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Google Fiber vs Spectrum in Austin
Google Fiber delivers up to 8,000 Mbps at $70 but only to half of Austin, while Spectrum blankets 92% of the city for a lower $30 starting price.
Google Fiber wins on raw speed, offering up to 8,000 Mbps for $70 with a near-perfect 99/100 speed score, but it only reaches about half of Austin. Spectrum is the coverage king at ~92% and the cheaper starting price at $30, topping out at 1,000 Mbps and an 88/100 speed score. Choose Google Fiber if it’s live at your address and you want the fastest symmetrical speeds for the money. Choose Spectrum if you want a low starting price, wide availability, or Fiber simply hasn’t reached your block yet.
At a glance
Google Fiber vs. Spectrum, side by side.
| Provider | Type | Top speed | City coverage | Starting price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Fiber |
Fiber | 8 Gig 8 Gig upload |
50% | $70/mo | Top fiber speeds |
| Spectrum |
Cable | 1 Gig 1 Gig upload |
92% | $30/mo | Widest availability |
Coverage map
Two different questions, two views. Top speed shows who offers the faster plan where you can actually get it. Coverage shows who reaches more of each ZIP. Or pick a single provider to see just its footprint.
Neighborhood breakdown
Coverage flips block to block in Austin: Spectrum reaches about 92% of the city, so it’s usually an option, while Google Fiber’s ~50% footprint means it’s a coin flip by neighborhood. In areas where Fiber has been built out, you get a real choice; elsewhere, Spectrum may be your only wired pick. Always check both at your exact address before deciding.
| ZIP | Neighborhoods | Coverage | Top speed | Speed Score | Winner | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Fiber | Spectrum | Google Fiber | Spectrum | Google Fiber | Spectrum | |||
| 78745 | South Austin, Cherry Creek, Sunset Valley (adjacent), Garrison Park | 92% | 98% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 98 | 90 | Google Fiber |
| 78738 | Bee Cave, Lakeway (edge), Falconhead, Rough Hollow | 0% | 82% | — | 1 Gig | — | 87 | Spectrum |
| 78759 | Great Hills, Balcones Woods, Milwood, Jester Estates | 32% | 96% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 86 | 90 | Spectrum |
| 78748 | Shady Hollow, South Austin, Tanglewood, Cherry Creek | 64% | 98% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 92 | 90 | Google Fiber |
| 78744 | Franklin Park, McKinney, Southeast Austin, Onion Creek (area) | 34% | 82% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 86 | 87 | Spectrum |
| 78724 | Colony Park, Johnston Terrace, Northeast Austin | 1% | 85% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 79 | 87 | Spectrum |
| 78737 | Dripping Springs (edge), Belterra, Circle C (west), Highpointe | 1% | 96% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 79 | 90 | Spectrum |
| 78702 | East Austin, Holly, East Cesar Chavez, Chestnut | 80% | 92% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 95 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78753 | North Lamar, Georgian Acres, Heritage Hills, Walnut Creek | 81% | 93% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 95 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78704 | South Congress (SoCo), Zilker, Bouldin Creek, Travis Heights | 93% | 96% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 98 | 90 | Google Fiber |
| 78703 | Tarrytown, Clarksville, Old West Austin, Pemberton Heights | 46% | 93% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 88 | 89 | Spectrum |
| 78746 | West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, Westlake, Lost Creek | 18% | 93% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 83 | 89 | Spectrum |
| 78701 | Downtown Austin, Rainey Street District, Sixth Street, Warehouse District | 13% | 70% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 82 | 84 | Spectrum |
| 78747 | Onion Creek, McKinney, Southeast Austin, Bradshaw Crossing | 51% | 92% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 89 | 89 | Spectrum |
| 78754 | Harris Branch, Pioneer Crossing, Windsor Park (north) | 38% | 84% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 87 | 87 | Spectrum |
| 78717 | Avery Ranch, Brushy Creek, Anderson Mill | 62% | 96% | 2 Gig | 1 Gig | 92 | 90 | Google Fiber |
| 78723 | Mueller, Windsor Park, University Hills, Pecan Springs | 86% | 94% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 96 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78734 | Lakeway, Lakewood, The Hills, Hudson Bend | 0% | 96% | — | 1 Gig | — | 90 | Spectrum |
| 78735 | Barton Creek, Oak Hill, Travis Country, Lost Creek (edge) | 67% | 93% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 93 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78750 | Anderson Mill, Balcones Village, Spicewood at Balcones Canyonlands | 69% | 97% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 93 | 90 | Google Fiber |
| 78758 | North Burnet, Gracy Woods, The Domain, Wooten | 62% | 92% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 92 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78727 | North Austin, Scofield Farms, Milwood, Gracywoods | 76% | 95% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 94 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78741 | Riverside, Montopolis, Pleasant Valley, East Riverside | 77% | 94% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 95 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78739 | Circle C Ranch, Meridian, Shady Hollow (edge) | 54% | 98% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 90 | 90 | Spectrum |
