EarthLink Internet Review 2024

EarthLink has one of the largest reach compared to any other wired internet provider. But, not all the networks are of EarthLink’s own. Instead, the provider uses copper and fiber networks of other providers such as AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier, and Verizon. Satellite internet that Viasat offers or 5G service may also be available through EarthLink in selected areas. 

As EarthLink uses other providers to offer better availability, it also means you’ll be getting a higher price. But if all you need is higher availability, EarthLink has you covered.

Compared to all the other providers, EarthLink has the highest price. Although, the good thing about EarthLink is that they’re completely transparent about the price. The good thing about the price is that the company is transparent about the cost. 

As EarthLink uses different networks & connections to offer home internet service, the available plans and speeds can vary by address. 

So, here’s a breakdown of common DSL & fiber-optic EarthLink plans and how much they can cost. Remember that the actual price will vary based on where you live.

Plan	Starting Price	Max Speeds (MBPS)	Data Cap	Contract
12 MBPS	$55	12 MBPS download, 1 MBPS upload	No	1 year
24 MBPS	$60	24 MBPS download, 3 MBPS upload	No	1 year
45 MBPS	$65	45 MBPS download, 6 MBPS upload	No	1 year
75 MBPS	$70	75 MBPS download, 8 MBPS upload	No	1 year

Plan	Starting Price	Max Speeds (MBPS)	Data Cap	Contract
100 MBPS	$60	100 MBPS download, 100 MBPS upload	No	1 year
300 MBPS	$70	300 MBPS download, 300 MBPS upload	No	1 year
500 MBPS	$80	500 MBPS download, 500 MBPS upload	No	1 year
1,000 MBPS	$90	1,000 MBPS download, 1,000 MBPS upload	No	1 year

EarthLink doesn’t have a promotional price, so you’ll be paying the standard price right from the get-go. The good thing is that you’ll be stuck with the same pricing for 12 months straight as all plans come with a one-year price lock and an early termination fee of $200. If you choose EarthLink, you’ll have to pay high prices with a contract.

But the good thing about EarthLink’s pricing is that there’s no price hike. There’s no saying that EarthLink’s price will never remain the same, but unlike other providers there’s no annual price hike. 

If you want a provider for the long run, then EarthLink may be the more affordable option for you.

EarthLink DSL internet isn’t something to write great things about. It’s the same as every other DSL internet service. In some areas, it’s great and in some areas, it offers incredibly poor speeds. You may end up paying $50 per month with 3, 6, or 12 MBPS. 

The $60 plan may have max speeds of 18 or 24 MBPS, based on the availability speeds at your address.

Varying speeds at the same price point is nothing new for DSL connections. The only good thing we can say about EarthLink’s DSL internet connection is that it offers multiple plans compared to other providers that offer only 1 plan.

WiFi service is a part of all EarthLink plans without any additional cost. All you have to pay is the $13 monthly equipment rental. The equipment fee is unavoidable, even if you choose to use your equipment. 

So, keep adding $13 to every EarthLink plan while comparing options.

While signing up to EarthLink, you’ll have to pay a one-time installation fee of $40 to $80, which is confusing as EarthLink doesn’t perform the installation. Instead of installing the service by themselves, they’ll partner with your local telephone company (which is the actual provider whose service EarthLink is using) for installation.

In some cases, EarthLink’s installation fee may be lower than the local provider, or in some cases it may be higher. But there’s also a downside. Some providers also waive the installation fee when you sign up or include installation at no cost.

One definite great thing about EarthLink is unlimited data. Whatever plan you choose, you won’t have to worry about hitting the data cap or paying extra for data. Even if the local service provider has a data cap, EarthLink doesn’t impose them on the user. Moreover, EarthLink pledges to never throttle speeds.

EarthLink is one of the biggest internet providers in the country because of its partnerships. So, let’s start by comparing the type of service it offers compared to the same service offered by other providers.

DSL is typically the cheaper internet option but that’s not true in EarthLink’s case. EarthLink’s lowest-priced DSL plan is $55/mo and only offers speeds up to 12 MBPS. 

Compared to EarthLink, AT&T and Frontier also start around that price but they offer better speeds. Also, AT&T and Frontier don’t have any equipment fees or contracts.

EarthLink Fiber is also a higher-priced service compared to AT&T Fiber, Frontier, and Verizon FiOS. All the competitors have a lower starting price and better max speeds with the lowest costing plan.

EarthLink’s gigabit service costs more than AT&T, CenturyLink, and Frontier. Gigabit service from Cox and Mediacom from Cox comes at a higher starting price compared to EarthLink and the price increases after a year, while EarthLink’s price is more stable.

In most EarthLink service areas, you’ll have the option of DSL or fiber optic provider EarthLink partners with for service. If you compare EarthLink with the primary provider, it’s better to go with the original provider it’s cheaper in the long run.

If you’re looking for unlimited data, you may want to go with EarthLink as there are no data caps when you choose EarthLink. If you simply don’t want to deal with the provider, EarthLink could save you some headaches.

EarthLink is not a part of the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power so it’s hard to gauge an idea of their customer service scores.

The Better Business Bureau ranks “EarthLink” as an “A-plus” provider even after a poor customer review score. EarthLink scores only 1.02/5 in BBB’s customer review scores. 

Most of the reviews (around 140) are complaints about inconsistent speeds and early termination fees. 
If you’re having issues with EarthLink’s customer support, then you can reach out to customer support online at support.earthlink.net. You can also chat with a live representative.

Summing Up

EarthLink is not technically an internet service provider as it does not provide any service of its own. Instead, the provider sells plans using DSL and fiber networks of other providers. 

This means EarthLink will be costlier if you choose them instead of going with the original provider. However, there are some benefits of choosing EarthLink’s plans, such as stable pricing and no data caps. 

Choose carefully!