan ended early | Early termination fee may apply with certain promos; pro-rated install fee if disconnect within first year |
| Router | Leased router $15.00 per month | Wi-Fi 7 router included; Whole Home Wi-Fi mesh on 1 Gig and faster |
| Address checker | https://earthlink.net/internet-near-me/ | https://www.frontier.com |
| Setup fee | Not confirmed | $100 |
| Mid-contract price rises | 12 months consistent rates then full-price plan | Not confirmed |
| Data cap (GB) | 15 to 300 | Not confirmed |
| Premises covered | Not confirmed | 8,100,000 |
Same on both: Markets (US).
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Key differences
- EarthLink scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.3.
- Top download speed (Mbps) is higher at Frontier Communications: 7,000 vs 5,000.
- Upload speed (Mbps) is higher at Frontier Communications: 7,000 vs 5,000.
- Price from is lower at EarthLink: $24.95 vs $29.99.
- Technology: only EarthLink offers 5G, Satellite.
Our verdict on each
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.
Frontier Communications
Frontier Communications suits households in the US that want top tier fibre speed without a long contract, and it undercuts many rivals on entry price at $29.99. The catch is a setup fee of $100 plus a charge for leaving early on some promotional deals.
Score breakdown
| Area | EarthLink | Frontier Communications |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.6HigherEntry tier at $24.95 on 1 month terms keeps commitment low, though intro pricing gives way to the full-price plan. | 8.6Entry pricing starts at $29.99, though a setup fee of $100 lifts the cost of joining. |
| Offer | 9.4Speeds of 5,000 Mbps down and 5,000 Mbps up across fttp, 5G and satellite, with satellite data caps of 15 to 300 GB. | 9.6HigherTop download of 7,000 Mbps with a matching 7,000 Mbps figure, and a current Wi-Fi router in the box as standard. |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 10.0Founded in 1935 and headquartered in US, operating under Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. in a single market, US. |
Licences and countries
| Country | EarthLink | Frontier Communications |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
Pick EarthLink if, pick Frontier Communications if
Pick EarthLink if cost and price from matter most.
Pick Frontier Communications if top download speed (mbps) and upload speed (mbps) matter most.
A third option
YouFibre has top download speed (mbps) at 8,000, against 5,000 for EarthLink and 7,000 for Frontier Communications.
YouFibre reviewSources behind this comparison
EarthLink
- earthlink.net: 15 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Frontier Communications
- highspeedinternet.com: 9 facts, checked September 30, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 6 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | EarthLink | Frontier Communications |
|---|---|---|
| Broadband providers | 27 of 124 | 32 of 124 |
| Full fibre providers | 14 of 107 | 21 of 107 |
| Broadband without a long contract | 7 of 46 | 12 of 46 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | EarthLink | Frontier Communications |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Fttp, 5G, SatelliteCovers more | Fttp |
| Contract length | 1 | 1 |
| Legal entity | EarthLink, LLC | Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 1935 |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Help centre | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | EarthLink | Frontier Communications | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top download speed (Mbps) | 5,000highest quarter | 7,000highest quarter | 1,000 |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | 5,000highest quarter | 7,000highest quarter | 900 |
| Price from | $24.95below the median | $29.99below the median | $29.99 |
| Setup fee | Not confirmed | $100highest quarter | $0 |
| Data cap (GB) | 15 to 300at the median | Not confirmed | 15 |
| Premises covered | Not confirmed | 8,100,000above the median | 1,700,000 |
Median across 116 listed providers.
Pros and cons
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.
Frontier Communications
Pros
- Entry pricing of $29.99 sits in the lower part of our price table, and the reference plans come with no fixed term
- Top download of 7,000 Mbps and upload of 7,000 Mbps put it near the front of the speed table
- A current Wi-Fi router is included, and Whole Home Wi-Fi mesh comes on the gigabit tier and anything faster
Cons
- A setup fee of $100 lands near the expensive end of the setup fees we track
- Some promotional deals add a charge for leaving early, and disconnecting soon after joining means paying back part of the installation cost
- Service is confined to a single market, US, so it is not an option outside the US
Who each suits
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.
Frontier Communications
Who it suits
- Households in the US inside Frontier's fibre footprint, willing to accept a setup fee of $100 for a lower monthly price
- Anyone who needs gigabit speeds for large uploads, remote work backups or shared media
- People who want to leave without a long lock-in, since the reference plans run on rolling monthly terms
Who should look elsewhere
- Households outside the US, since service is confined to a single market, US
- Shoppers who want a cable package rather than pure fibre, since Astound runs cable and fttp
- People hunting for the very lowest entry price, since cheaper options sit below $29.99
Country by country
| Country | EarthLink | Frontier Communications |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
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.
Frontier Communications
What is the entry price for Frontier fibre?+
Plans start at $29.99 a month, and the reference tiers step up in speed from there to a multi gigabit option at the top. Every one of them is sold on rolling terms, so the monthly figure is the number to compare against rival quotes. Speeds, not term length, are what separate the tiers here.
Do I have to sign a contract with Frontier?+
No. The reference plans, from the entry tier through to the multi gigabit tier, are all sold without a fixed term, and the listed contract length is a rolling monthly term. That leaves you free to cancel without counting out a period first, which suits anyone who expects to move or switch.
Other options to compare
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