How Much is the Xfinity Auto Pay Discount in My Area?

Customers who enroll in both automatic payments (autopay) and paperless billing with Xfinity can receive a discount of up to $10 on their monthly bill. But there has been a very important change regarding the payment methods eligible for the full discount. Previously, customers paying with a debit or credit card could receive the $10 discount. However, Comcast (which owns Xfinity) has made changes where customers who do not directly link their bank account to automatic billing and continue using a debit or credit card for autopay will now get a $5 discount instead.

This is a significant change because many people feel comfortable having an automatic charge to their credit card, which can be challenged if it looks suspicious and provides a layer of protection, but may not want to link a company directly to their bank account. Yet this method does offer protections as well as risks. It’s called an Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfer.

(ACH) transfers are electronic payments made through the ACH network. They are generally considered safe but like any financial transaction they come with certain risks. While ACH transactions are monitored for fraud, they may not offer the same level of fraud protection as credit cards. For example, credit cards often have more consumer-friendly policies for disputing fraudulent transactions. Also, if your bank account information falls into the wrong hands, unauthorized ACH transactions can be initiated. This risk can occur due to data breaches, phishing scams, or other forms of fraud. If you have authorized recurring ACH payments (like utility bills or subscriptions) and your account doesn’t have sufficient funds, this could lead to overdrafts and associated fees from both the bank and Xfinity. It can also be hard to stop an authorized ACH payment especially if it's a recurring payment. This can be problematic if you need to change or cancel payments due to disputes or changes in service.

It might take longer to notice unauthorized ACH transactions compared to credit card fraud. You should regularly check your online banking dashboard to ensure no suspicious transactions have happened.

Why would Xfinity make the change? It likely is faster for the provider to get paid this way and may remove a layer of credit card fraud that businesses and banks have to deal with on a daily basis. Is it worth another $60 per year discount? You be the judge. Remember that for now you can still pay by credit card and get $5/month off your bill.

To receive the $5 or the $10 discount, customers must also opt out of paper billing and sign up for the paperless option. This means they will need to access their monthly bills either through their Comcast account online or receive them via email. This is more convenient for many people but does add another email to the inbox.

The discount typically begins within 30 days of enrollment in autopay and paperless billing. Depending on the timing of the enrollment and billing cycle, the discount may not appear on the next statement but will appear on the following bill.