Google Fiber vs Cox now means GFiber against Spectrum, because Spectrum completed its purchase of Cox in August 2026.[1] GFiber, Google Fiber's new name, sells fiber at flat prices starting with 1 Gig for $70 a month.[2] Cox customers can keep their plan, move to Spectrum's bundles, or switch to GFiber where it reaches their address.[1]
The fair comparison is no longer two price lists. It is GFiber's single price against your Cox bill as it stands, or against a Spectrum quote that may depend on adding mobile lines.
Where GFiber and Cox overlap
Our FCC data (filings as of December 30, 2025, before the Cox sale) lists Google Fiber and Cox together in Mesa, Chandler and Queen Creek, Arizona; Omaha and Bellevue, Nebraska; Council Bluffs, Iowa; and San Diego, Irvine, Tustin and Newport Beach, California.[3] GFiber's current city list also includes Metro Las Vegas, and names Tempe as coming soon.[2]
GFiber builds area by area, so a city on its list is not a promise for your street.[2] Check the exact address, including any apartment number.
What changed on the Cox side
Charter's August 20, 2026 letter to Cox customers said there would be no pricing or service changes at that time unless the customer asked for them.[1] From September 16, 2026, former Cox customers could switch to Spectrum's products and pricing.[4] Spectrum's service promises, such as its customer commitment, are due to arrive in former Cox areas later.[1]
If you searched for a Cox gig plan against Google Fiber, start with your latest Cox bill. Your plan stays as it is unless you change it, so the bill shows the real number to beat.[1]
GFiber's offer in plain numbers
GFiber listed 1 Gig at $70, 3 Gig at $100 and 8 Gig at $150 a month, with upload speeds equal to download on each.[2] Prices are plus taxes and a local access fee, and the router is included, or you can connect your own.[2] GFiber says its 1 Gig price has not changed since 2012.[2]
Setup is your choice of self-installation with the GFiber app or free professional installation.[2] The 8 Gig plan includes a battery backup that keeps the connection running for up to two hours in a power cut, and the 3 Gig plan offers it as an add-on.[2]
Spectrum's offer for former Cox homes
Spectrum's internet comes with no data caps, and its pitch to former Cox customers leans on mobile.[4] Internet customers without Cox Mobile can get a year of Spectrum Mobile free, and Spectrum says households bundling internet with two mobile lines save more than $1,000 in the first year or it makes up the difference.[4]
Spectrum's internet reaches the home over coaxial lines and includes a modem.[5] Its September release did not list standalone internet prices, so ask for two written quotes: internet alone, and internet with the mobile lines you would really use.[4]
Two-year cost worksheet
Add up 24 months for each option. GFiber's monthly figure comes from its plan page;[2] the other two columns come from your bill and your Spectrum quote.
| Line | GFiber 1 Gig | Cox plan or Spectrum quote |
|---|---|---|
| Internet, per month | $70 | From your bill or quote |
| Equipment, per month | Router included | Ask what is included |
| Taxes and fees | Taxes plus local access fee | From your bill or quote |
| Mobile savings, if any | None advertised | Only if you will move lines |
| Price change during 24 months | Ask GFiber about your address | Ask when any promotion ends |
Count the mobile savings only if you would move those lines anyway. If your phones stay with another carrier, compare GFiber with Spectrum's internet-only quote or with your current Cox bill.
Uploads and household use
GFiber's upload speed matches its download speed on all three plans.[2] Spectrum's coaxial service is a different design,[5] so ask for the upload speed on any tier you are quoted. Uploads matter most for video calls, cloud backups, livestreaming and sending large files. Our fiber guide and cable internet explainer explain the difference.
GFiber's pending deal with Astound
GFiber agreed in March 2026 to combine with Astound Broadband under majority ownership by Stonepeak, subject to regulatory approvals, with closing expected in the fourth quarter.[6] We found no completion notice on GFiber's site on October 20, 2026.[6] If ownership matters to you, ask GFiber whether anything about your plan will change when the deal closes.
Our verdict
Choose GFiber if it is live at your address and you want a flat price with fast uploads, particularly if your phones are staying with another carrier. Keep your Cox plan if it already beats GFiber's total on your bill. Move to Spectrum if you will bring two or more mobile lines and the written bundle total is lower than both. For another fiber-versus-Spectrum matchup, see our Google Fiber vs Spectrum guide.
The call line below is for comparing plans before you buy. It is not support for an existing Cox, Spectrum or GFiber account.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cox still Cox?
Customers in former Cox areas are now served by Spectrum, which completed its Cox acquisition in August 2026.[1]
Does GFiber require a contract?
GFiber describes its service as having no contracts or data caps.[2] Return its equipment within 60 days if you cancel to avoid a replacement fee.[2]
Does Spectrum have data caps?
Spectrum says its internet comes with no data caps.[4]
Sources
- Charter Acquires Cox: A New Era in Connectivity. Charter Communications, Charter Acquires Cox transaction page and customer letter of August 20, 2026, accessed October 20, 2026. Completion, options for Cox customers, commitment timing and former Cox markets. ↩
- GFiber home internet plans and cities. GFiber, home internet plans and city list, accessed October 20, 2026. Prices, fees, equipment, installation, battery backup, return window and cities. ↩
- FCC National Broadband Map, Broadband Data Collection. FCC Broadband Data Collection, D25 filing as of December 30, 2025, via our place-level provider data, accessed October 20, 2026. Area-level listings only. ↩
- Spectrum Says 'Hi!' to 11+ Million Homes and Businesses. Charter Communications, Spectrum Says 'Hi!' press release, September 16, 2026, accessed October 20, 2026. Spectrum pricing launch in former Cox markets, no data caps, mobile offers and savings promise. ↩
- Spectrum One Delivers Internet, WiFi and Mobile Connectivity in One Simplified Plan. Charter Communications, Spectrum One article with September 16, 2026 plan-rename note, accessed October 20, 2026. Coaxial connection and included modem. ↩
- GFiber and Stonepeak's Astound to combine. GFiber, GFiber and Stonepeak's Astound to combine, March 11, 2026, accessed October 20, 2026. Deal terms, approvals and expected closing. ↩
Written with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed; our data from FCC/Census as dated. FCC data as of December 30, 2025; Census ACS 5-year 2020-2024. Editorial policy