GoNetspeed and Cox are both popular internet service providers in the United States. In terms of coverage, Cox is by far larger in terms of regions served. However, there are areas that are served by both Cox and GoNetspeed where you will need to make a decision between them. There are 7 major differences that you should be aware of and how it will affect you.
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Important Differences to Note
- GoNetspeed is a 100% fiber optic-based service, whereas Cox is a hybrid fiber/coax service in most regions.
- Cox has a 1.25 TB data cap on all residential plans, whereas GoNetspeed has no data caps at all.
- Cox has a larger coverage region and also more extensive coverage in rural areas.
- GoNetspeed is generally less expensive for the same speed tier.
- Upload speeds max out at 35 Mbps with Cox vs 945 Mbps for GoNetspeed.
- GoNetspeed generally offers a better customer support experience than Cox.
- Cox offers the ability to bundle TV and mobile phone service with its internet plans.
| GoNetspeed | Cox | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of Technology | Fiber | Cable or Fiber |
| Release Date | 1998 | 1996 |
| Download Speeds | 300 – 1000 Mbps | 100 – 2000 Mbps |
| Upload Speeds | 300 – 1000 Mbps | 5 – 35 Mbps |
| Latency (Ping) | 8 ms – 20 ms | 15 ms – 30 ms |
| Ping Stability | Very Good | Very Good |
| Ease of Setup | Easy | Easy |
| Upfront Cost | $0 | $0 |
| Monthly Service Cost | $55 – $90 | $50 – $110 |
| Contracts | No | Optional |
| Free Trial | No | No |
| Data Caps | No | 1.25 TB Cap |
| Publicly Routable IP Address | Extra $10 per month | Included |
Price Comparison
On average, pricing with Cox is higher than with GoNetspeed for comparable speed tiers. Pricing with Cox is also significantly higher if you do not opt to bundle your mobile phone service with them via Cox Mobile.
GoNetspeed charges an extra $10 per month if you want a public routable (static) IP address assigned to your account. Otherwise, you will receive a CGNAT private IP address instead.
Pricing with GoNetspeed includes unlimited data, whereas pricing with Cox includes 1.25 TB of data. Additional data can be used at a rate of $10 per 50 GB. Cox data caps are strict.
Cox Internet Pricing
| With Cox Mobile | Without Cox Mobile | |
|---|---|---|
| 100 Mbps | $35 | $49.99 |
| 250 Mbps | $55 | $69.99 |
| 500 Mbps | $75 | $89.99 |
| 1 Gbps | $95 | $109.99 |
GoNetspeed Internet Pricing
| First 12 Months | After 12 Months | |
|---|---|---|
| 300 Mbps | $54.99 | $64.99 |
| 500 Mbps | $59.99 | $69.99 |
| 1 Gbps | $69.99 | $79.99 |
Cox also requires signing up for a 24 month contract to get the best pricing, whereas GoNetspeed is 100% free of contracts.
Canceling a 12-month or 24-month contract early will require you to pay an early termination fee.
The fee is currently $120 for a one-year contract and $240 for a two-year contract. The fee goes down by $10 per month each month you pay for service.
Installation is free with GoNetspeed vs costing $100 with Cox. This is a one-time fee that is charged to your first month of service.
Taxes and fees are included with GoNetspeed internet. With Cox, you can expect to pay between $7 – $15 per month in required fees. You can also expect to pay about $12 per month in modem rental fees with Cox Internet, but you have the option of purchasing your own modem instead if you wish.
Cox and GoNetspeed do not currently offer promotions such as free Disney+, Netflix, or other services at this time. Both services include a 30-day money-back guarantee on all internet services.
Download and Upload Speeds
Advertised download speeds with Cox and GoNetspeed are similar. Both offer plans including 500 Mbps and 1 Gbps speeds. Cox offers a 2 Gbps download in select areas but not in most. Cox also offers the option of a less expensive 100 Mbps plan not offered by GoNetspeed.
Real-world shows that GoNetspeed is more consistent at providing speeds that match or even exceed the advertised bandwidth. Cox, on average, delivers between 75% – 85% of advertised download speeds. This is lower than the telecom industry average.
Upload speeds are significantly higher with GoNetspeed. All of their plans offer symmetrical speeds. This means that if you get 300 Mbps, 500 Mbps, or 1 Gbps speeds for downloads, you also get the same fast speeds for uploads.
Upload speeds with Cox in most areas range from 5 Mbps – 35 Mbps, depending on the plan. A few areas have Cox fiber to the premise service, which offers symmetrical speeds like GoNetspeed
Latency and Stability
Both internet services offer good connection stability and low latency. Whether you work from home, attend virtual meetings via Zoom, play online games, etc., you can benefit from having a stable and consistent internet connection.
For gaming, GoNetspeed offers slightly better performance due to its network architecture, but the differences are subtle. NAT Type issues occurred most frequently with GoNetspeed due to the use of CGNAT. Upgrading your GoNetspeed service to have a publicly routable IP address resolves this issue.
| GoNetspeed Internet | Cox Internet | |
| Average Latency (Off Peak Hours) | 7 ms – 20 ms | 15 ms – 35 ms |
| Average Latency (Peak Hours) | 7 ms – 23 ms | 18 ms – 35 ms |
| Latency (Max Spikes) (Off Peak) | 30 ms – 35 ms | 43 ms – 50 ms |
| Latency (Max Spikes) (Peak) | 30 ms – 40 ms | 48 ms – 53 ms |
Service Reliability
Generally, both GoNetspeed and Cox offer above-average internet service reliability when compared to all residential ISPs as a whole.
Of course, as with most residential internet services, they do not offer service level agreements and sell their services as a best-effort service. This is standard practice in the residential ISP space.
Generally, you can expect reliability of 99.5% or higher with either service. Based on the inherent advantages of a fiber-based network, GoNetspeed may have a slight advantage or at least a slight theoretical advantage over Cox.
If you do need customer support, GoNetspeed support is available from Monday-Friday: 8:00am-5:00pm Eastern Time. Cox offers round-the-clock support on all days, including major holidays.
Who is GoNetspeed Internet Best For
GoNetspeed is a great choice for anyone who lives in their service territories. They offer good pricing and very fast internet speeds in both directions. Customer service is decent, and they are generally able to fix technical issues over the phone.
GoNetspeed is best for anyone who needs a very reliable internet connection. If you work from home, run a business from home, or have other critical internet needs, GoNetspeed is a solid choice, and its pricing is very competitive.
Who is Cox Internet Best For
Cox Internet is best for people who do not have access to GoNetspeed or other 100% fiber based internet services at their home address. Cox is also best for people looking to bundle cell phone service with their internet plans to save additional money.
Alternatives to GoNetspeed and Cox to Consider
There are several other internet service providers that you should also consider looking into. A short list of my personal recommendations includes:
- Xfinity Internet
- Verizon Fios Internet
- Fidium Fiber Internet
- AT&T Fiber Internet
- Breezeline Internet
GoNetspeed or Cox Internet Service: Which is Better
For most people, either service would be fine. Given the option of either service at my home, I would go with GoNetspeed for the faster upload speeds and better pricing. That said, Cox is also a good option for many people.
For some people, Cox’s data caps are simply too restrictive for their bandwidth intensive lifestyles. However, for most people, 1.25 TB of data is more than enough, even with a family of streamers and gamers.