Starlink Internet Review 2023: Plans, Pricing, and Speeds | SatelliteInternet.com (2024)

Starlink internet plans

Starlink offers seven internet plans total, but only five are actually relevant to most users: Starlink residential, Starlink Business, Starlink RV (now Starlink Roam), Starlink Mobility, and Starlink Maritime (which is now considered part of Starlink Mobility). Download speeds for these plans range from 5–220Mbps with different levels of data prioritization depending on your plan and coverage area.

Starlink residential is the one most users are after, and its probably all you need if you want an at-home connection. The Starlink plan price depends on your coverage area. If you live in an area where the network is at low-capacity (not many people using it at the same time), you'll pay $90 a month, and if you're in a high-capacity Starlink area (which is most of its areas), you'll pay $120. You'll only know which one when you sign up—or when Starlink tells your area's changed from one to the other.

Overall, Starlink residential is a great internet plan, as long as you remember that it isn't available everywhere and that Starlink's network can be a little unreliable. That last part goes doubly if your network area is currently overtaxed, or if you have Starlink Business or Starlink Mobility customers nearby because their data gets prioritized over your Starlink residential standard data.

For more on Starlink data tiers and how they affect your plans, read our Starlink data section below.

Starlink vs. Viasat and HughesNet

Starlink and Viasat are about equal when it comes to speed, though Viasat offers less data than Starlink and Starlink's coverage map is smaller than Viasat's. Either one will treat you well for speed and data, but we'd give the edge to Viasat just because you're more likely to be able to get it.

Plus, Viasat just launched its new Viasat-3 satellite with terabyte capabilities, so its speeds and/or data could increase in the near future, while Starlink has been struggling to maintain its network.

HughesNet, meanwhile, doesn't match up to either Starlink or Viasat's speed, but it's not trying to. HughesNet is the budget pick intended to deliver you broadband internet speeds for basic connectivity at cheaper prices than either. If you're looking just for something that lets you browse your email and occasionally video call your family, this is the right choice for you.

Starlink's only competition isn't just other satellite internet providers, though. Some of the best rural internet options are now 4G and 5G home internet providers. So how does Starlink satellite stack up against fixed wireless?

Starlink satellite internet vs. 4G and 5G home internet

If you can get Verizon or T-Mobile 4G or 5G home internet, we suggest going with them instead of Starlink. Starlink is a solid satellite internet service provider (where it's available), but Verizon and T-Mobile will give you all the same benefits (no contracts, high speeds) at a significantly cheaper price, and with even less latency.

If you're a Verizon mobile customer already, we suggest going with Verizon LTE Home internet over T-Mobile home internet just because you'll get blazing speeds for only $25 a month.

The only downside to Verizon and T-Mobile home internet providers is that they aren't available everywhere, just like Starlink. Check out our reviews on Verizon LTE Home Internet or T-Mobile Home Internet for more, or search your zip code below to see if one of these great internet providers are in your area.

How can you get Starlink?

You can get Starlink internet by placing an order on the Starlink website. When Starlink has internet coverage and bandwidth capacity in your area, you can get your Starlink Kit shipped directly to you within 2 weeks.¹

To check if Starlink's availability in your area, check out our Starlink beta sign-up page, where we'll walk you through the waitlist, area availability, and more.

If Starlink isn’t in your area yet, you can still place an order and secure your spot on the waitlist by paying a $99–$500 deposit, depending on if you want the standard Starlink service, Starlink RV internet (now called Starlink Roam) or Starlink Business. The easiest way to see when you can get Starlink is to enter your address on the Starlink website.

SpaceX’s Starlink currently falls short in one of the most important concerns for the rural internet community: availability.

Starlink is regularly using SpaceX rockets to launch more satellites to increase worldwide availability, but there are still major gaps in Starlink internet coverage compared to established nationwide satellite providers like Viasat and HughesNet.

You can sign up for Starlink even if it’s not quite available in your area. But you’ll have to pay a $99.00 deposit and might be waiting months longer than promised due to supply chain issues. SpaceX has cited these issues specifically as chip and silicon shortages.³ Starlink also services customers on a first come, first served basis, which could be an issue for you if Starlink is in high demand in your area and you’re low on the list. If you need satellite internet now, go with Viasat or HughesNet.

Where is Starlink internet available?

