A prepaid internet provider collects payment before each service period instead of billing afterward. Start with Xfinity NOW and CenturyLink where available, then compare the renewal method, equipment, refund rule and total price. “No contract” alone does not make a home internet plan prepaid, and availability still depends on the address.
Use the ZIP search for an area-level shortlist. The provider must confirm the complete service address and the particular prepaid offer before you pay.
Which prepaid internet providers have verified home plans?
The useful shortlist is smaller than many “no-contract” lists suggest. These are two prepaid internet services whose providers state the payment arrangement directly:
| Verified option | How payment works | Important condition |
|---|---|---|
| Xfinity NOW Internet | The listed tiers are 100 Mbps for $30 per month and 200 Mbps for $45 per month; service renews automatically after the prepaid period.[1] | Self-installation and the supplied refurbished gateway are required; taxes and fees are included.[2] |
| CenturyLink prepaid | CenturyLink says customers can prepay by credit or debit card when signing up online, without a credit check or annual contract.[3] | The available speed and offer depend on the address, so request the actual order summary.[3] |
This is not a claim that either company serves every home. Xfinity excludes some addresses and account situations from NOW, including fiber properties and homes with certain active Xfinity services.[1] CenturyLink directs shoppers to check offers at their home.[3]
Credit approval is a separate question. Some prepaid plans avoid it, but never infer that from “month-to-month” or “no annual contract.” See our home internet with no credit check guide for the documents and deposit questions to ask.
Prepaid internet is not the same as no-contract internet
A plan can let you leave without an early termination charge while still billing after service, requiring a credit check or using a normal monthly account. T-Mobile, for example, advertises home internet with no annual contract and an included gateway, but its public plan page presents monthly AutoPay pricing rather than calling the service prepaid.[4]
Use this quick test: Does the provider take payment for the next service period before that period begins? If the answer is unclear, ask the salesperson to identify the plan as prepaid in the written order.
Our no-contract internet guide covers cancellation terms across both prepaid and postpaid plans. Prepaid can simplify budgeting, but it does not automatically mean the cheapest plan or the easiest exit.
Check renewal, pause and refund rules before paying
Xfinity NOW requires enrollment in automatic payments at purchase. Turning off autopay pauses or cancels renewal, but service continues only through the paid period; the company says service is canceled if it remains paused beyond 180 days.[1] Once NOW service is activated, service payments are not refunded or prorated.[1]
That example shows why “pay as you go” needs closer reading. Before ordering any prepaid plan, record:
- the renewal date and whether renewal is automatic;
- accepted payment types and what happens after a declined payment;
- whether pausing preserves the account, rate and equipment;
- whether unused days are refundable after activation;
- how far ahead you must restart service;
- whether a move requires a new account and address check.
For NOW Internet, a move requires closing the old account, checking the new address and receiving a new gateway; the old gateway does not move with you.[1] If you expect to relocate soon, compare that rule with the planning steps in our moving internet guide.
Treat equipment as part of the price
NOW includes its required gateway and does not allow customer-owned equipment.[1] The gateway does not need to be returned after cancellation, but it stops working for NOW service and Xfinity encourages recycling it.[1] CenturyLink’s public prepaid page does not establish one universal equipment charge, so ask for the address-specific modem or router terms.[3]
Do not compare only the advertised monthly amount. Ask whether the quote includes equipment, activation, installation, taxes and fees. The FCC requires a Broadband Consumer Label for each standalone fixed plan; use it to compare price, introductory rates, data allowances and speeds.[5]
Prepaid quote worksheet
Write one answer in every row before entering payment details:
| Question | Provider’s written answer | Where verified |
|---|---|---|
| Is this explicitly prepaid? | Order summary | |
| What is due today and at renewal? | Order and broadband label | |
| Is renewal automatic? | Billing terms | |
| Is equipment included, rented or purchased? | Equipment terms | |
| What happens if I pause, cancel or move? | Cancellation policy | |
| Are activated service payments refundable? | Refund policy |
If a salesperson cannot show the answer, do not substitute a general marketing page for the actual order terms.
Compare prepaid plans at your address
Use the call option for sales and plan comparison, not support for an existing account. Ask specifically for a prepaid home internet plan, then confirm the complete address, renewal method, equipment and full amount due before paying.
Carrier-specific prepaid options are covered in AT&T prepaid internet, Verizon prepaid home internet, Cricket home internet, Metro by T-Mobile home internet and Boost Mobile and home internet.
Frequently asked questions
Does prepaid internet always require autopay?
No universal rule applies. Xfinity NOW requires automatic payments when purchased, even though it is prepaid.[1] Ask each provider how to stop the next renewal.
Can I bring my own router to prepaid home internet?
It depends on the plan. NOW requires its included gateway and does not accept customer-owned equipment.[1] Get the equipment rule for the exact offer.
Is prepaid home internet available anywhere the provider serves?
No. NOW has address and account exclusions, while CenturyLink tells shoppers to check home-specific offers.[1][3] A ZIP result is only a starting point.
Sources
- Xfinity: NOW Internet FAQs. Xfinity, NOW Internet FAQs, accessed October 20, 2026. Plan, renewal, equipment, moving and refund rules. ↩
- NOW Internet - Prepaid Internet. Xfinity, NOW Internet, accessed October 20, 2026. Current public offer and restrictions. ↩
- CenturyLink: No Credit Check Internet Service. CenturyLink, No Credit Check Internet Service, accessed October 20, 2026. Browser-read prepaid signup terms and address-dependent offer. ↩
- T-Mobile 5G Home Internet Plans. T-Mobile, 5G Home Internet Plans, accessed October 20, 2026. No-contract comparison and included gateway. ↩
- FCC: Broadband Consumer Labels. Federal Communications Commission, Broadband Consumer Labels, accessed October 20, 2026. Required fixed-plan shopping disclosures. ↩
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