By 2025, satellite Internet has become a reliable option for providing efficient connectivity, even in most of America’s rural regions. Leading providers such as Starlink, HughesNet, and Viasat offer packages designed to meet various needs. Viasat plans range from $69.99 to $149.99 per month, with speeds between 12–150 Mbps. HughesNet offers plans starting at $49.99 to $94.99 per month for the first 12 months, with speeds of 50–100 Mbps.
Starlink, utilizing its innovative low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology, provides a single plan priced at $120.00 per month, delivering speeds of 20–150 Mbps. Starlink’s LEO technology ensures lower latency and faster speeds compared to HughesNet and Viasat, which have been industry leaders for years. Increasing competition has made satellite Internet an affordable and viable alternative to conventional broadband internet, especially for underserved areas.
Best Satellite Internet Providers
- Viasat – Best Overall
- HughesNet – Cheapest Plans
- Starlink – Best data allowance
If you want high-speed internet speeds at relatively low prices, Viasat is the best option for you. Its plans come with more significant data allowances compared to HughesNet. Moreover, it’s more readily available compared to Starlink which tells new customers that they won’t be receiving services until 2025.
But if you want internet services for very limited usage, then there’s no point in spending money on Viasat. You can get HughesNet plans for cheaper, and they can fulfill your data consumption needs. If you live in an area that Starlink currently serves, you may easily access satellite internet service without any data throttling and with incredibly high speeds.
Satellite Internet Provider Plans and Pricing Comparison
| Package | Price | Download Speeds | Data Allowance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viasat | $69.99–$149.99/mo. | 12–150 Mbps | 45-300 GB |
| HughesNet | $49.99–$94.99/mo. for 12 mo. | 50 to 100 Mbps | 15-75 GB |
| Starlink | $120.00/mo. | 20–150Mbps | Unlimited |
Satellite technology can provide internet to rural areas, but it’s a relatively expensive option with speeds and data allowances typically lower than those of traditional landline internet services.
All Viasat and HughesNet plans come with a fixed data allowance. Once you exceed your monthly data limit, your speeds will slow down. Viasat prioritizes customers with data left over before those who have used up their data allowance.
Starlink offers unlimited data today, but this could change in the future. As long as Starlink is available in your region, your internet will not slow down, no matter how much data you use. However, Starlink occasionally runs into server maintenance, which may cause some network drops.
Viasat Satellite Internet Review – Best Overall
In 2018 Viasat launched headlines with plans for a satellite internet service with download speeds of 100 Mbps — more than twice the speeds satellite providers offered at the time. Viasat, however, is now looking to shake up the satellite internet market, with high-capacity satellites ready to provide nationwide high-speed internet as well as global coverage. If successful, Viasat could become the world’s leading provider of high-speed satellite internet, competing with Starlink.
However, there are challenges. Viasat’s internet plans cost about twice as much as typical DSL internet or cable plans, and the quality of the satellite signal to your home affects whether you get the full 100 Mbps speed. The biggest hurdle remains high latency, as data must travel to the stratosphere and back, which can make streaming HD movies frustrating.
Viasat labels four of its plans as “unlimited,” but don’t be fooled. Even with an unlimited plan, once you hit a data threshold, your speed will be reduced to prioritize other users, resulting in slower internet. Despite no overage charges, you’ll experience slow speeds once you exceed your data limit. Additionally, Viasat increases prices after the 3 months.
Viasat still is faster than HughesNet but there are some limitations to Viasat. In contrast to Starlink, Viasat already has a hardware network that can already serve its customers efficiently.
Pros of Viasat:
- High-speed internet
- Better data allowances than HughesNet
- Good value for the price
Cons of Viasat:
- Price hikes after the first few months
- Data throttling once your data limit is exceeded
HughesNet Internet Review – Cheapest Provider
If you’re looking to spend less on satellite internet, HughesNet is a solid choice. While you won’t get the same speeds and data allowances as Viasat, it’s suitable for casual internet users, and HughesNet internet plans are generally $10 cheaper than Viasat’s.
One advantage HughesNet has over Viasat is its transparent pricing. While HughesNet’s satellite plans aren’t particularly special, the pricing structure is clear and easy to understand. The plans are named and priced based on the amount of data you’re getting, with higher data plans costing more. With HughesNet, you can have 25 Mbps rather than the highest download speed which is 7 Mbps.
Unlike Viasat where HughesNet does not tell you exactly how they determine your speed will drop once you have reached your data plan or the number it will drop to (according to HughesNet, it’s 1 to 3 Mbps).
HughesNet also requires a 2-year contract. But HughesNet has one minor thing going for it in that the price bump is 3 months in rather than zero for Viasat.
Pros of HughesNet:
- Simple pricing structure
- Transparent pricing
Cons of HughesNet:
- Low download speeds (max 25 Mbps)
- Speed throttling after data consumption
Starlink Satellite Internet Review – Best Data Allowance
There’s no doubt about it—once Starlink is fully operational, it will surpass other satellite internet services. The internet specs speak for themselves: fixed rates, high speeds, no data caps, and no data throttling. What more could you ask for?
Unfortunately, most consumers can’t access the service yet, as it’s not available nationwide in the US. If everything goes according to plan, Starlink will be available across the country by 2025.
However, keep in mind that Starlink is prone to outages as it requires significant maintenance. Right now, Starlink isn’t the most reliable provider. While its speeds are impressive, they aren’t stable nationwide, as speed will depend on your location—just like with all satellite internet providers.
Starlink’s satellite dish costs a lot more, though: $599 shipping and all, or $599 plus tax—I’d probably pick up the tax—but it’s a lot more than Viasat’s ($299.99 one time, $12.99/mo) or HughesNet’s ($449 one time, $14.99/mo).
Starlink sounds and looks great on paper, but you’re right to have qualified concerns about how it performs.
Conclusion
Now you know all you should know about satellite internet providers in the USA. Although Starlink shows a lot of potential, you can’t be sure of its potential until it goes up and running. Till Starlink earns some miles, we recommend you use Viasat satellite internet for your rural area internet needs. To know more about satellite Internet plans, connect with Club HDTV customer care number – +1(855)-352-5313.
