Optimum Internet vs. EarthLink: Which One Is Worth Your Money? (2024)

With its wide availability and wide range in speeds, EarthLink is the better pick here—though it’s closer than you think.

EarthLink leases bandwidth and piggybacks off other providers, meaning the internet provider can be found in most states across the country. However, those lease costs get passed down to customers, and EarthLink’s monthly prices are typically higher than other providers offering similar download speeds. Most customers approve of EarthLink, though the experience widely varies depending on who you ask.

Optimum gives customers unlimited data and fast download speeds. Predominantly found in the Northeast, Optimum offers both cable and fiber options that offer exceptional speeds. However, the vast majority of its customers have only cable available, so its fastest speeds are available to only a handful of people. Its spotty customer service and tack-on fees are also something customers should keep in mind.

“The seamless experience and dependability outweigh the potential benefits of switching.” — Kasandra Grant, EarthLink customer

On this page:

• Optimum vs. EarthLink—plans and pricing
• How did we research this guide?
• Optimum vs. EarthLink: who's the winner?
• Deals and promotions
• What customers think about Optimum vs. EarthLink
• Get internet

Optimum vs. EarthLink: Plans, pricing, and speed

At $40 a month, Optimum’s entry package starts at 300Mbps, which is enough power to fuel numerous devices in your home. It has both cable and fiber options—though the vast majority of Optimum users have cable. Optimum normally gives you a new customer price before increasing your monthly bill after the first year. Look out for fees on things like service visits and professional installation.

EarthLink provides DSL and fiber options starting at $59.95 for speeds starting at 3Mbps and 100Mbps, respectively. With a 12-month contract, EarthLink customers typically pay more for what they get, considering EarthLink’s system of piggybacking off other networks. You can also expect a few extra fees along the way, like fees for equipment rental and a cancellation fee of up to $200.

“I've used EarthLink for one service or another for most of the last couple decades, and it has always served me well.” — Dan Fugardi, EarthLink customer

Optimum vs. EarthLink: Fees for modem and installation

Optimum add-ons and perks

EarthLink add-ons and perks

Google Fiber vs. Spectrum: What do customers say?

Optimum customers think its service is good but say outages can be frustrating

Optimum customers tell Reviews.org that its service can give you a good deal, but oftentimes you have to work for it. Josh Michael, an Optimum customer of eight years in Brooklyn, says he was able to talk his way out of price hikes after Verizon Fios fiber internet became available in his area. “Now I’m getting a good deal. Before I thought it was expensive,” Michael says.

Other Optimum customers, like Brooklyn resident Geoffrey Turbeville, say they have no other options. Turbeville explains Optimum is the only option for high-speed internet, and he’s had the provider for over six years. “I don’t have any bargaining power,” Turbeville says. “We really only have one option.”

Turbeville also says he and his family frequently experience inconsistent internet speeds at home. He mostly notices the issue while watching New York Yankees games. “We need to unplug the router and plug it back in fairly regularly, but it does solve the problem,” he says.

Courtney Joan, a Beacon, New York, resident, says her Optimum internet isn’t always reliable, but she likes her monthly price and believes she’s getting a good deal. “It’s a good value, but you get what you pay for,” Joan says.

“Now I’m getting a good deal. Before I thought it was expensive.” —Josh Michael, Optimum customer

EarthLink customers are either hot or cold when sharing their thoughts on the internet provider.

Getting a sense of what customers think of EarthLink can be difficult, and it really depends on who you ask. For folks like Dan Fugardi, a resident of Marina del Rey, California, EarthLink has been nothing but positive. He’s been a loyal customer for years, and he tells Reviews.org he likes the service it provides. “It has always served me well,” Fugardi said. “I can't say I've ever had one of the nightmare stories that I've heard or experienced with bigger service providers.”

But not all EarthLink customers share that opinion. Leslie Aromy, a resident of Waveland, Mississippi, says she ran into a series of issues, and couldn’t consistently get in contact with EarthLink for help.

Aromy said she qualified for a federal subsidy that would help pay for her internet bills, but EarthLink charged her the wrong amount on her very first bill. She tried calling EarthLink for help, but she says, “I couldn’t get in touch with a person who could actually help me.” After disputing charges and trying to cancel her service, she went to her bank and put an automatic stop on her account in the hopes of blocking EarthLink from making additional charges.

“The first time [EarthLink] charged my bank, they didn’t charge me the right amount.” —Leslie Aromy, former EarthLink customer

Want Optimum or EarthLink? Find it in your area