| 78757 | Crestview, Allandale, Wooten, Brentwood | 89% | 94% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 97 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78752 | St. Johns, Highland, Coronado Hills | 76% | 88% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 94 | 88 | Google Fiber |
| 78705 | West Campus, North Campus, University of Texas, Hyde Park (south) | 62% | 94% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 92 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78736 | Oak Hill, Scenic Brook, Thomas Springs | 38% | 98% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 87 | 90 | Spectrum |
| 78751 | Hyde Park, North Loop, Hancock | 87% | 94% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 97 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78731 | Northwest Hills, Allandale, Rosedale, Bull Creek | 28% | 95% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 85 | 89 | Spectrum |
| 78749 | Circle C Ranch, Maple Run, Legend Oaks, Village at Western Oaks | 88% | 98% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 97 | 90 | Google Fiber |
| 78728 | Wells Branch, North Austin, Pflugerville (adjacent) | 58% | 86% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 91 | 88 | Google Fiber |
| 78719 | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Del Valle (area) | 0% | 83% | — | 1 Gig | — | 87 | Spectrum |
| 78756 | Brentwood, Crestview, Rosedale | 88% | 93% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 97 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78729 | Milwood, Jollyville, Anderson Mill, Northwest Austin | 37% | 95% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 87 | 89 | Spectrum |
| 78726 | Canyon Creek, Four Points, Anderson Mill West | 33% | 91% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 86 | 89 | Spectrum |
| 78722 | Cherrywood, French Place, Mueller (south edge) | 91% | 97% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 97 | 90 | Google Fiber |
| 78733 | Bee Cave (edge), Cuernavaca, Lake Hills, Rob Roy | 0% | 98% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 79 | 90 | Spectrum |
| 78721 | East Austin, MLK-183, Springdale | 58% | 93% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 91 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78725 | Hornsby Bend, Del Valle (area), East Austin | 2% | 80% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 80 | 86 | Spectrum |
| 78732 | Steiner Ranch, River Place, Comanche Trail | 0% | 94% | — | 1 Gig | — | 89 | Spectrum |
| 78730 | River Place, Long Canyon, Steiner Ranch (edge), Northwest Hills | 0% | 93% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 79 | 89 | Spectrum |
| 78762 | Austin (PO Box/administrative) | 73% | 90% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 94 | 88 | Google Fiber |
| 78768 | Downtown Austin (PO Box/administrative) | 1% | 58% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 79 | 82 | Spectrum |
| 78767 | Downtown Austin (PO Box/administrative) | 1% | 58% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 79 | 82 | Spectrum |
| 78765 | Austin (PO Box/administrative) | 91% | 95% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 97 | 89 | Google Fiber |
| 78716 | West Lake Hills area (administrative) | 6% | 98% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 80 | 90 | Spectrum |
| 78763 | Austin (PO Box/administrative) | 67% | 99% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 93 | 90 | Google Fiber |
| 78715 | South Austin (administrative) | 98% | 100% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 99 | 90 | Google Fiber |
| 78766 | Austin (PO Box/administrative) | 95% | 96% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 98 | 90 | Google Fiber |
| 78711 | Downtown Austin (administrative) | 0% | 69% | — | 1 Gig | — | 84 | Spectrum |
| 78714 | North Austin (administrative) | 2% | 78% | 8 Gig | 1 Gig | 80 | 86 | Spectrum |
| 78742 | Montopolis, Austin-Bergstrom (area), Del Valle (edge) | 0% | 90% | — | 1 Gig | — | 88 | Spectrum |
| 78755 | Northwest Austin, Balcones Park area | 0% | 92% | — | 1 Gig | — | 89 | Spectrum |
Speed Score (0–100) blends each provider’s coverage and top speed in that specific ZIP, so it moves as availability changes street to street.
Which is better for…
The right pick comes down to what you actually do online.
Get connected
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- 8 Gig down · 8 Gig up Fiber
- 2 Gig down · 2 Gig up Fiber
- 1 Gig down · 1 Gig up Cable
- 1 Gig down · 500 Mbps up Fiber
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Check my addressFrequently asked questions
is google fiber available at my address in austin?
Google Fiber covers roughly 50% of Austin, while Spectrum reaches about 92%, so Fiber is a coin flip depending on your block. Enter your exact street address on both providers’ checkers, since availability changes street by street.
which is cheaper in austin, google fiber or spectrum?
Spectrum starts at $30/mo versus Google Fiber’s $70/mo, so Spectrum is the cheaper entry point. Both prices are promotional starting rates, so confirm the post-promo rate, any equipment fees, and contract terms before you sign.
is google fiber faster than spectrum, and is it enough for gaming and 4k?
Google Fiber is faster where available, offering up to 8,000/8,000 Mbps with a 99/100 speed score versus Spectrum’s up to 1,000/1,000 Mbps and 88/100. Both are more than enough for gaming, WFH, and 4K, so if Fiber isn’t at your address, Spectrum still covers your needs.
More Austin comparisons
How Austin’s other qualifying providers stack up head-to-head.