Starlink internet is currently available to most of the continental US, with notable black spots across the South and West, especially for Starlink RV coverage.

Starlink is also available in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. SpaceX is regularly launching more satellites (and Elon Musk is tweeting about them), which means its availability is continually expanding.

For more on Starlink availability, check out our When Will Starlink Be Available? guide to determine when Starlink will be available near you or sign up for the Starlink waitlist.

Starlink uses reusable rocket boosters to launch thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites into space to create its satellite internet network. Source: Starlink

How Much Does Starlink Cost?

Starlink Business

Starlink business, like Starlink residential, is intended for a fixed location, but unlike Starlink residential it comes with Priority data, which means faster speeds. It costs either $250 a month for 1TB of Priority data, $500 per month for 2TB, and $1,500 a month for 6TB.

For the record, most families don't use more than 1TB, so if you have a small business, definitely go with $250 plan to start. If you need more, can always upgrade without hassle.

You can pick what equipment you get with Starlink business, but Starlink recommends the $2,500 high performance satellite to keep up with your Priority data.

Starlink RV (Starlink Roam)

Starlink Roam, once called Starlink RV, is the first of Starlink's portable internet plan options. It costs either $150 per month for Regional access or $200 a month for Global. And don't forget your up-front equipment costs of either $599 for a satellite you have to setup each time you stop or $2,500 for in-motion technology.

For more details on Starlink RV costs, check out our full Starlink Roam review.

Starlink Mobility

Starlink Mobility is Starlink's newest internet plan, and it shares a lot of similarities with Starlink Roam, except that its significantly more expensive and uses the highest priority data available for Starlink services. In fact, it costs $250 per month for 50GB data, $1,000 a month for 1TB data, and $5,000 per month for 5TB of data.

Starlink Mobility also exclusively uses the Flat High Performance Starlink, which means you have to pay $2,500 up-front equipment fees.

Starlink Maritime

Starlink Maritime costs the same amount for the same data tiers as Starlink Mobility, so refer to the costs above when deciding if this is the plan you need. Like Starlink Roam's Global plan and Starlink Mobility, Starlink Maritime uses the Flat High Performance Starlink dish that costs $2,500 up-front.Learn more about Starlink Maritime in our Internet for Boats review.

Starlink fees

Like we’ve said, the Starlink Kit equipment fee is $599–$2,500, which is more than a little hefty—especially if you get Starlink Business. It’s definitely a major financial barrier for the service, which is unfortunate since Starlink’s mission is to provide affordable broadband for underserved rural communities. The good news is that Starlink plans to reduce this cost in the future, with Elon Musk claiming it will eventually be as low as $250.¹²

Starlink customers can find some financial relief in the lack of installation fee for Starlink, which we’ll cover more below.

Starlink contracts

Starlink data

Starlink data for fixed-location plans

Starlink Residential is the simplest data situation you'll come across. You get unlimited standard data all month long for the plan's $90–$120 monthly price. That unlimited satellite internet does come with a small asterisk, though. Starlink may no longer have 1TB caps on its residential plan, but it does say it will slow your data if you use more than the average Starlink user. It doesn't disclose that number, so where your real data cap is remains to be seen.

Starlink Business, on the other hand, gets a bit more complicated. Your Starlink Business plan comes with Priority data, which means your activities will be prioritized above those with Standard data (residential users, essentially), so you don't have to fear slowdowns even if there are a lot of people on the Starlink network in your area (unless there are Mobile Priority users—but more on that below).

Starlink Business plans are from there divided up by how much priority data you want. The more data, the more expensive your plan will be per month. If you do run out of priority data in a month, you can either buy more (see table above for prices) or rely on the Standard data you'll automatically be rerouted to thereafter.

That covers Starlink plans that are designed for a fixed location or permanent address. Things get a bit more complicated, or nicely customizable if you're feeling optimistic, with Starlink's mobile internet plan offerings.

Starlink data for on-the-go plans

Starlink Roam plans offer unlimited Mobile data, but pay attention to that asterisk because Mobile data is deprioritized beneath even Standard data. That doesn't mean you'll experience slow speeds necessarily, but it does mean if Standard data, Priority data, and especially Mobile Priority data customers will all have priority over you if you're in an area where lots of them area using the Starlink network.

Starlink Mobility plans, however, have the highest priority data, mostly so they can cater to the needs of first responders and other mobile emergency needs. These are also some of Starlink's most expensive plans, the price depending entirely on how much of the Mobile Priority data you desire.

