TL;DR:
Why Equipment Fees Quietly Destroy Your “Good Deal”
Here’s something most people don’t realize until the first bill lands: that “$50/month internet plan” often isn’t $50. Equipment rental fees — typically $10–$15 a month for a modem, router, or gateway — can add $120 to $180 per year to your bill. That’s money you never budgeted for, and it’s the single most common hidden cost in home internet.
The good news? In 2026, more providers than ever are bundling equipment into the plan price. No separate line item, no rental, no surprises. The providers who do this are essentially giving you a free modem and router — and they still make a perfectly good business out of it.
$10–$15
Typical Monthly Rental
$180/yr
Avg. Annual Cost
$900
Over 5 Years
7 of 10
Top ISPs Include Gear
The math speaks for itself. Even a modest $10/month equipment fee costs you $600 over five years. Choosing a provider that includes equipment from the start puts that money back in your pocket — without sacrificing speed or reliability.
Best Internet Plans with Equipment Included
We reviewed every major ISP and ranked them by one simple question: do you pay for equipment, or don’t you? These providers include everything you need in the monthly price — no rental fees, no “surprise” charges on bill two.
$0 Equipment · $0 Fees
5G Wireless · Nationwide Coverage
$50
/month(Unlimited data) $35/mo with any T-Mobile phone plan · Taxes & fees included
- Free 5G gateway shipped to your door — plug in and go
- No modem rental, no router fee, no equipment charge of any kind
- Taxes and fees baked into the price — $50 means $50
- Unlimited data, no caps, no overage fees
- No annual contract, 15-day test drive guarantee
- 5-year price lock — rate won’t increase
- Typical speeds: 72–245 Mbps (varies by location)
All-In Pricing
Fiber Optic · 9 States + D.C.
$34.99
/month(300 Mbps) All-in pricing — no hidden taxes, fees, or equipment charges
- Free Wi-Fi 6E router included with every plan
- Zero equipment charges — router is part of the deal
- No data caps on any tier
- Symmetrical upload and download speeds
- No annual contract required
- Multi-year price lock guarantee
- Plans up to 2 Gbps available
Truly Transparent
Fiber Optic · Select Metro Areas
$70
/month(1 Gbps) No hidden fees, no contracts, no data caps — ever
- All equipment included in plan price — no rental fees
- Free professional installation by Google technician
- No surprise fees, no equipment surcharges, no activation cost
- Symmetrical gigabit speeds (1 Gbps up and down)
- No data caps on any plan
- Plans up to 8 Gbps (Edge tier)
- FCC broadband labels fully transparent — check before you buy
Free Router + $0 Fees
Fiber Optic · 25 States
$50
/month(500 Mbps) Free eero Pro 6E router · No equipment fees whatsoever
- Free Amazon eero Pro 6E Wi-Fi router included
- No equipment rental charges — not now, not later
- No data caps, no overage fees
- No contract required
- Price locked — no annual increases
- Free professional installation
- Plans up to 7 Gbps available
$0 Everything
5G Wireless · 900+ Cities
$35
/month(with mobile bundle) $60/mo standalone · Free router, no equipment or hidden fees
- Free 5G gateway/router included — no rental
- No equipment charges, no hidden fees
- All-in pricing: advertised price is the actual price
- No contract required
- Unlimited data on all plans
- No annual contract
- Speeds up to 1,000 Mbps in Ultra Wideband areas
- Free router upgrade after 3 years (Ultimate plan)
Equipment Included
Cable (Fiber-Powered) · Nationwide
$40
/month(300 Mbps) WiFi equipment & unlimited data included · Taxes and fees extra
- Wi-Fi gateway included at no extra cost on current plans
- Unlimited data included on all tiers
- 5-year price guarantee option (locks base rate)
- No contract, cancel anytime with no penalty
- Speeds up to 1,200 Mbps
- Advanced Security included free
- Note: taxes & fees are extra (not included in base price)
Free Modem · Router $7/mo
Cable · 42 States
$50
/month(300 Mbps) Free modem included · Wi-Fi router is $7/mo (or use your own)
- Free modem included on every plan — no rental at all
- Wi-Fi router costs $7/month (avoidable with your own router)
- Gig plan includes free Wi-Fi 7 router
- No data caps — truly unlimited
- No contracts, cancel anytime
- Free antivirus security suite included
- 42-state availability — one of the widest in the US
Equipment in Plan Price
Fiber Optic · 21 States
$35
/month(300 Mbps) Equipment included in plan pricing · Largest fiber footprint in US
- Wi-Fi gateway included in plan price
- No separate equipment rental line item
- No data caps on fiber plans
- Symmetrical speeds on all tiers
- No annual contract
- 20% discount when bundling with AT&T wireless
- Installation fee ($49–$99) may apply — often waived on promos
Full Equipment & Fee Comparison Table
Here’s every provider side by side. We looked at what’s truly included versus what’s technically an extra charge hiding in the fine print. Green means free, orange means there’s a catch.
