CenturyLink Deals: Save on CenturyLink Internet Plans

For a while, CenturyLink offered one of the best internet deals of any provider. A few providers (including Optimum) have adopted CenturyLink’s Price for Life deal, but I’ve always preferred the original. Unfortunately, CenturyLink’s best deal is reserved for plans with speeds of up to 100 Mbps. I get by with my 100 Mbps plan, but working from home has made me realize I need a faster plan.

CenturyLink’s second-best deal is geared more toward parents, and it may be worth choosing CenturyLink if you’re searching for award-winning parental-control software. Whether you’re a parent or not, it’s hard to compete with CenturyLink’s low-price internet deals.

CenturyLink Internet Deals for New Customers

CenturyLink’s Price for Life deal is available to all new customers. After you sign up for a plan, you’ll get that price the entire time you keep your CenturyLink internet. The monthly rate is $49 per month no matter which plan you choose, and the rate will be locked in for as long as you keep your plan. The only catch is that the deal is limited to plans with speeds of no more than 100 Mbps. New customers can also get CenturyLink’s Fiber Gigabit plan for $65, which is one of the lowest-priced fiber gigabit plans available — especially if you have to choose between CenturyLink and Cox.

CenturyLink Internet Deals for Existing Customers

Something that truly sets CenturyLink apart is that it offers existing customers the same deals as new customers. If your plan costs more than any of the new-customer deals, just call CenturyLink to get a better deal.

CenturyLink also offers existing customers a type of deal I’ve never seen from any other provider: CenturyLink customers get a 20% discount on Bark, which allows parents to monitor screen time, add parental filters, and track their child’s location with the Bark Jr plan. Parents and school districts use Bark’s more comprehensive plan to get alerts about cyberbullying, potential online predators, and other online threats via Bark’s monitoring system.

CenturyLink Internet-Only Plans and Pricing

CenturyLink’s internet pricing is pretty straightforward: You either pay $49 or $65 per month. The Price for Life pricing is great, considering most plans cost around $50 to $60 after the promotional period ends. There’s no locked-in price for the Gigabit Internet plan, but you could always renew the deal if your price increases.

CenturyLink internet plans are what you’d expect to see from a DSL and fiber internet provider. Most DSL internet plans can reach speeds only up to 100 Mbps. That’s enough to support the streaming and gaming in many people’s houses, but I’d recommend the Gigabit Internet plan if it’s available. It costs less than gigabit plans from cable providers such as Xfinity and Spectrum, and it also includes a free modem.

CenturyLink Speed and Data Caps

CenturyLink is one of the five fastest internet providers in the United States, but it doesn’t offer any in-between plans — you may not need 1,000 Mbps, but you may want more than 100 Mbps.

Unfortunately, CenturyLink is also one of many providers that still places data caps on its internet plans. (The Fiber Gigabit plan is the only one that doesn’t have a cap.) CenturyLink internet plans have a 1 TB cap, but, as much as I don’t like the idea of a data cap, I’ve never exceeded even 400 GB of data in a month. CenturyLink doesn’t go out of its way to punish people who exceed their usage. Your internet speed will not slow down for the remainder of the month; you will likely just receive a notice about your usage.

CenturyLink Contracts and Fees

Besides the Price for Life deal, one of my favorite things about CenturyLink internet is its contract-free plans. CenturyLink does not require a contract for any plan, which also means there are no early termination fees. Some providers advertise no-contract plans, only to enforce them to lock in a promotional rate. Luckily, CenturyLink’s internet deals are truly contract-free.

Contract or no contract, most providers still require installation and equipment fees. CenturyLink installation can cost up to $125, which is more costly than most providers. If you get a Price for Life plan and don’t already have or plan to buy your own modem, you will have to pay a monthly modem lease fee. CenturyLink charges $15 per month for its modem and router, but you can also purchase your own. Not only will you save $30 the first year and each month after for as long as you stay with CenturyLink, but you’ll also still receive the benefits of having a CenturyLink modem, including 24/7 technical support.

Verdict: Is CenturyLink Internet Good For Cord-Cutters?

I became a cord-cutter to save money and avoid fees from moving around so much, and CenturyLink offers reliable internet plans with high speeds priced for frugal value-seekers. I wish there were plans with speeds up to 200 or 300 Mbps, but the regular monthly rate for plans with that speed from most providers is higher than CenturyLink’s gigabit plan. Whether it’s DSL or fiber internet, CenturyLink has plans with low prices.