As an important note, Starlink Maritime plans run by the same rules as the Mobility plans and data amounts listed above, so keep that in mind before you purchase.

Starlink data vs. the competition

The biggest difference you’ll see when comparing Starlink to Viasat and HughesNet is the monthly data allotment. Starlink offers unlimited data and Viasat and HughesNet have data caps. Although Viasat and HughesNet technically offer unlimited data as well, your speeds will be slowed significantly (almost to unusable speeds) once you hit the data cap for your plan. If you’ve had satellite internet in the past, you know that having enough data can be an issue—especially if you stream on satellite internet or use a lot of data working over Zoom.

Starlink whisks those worries away with big priority data caps and then unlimited standard data. "Unlimited" isn't a word you don’t hear very often in the rural internet world, so even if there is an asterisk about slower speeds, it's worth it.

Starlink’s unlimited data combined with its above-average broadband speeds are its most intriguing features by far. They’re a big part of Elon Musk’s mission to bring better internet options to underserved areas throughout the world.

Starlink aims to close the rural broadband gap by providing a better, faster, and cheaper internet solution for hard-to-reach areas. Source: Official SpaceX Photos.

Starlink internet installation

Starlink installation is free because it’s a self-installation. Once you pay the $599–$2,500 equipment fee, you’ll be shipped a Starlink Kit, which includes the following:

• Starlink (your dish that’s either circular or rectangular)
• Wi-Fi router/power supply
• Cables
• Base

To install your Starlink, you can follow the Starlink install guide and download the Starlink app for iOS or Android. The app will help you find a clear view of the sky, which is essential to keep your Starlink operating its best. You can also purchase additional mounting equipment in the Starlink Shop once you place your order.

Another glaring difference is in equipment costs. Starlink requires you to pay $599–$2,500 up front for the Starlink Kit (in addition to shipping). The price difference depends on whether or not you opt for Starlink Business. Viasat and HughesNet offer more affordable leasing options.

Monthly plan costs can also be lower with Viasat and HughesNet, depending on which plan you choose. That said, both require 2-year contracts while Starlink requires no contracts and doesn’t charge any installation fees. Starlink will even give you your money back if you return the equipment in good shape and cancel within 30 days.

Flat High Performance Starlink

Starlink's Flat High Performance satellite device is is thinner, has permanent installation on your vehicle of choice, and offers truly portable internet, unlike the typical Starlink satellite dish that comes with Starlink Residential, Starlink Business, and Starlink Roam's Regional plan. It comes with Starlink Roam's Global plan, Starlink Mobility, and Starlink Maritime. The Flat High Performance Starlink is significantly more expensive, so you'll notice all the plans it comes with are on Starlink's higher end too.

Although on paper it may seem Starlink has Viasat beat when it comes to speed, Viasat is not far behind with 100 Mbps. But with the recent addition of Starlink Business, Starlink blows Viasat out of the water by offering 220Mbps speeds. That said, currently Viasat has a reputation for more reliable service and dependable speeds.

Starlink’s service is still prone to service disruptions caused by a network that’s still in progress along with other connection issues that are inherent to low-Earth orbit technology. However, Starlink Business promises a stronger connection with prioritized bandwidth and weather-resistant satellite internet equipment.

Both HughesNet and Viasat plan to launch new satellites in 2023 that will provide internet speeds as fast as 150 Mbps as well as increased data capacity. In fact, Viasat just recently launched its Viasat-3 satellite, and new, faster plans are already reportedly on the way.

Starlink news

SpaceX's Starlink always has a little something going on, but right now, it's all about Starlink's latest version two satellites. 21 of these smaller, mini satellites were sent up for testing with a recent Starlink launch, with Starlink clearly hoping the V2's new technology would resolve the major network congestion issues that led to the Starlink price hike (see below for more).

Unfortunately, Starlink's V2 satellites are now falling from the sky and burning up in the atmosphere. That's after Starlink trackers noticed that Starlink's V2 satellites were dropping in altitude, when they were meant to be ascending. Elon Musk admitted in a tweet that Starlink V2 satellites have been running into issues.

If you've been suffering from the Starlink price hike and hoping for network congestion relief from the Starlink V2 satellites, it unfortunately looks like you're going to have to wait a bit longer. If you need better internet now, check out our Viasat vs. HughesNet review to see if one of these satellite internet providers might resolve your issues in the meantime.