| Provider | Type | Modem/Gateway | Router/Wi-Fi | Data Cap | Contract | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile 5G Home | 5G | FREE | INCLUDED | Unlimited | None | $50/mo |
| Verizon Fios | Fiber | FREE | FREE (Wi-Fi 6E) | Unlimited | None | $35/mo |
| Google Fiber | Fiber | FREE | INCLUDED | Unlimited | None | $70/mo |
| Frontier Fiber | Fiber | FREE | FREE (eero Pro) | Unlimited | None | $50/mo |
| Verizon 5G Home | 5G | FREE | INCLUDED | Unlimited | None | $35/mo* |
| Quantum Fiber | Fiber | FREE | INCLUDED | Unlimited | None | $30/mo |
| Xfinity | Cable | INCLUDED | INCLUDED | Unlimited | None | $40/mo |
| AT&T Fiber | Fiber | INCLUDED | INCLUDED | Unlimited | None | $35/mo |
| Spectrum | Cable | FREE | $7/mo | Unlimited | None | $50/mo |
| Starlink | Satellite | $15/mo rental | INCLUDED | Unlimited | None | $50/mo |
| Cox | Cable | $13/mo rental | Included in rental | 1.25 TB cap | None |
Verizon 5G Home at $35/mo requires an active Verizon mobile plan. Standalone starts at $60/mo.
What Equipment Does Each Provider Include?
Not all “included equipment” is created equal. Some providers hand you a basic gateway that barely covers a bedroom. Others ship a premium mesh system for free. Here’s what you actually get with each provider.
5G Gateway (T-Mobile, Verizon)
Casual browsing, social media, HD streaming a few hours daily, occasional video calls. A 1 TB cap is plenty. You likely don’t need unlimited.
Fiber ONT + Router (Verizon Fios, AT&T)
Fiber uses an ONT (Optical Network Terminal) outside your home plus a Wi-Fi router inside. Both are included. Verizon gives you a Wi-Fi 6E router; AT&T includes their Smart Wi-Fi Gateway.
Mesh Wi-Fi System (Frontier)
Frontier includes an Amazon eero Pro 6E router — a high-end mesh device that retails for $200+. This is arguably the best free equipment of any ISP and covers large homes easily.
Cable Gateway (Xfinity, Spectrum)
Cable ISPs provide an xFi Gateway (Xfinity) or a standalone modem (Spectrum). Xfinity bundles modem + router. Spectrum gives the modem free but charges $7/mo for Wi-Fi.
Hidden Fees That “Equipment Included” Doesn’t Always Cover
Even when the modem and router are free, there are other charges that can sneak onto your bill. Here’s what to watch out for — because “no equipment fees” doesn’t always mean “no fees at all.”
Taxes & Surcharges
T-Mobile and Verizon include taxes and fees in their advertised price. What they say is what you pay. Most cable providers (Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox) add taxes and regional fees on top of the base price — typically adding $5–$12/month depending on your area. Always look at the total bill, not just the plan price.
Activation & Setup Fees
Spectrum charges a $30 activation fee. T-Mobile has a one-time $35 device connection fee. AT&T might charge $49–$99 for installation. These are one-time costs, but they’re easy to miss if you’re focused on the monthly rate. Providers like Verizon Fios (online orders), Google Fiber, and Frontier charge $0 upfront.
Post-Promo Price Hikes
This is the big one. Many cable plans jump $20–$40/month after the first year. That “$40/month” plan suddenly becomes $65–$80. Providers with price locks — like Verizon (multi-year), T-Mobile (5-year), Xfinity (5-year option), and Google Fiber (stable pricing) — protect you from this entirely.
Cox Internet Preferred starts at ~$50/mo, but add the $13/mo modem rental, and your real cost is $63/mo — that’s $756/year, not $600. Choose a provider with included equipment and you keep that $156.
Can You Bring Your Own Equipment?
If your provider charges for equipment, you might be able to dodge that fee entirely by using your own modem and router. Here’s where it works — and where it doesn’t.
Cable (Spectrum, Cox, Xfinity)
You can buy your own DOCSIS 3.1 modem ($80–$150) and Wi-Fi 6 router ($50–$100). This saves the monthly rental and pays for itself within 8–12 months. Check your provider’s approved modem list first.
Fiber & 5G (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T)
Fiber requires a provider-specific ONT, and 5G requires their gateway device. You can’t bring your own. But since these providers include equipment for free anyway, it doesn’t matter.
If you’re on Spectrum, buying your own router is one of the easiest ways to save money. The $7/mo Wi-Fi fee adds up to $84/year. A solid Wi-Fi 6 router costs $60–$100 and lasts 5+ years — it pays for itself in the first year.
Our Verdict
The days of paying $15/month for a rented modem are fading — and fast. In 2026, the best internet providers include all the equipment you need in the plan price. No rental line items, no surprise first bills, no “oh, I didn’t realize that was extra” moments.
