A recent Engadget analysis walks through the familiar choice facing new internet subscribers: rent the ISP's gateway or buy your own. Renting is positioned as the hassle-free option, with the cost folded into the monthly bill and no need to research compatible modems. The downside is a recurring fee that can rise at the provider's discretion, plus limited control over software, security, and Wi-Fi performance.
Buying your own router and modem, by contrast, requires a larger upfront outlay—roughly $200 for a gateway, or more for separate high-end units. But the article notes that a $200 device rented at $20 per month pays for itself after ten months. Beyond the math, owning equipment allows users to choose features like mesh coverage, custom firmware, and router-level VPNs, and to keep the hardware when switching providers.
The analysis also points out that the decision is becoming less common, as some ISPs now include the gateway in the plan price. In those cases, renting is effectively free, and buying your own hardware only makes sense if you want specific capabilities the included device lacks. For everyone else, the choice comes down to how long you plan to stay with the provider and how much control you want over your home network.