Starlink price hike

Starlink hiked prices by $10 a month in 2022, and now it's doing it again in 2023--and least for some of its customers.

Starlink prices in "limited capacity areas" are increasing to $110 a month, but Starlink plans in "excess capacity areas" are dropping to $90 month (which is even slightly cheaper than the original price in 2022). The switch happens in April for current customers, but new customers get those prices starting now.

So far, it seems the capacity areas are known by customers who are receiving notifications about the price changes by Starlink itself via email. Starlink customers getting price hikes have, unfortunately, also recently experienced a drop in speed. Starlink only promises speeds up to 300 Mbps, but "up to," as with all internet service providers, doesn't mean you'll experience that top speed most of the time. Ookla even reports that most Starlink plans are delivering only around 53 Mbps.

Starlink launches

Starlink bonus plan: Starlink Aviation

That's right, Starlink now offers internet at high altitudes. This offering, of course, isn't really for the typical consumer like you and me. This is for the big tin can companies flying along in the sky. But we'll tell you how much it'll cost them anyway, since you might get to appreciate high-speed Wi-Fi on your flight in the future because of them.

Starlink Aviation packages cost $12,500 a month to $25,000 a month for up to 350 Mbps speed per plane. And we're not done yet. Because the one-time hardware purchase costs $150,000, with the equipment actually making it to businesses sometime in 2023.

At least if you get to use Starlink Aviation internet on your flight in the future, you can now appreciate that you're using expensive Wi-Fi, right?

Starlink bundles

Read more about Starlink and other satellite internet providers

• Viasat vs. HughesNet: Which One Is Better for You?
• Best Rural Internet Providers of 2022
• When Will Starlink Be Available?
• Best Satellite Internet Providers of 2022

Is Starlink worth it?

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Starlink internet is right for you if you live in a rural area where satellite internet is your best option and Starlink is available. If you’re ok paying a high equipment fee, navigating its strange new data plan structure, and riding out service hiccups as SpaceX continues to flesh out its network, then you can enjoy unlimited data (with an asterisk) and some of the fastest rural internet speeds available.

Although with the recent developments in Ukraine and Russia, using Starlink could potentially come with increased risks of experiencing cyberattacks since Starlink is the only non-Russian communications system in use in Ukraine. It remains unclear if those attacks will affect US users to the same degree they will affect users in Ukraine, but it's certainly something to keep in mind as the conflict continues to develop.¹³

That all said, we've outlined Starlink's largest pros and cons to see if Starlink is any good for you specifically.

Starlink pros

Pro: Unlimited satellite internet data and fast broadband speeds make a huge difference for rural communities.

Pro: Lower latency than Viasat and HughesNet, which makes activities like gaming on satellite internet easier.

Pro: Portable satellite internet options make life on the road possible.

Starlink cons

Con: Starlink customer service can be confusing, and Starlink service options and rules change so often customers sometimes feel cheated, jaded, and upset.

Con: Starlink availability is limited so customers are left waiting more than a year even after ordering, and service continues to be spotty and easily prone to disruptions.

Con: Starlink's making a pattern of price hikes, and many customers have seen speeds slow.

Con: Enormous up-front equipment fee ($599–$2,500) can be difficult to swallow.

FAQ about Starlink internet

What is Starlink?

What is Starlink Business?

Can you use Starlink on an RV?

How much does Starlink for RVs cost?

Starlink for RVs, now called Starlink Roam, costs $150 a month for Regional service (that being, service restricted only to your conintent) and Global service which gives you world-wife connectivity for $200 a month--or rather, connectivity in any country Starlink is already available in.

Starlink Roam hardware costs $599 up front if you want the portable option, or $2,500 if you wanted it permanently isntalled on your vehicle to get satellite internet service even while you're in motion. Starlink’s RV internet (Starlink Roam) also bills monthly with no contract, so you can pause and resume service whenever you want.

How fast is Starlink internet?

How much is Starlink internet?

Is Starlink internet unlimited?

When can I get Starlink internet?

Does Starlink internet work in bad weather?

Is Starlink internet portable?

Will Starlink ruin the night sky?

How many Starlink satellites are in orbit?

Does Elon Musk own Starlink?

Methodology

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