If you want the simplest, most transparent deal with zero hidden fees and zero equipment charges, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet and Verizon (both Fios and 5G Home) are the gold standard. Google Fiber and Frontier Fiber are close behind, offering premium gear included at no extra cost. Even Xfinity has shifted to including equipment in the plan price on current plans.
The providers worth avoiding for equipment costs? Cox, with its $13/month modem rental and data caps, and any cable plan where you’re not buying your own gear to dodge the fee.
Best Plans with Equipment Included (2026)
$50/mo all-in · Free gateway · Taxes included
$35/mo · Free Wi-Fi 6E router · No hidden fees
$70/mo · Everything included · No surprises
$50/mo · Free eero Pro 6E · No rental ever
$35/mo w/ mobile · Free router · All-in pricing
$30/mo · Equipment included · Price for Life
Frequently Asked Questions
As of March 2026, providers that include all equipment at no extra cost include T-Mobile 5G Home Internet (free 5G gateway), Verizon Fios (free Wi-Fi 6E router), Google Fiber (all equipment included), Frontier Fiber (free eero Pro 6E router), Verizon 5G Home (free gateway), Quantum Fiber (equipment included), and AT&T Fiber (gateway included in plan price). Xfinity now includes Wi-Fi equipment on its current national plans. Spectrum includes a free modem but charges $7/month for the Wi-Fi router.
Typical modem/router rental fees range from $10 to $15 per month, which adds up to $120–$180 per year. Over a 5-year period, that’s $600–$900 in rental costs alone. Cox charges $13/month for a gateway rental ($156/year). Spectrum charges $7/month for a Wi-Fi router ($84/year). Buying your own DOCSIS 3.1 modem and Wi-Fi 6 router costs about $130–$250 total and pays for itself within 8–18 months.
With cable providers like Spectrum, Cox, and Xfinity, yes — you can purchase your own DOCSIS 3.1 modem and a separate Wi-Fi router. This eliminates the monthly rental fee entirely. Always check your provider’s approved equipment list before buying. With fiber (Verizon Fios, AT&T, Frontier) and 5G (T-Mobile, Verizon 5G Home), you must use their equipment since it’s designed specifically for their network. The good news is that most fiber and 5G providers include this equipment for free anyway, so there’s no fee to avoid.
All-in pricing means the advertised price includes taxes, fees, and equipment charges. The price you see is the exact price on your bill — no surprises. Verizon and T-Mobile are the standouts here. When Verizon says “$35/month,” that includes taxes, fees, and the router. When T-Mobile says “$50/month,” taxes and the gateway are baked in. Most cable providers (Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox) do NOT do this — they add taxes and regional fees on top of the base price, typically adding $5–$12/month extra.
Yes. Nearly all providers require you to return their equipment (gateways, routers, ONTs) within 30 days of cancellation. If you don’t, you’ll be charged an unreturned equipment fee — typically $100 to $300 per device. Verizon charges up to $300 for unreturned equipment. T-Mobile will charge for the 5G gateway. Most providers offer prepaid return labels or let you drop equipment off at local stores or UPS. Frontier is an exception — you keep the eero router even after canceling, since it’s a consumer device.
The equipment itself is different but serves the same purpose. 5G gateways (from T-Mobile and Verizon) are all-in-one devices that receive a cellular signal and broadcast Wi-Fi. They’re compact and easy to set up. Fiber equipment (ONT + router) tends to support faster wired connections and is generally more stable. In terms of quality, fiber equipment provides more consistent performance, while 5G gateways are simpler but depend on cellular signal strength. Both are included free, so the real question is which connection type works better at your address.
Beyond equipment rental, the most common hidden fees include: activation/setup fees ($30–$100 one-time), taxes and regional surcharges ($5–$12/month added to base price), data overage fees (Cox and some Xfinity plans charge $10 per 50 GB over the cap), and post-promotional price increases ($15–$40/month jump after the introductory period ends). The best way to avoid all of these is to choose a provider with all-in pricing, no data caps, and a price lock guarantee — T-Mobile and Verizon check all three boxes.
Buying your own is always cheaper long-term. A good DOCSIS 3.1 modem costs $80–$150 and a Wi-Fi 6 router runs $50–$100 — a total of $130–$250. Monthly equipment rental fees of $10–$15 mean you break even in 8–18 months. After that, you’re saving $120–$180 every year. Over 5 years, buying your own equipment saves $500–$700 compared to renting. The only caveat: if your provider includes equipment free (like Verizon, T-Mobile, or Google Fiber), there’s no need to buy your own at all.
Last updated March 2026. All prices, equipment inclusions, and promotional offers are based on currently advertised rates and may vary by location. Equipment return policies and unreturned equipment fees apply upon cancellation. “Free equipment” means no separate monthly rental charge — equipment remains the property of the provider unless otherwise stated. We are not affiliated with any internet service provider mentioned in this guide. Always verify current pricing and equipment terms at your specific address before subscribing.
