
Compare satellite internet providers
By Ari Howard Last updated: May 27, 2022
Satellite internet can offer a broadband connection to most rural and remote areas of the USA. Compare your satellite internet options below.
The top 3 satellite internet providers
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Starting monthly price range* | |||
Download speed range** | |||
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Data allowance |
*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Speeds may vary. As of 05/25/22. **Actual speeds may vary and are not guaranteed.



What satellite internet providers are available to you?
When shopping for satellite internet, you’ll likely find three available options: HughesNet, Viasat and Starlink. Although all three satellite providers do offer high-speed internet options, satellite internet is not known for being as efficient as other connection types, such as fiber or cable internet. This is due to its high latency. Its biggest selling point, however, is that satellite internet is available nearly everywhere in the U.S. so areas of the country that do not have other internet options are still able to connect to the internet.
How satellite internet works
Satellite internet is an internet connection that uses satellite signals to send and receive data. For example, HughesNet and Viasat use geostationary (fixed position) satellites that are about 22,000 miles above the Earth’s surface, whereas Starlink uses low-orbit satellites at 340 miles above Earth.
Satellite tech
Satellite internet is a different technology from wired tech like fiber that has cables directly to your house or 5G that will often have a nearby cell tower connecting to your router and modem. Satellite users should know their service comes with slower speeds and lower latency, but that it is widely available and helps connect rural areas.
Fiber is definitely the fastest option available right now, but years of infrastructure building and planning precede your neighborhood getting fiber connectivity. Right now, internet service is getting to underserved areas faster with satellite launches and the range is slowly getting to 500 Mbps by Starlink.
Starlink is leading the low-orbit service right now, but Amazon’s Kuiper is hoping to also be a major player soon.
Additionally, 22,000 miles is a long way for data to travel, which is why some satellite internet has such high latency (600+ ms). This high latency makes real-time online gaming and live streaming difficult if not impossible.
From this height, a single satellite can cover a broad area. However, since so many customers are connected to the same satellite, access to data is shared by potentially thousands of customers at once. With so many people connected at once, satellite internet providers use data caps to help ensure there is enough bandwidth for all.
Gaming with satellite internet
You can use a satellite internet connection for downloading, on-demand video streaming, uploading and some gaming (turn-based strategy games are best for satellite internet).
Viasat explains the tricky world of gaming with a satellite connection, “Some games have performance problems or are unplayable, or use up a lot of data on your internet plan.”
The company says that mobile or single-player games are the best to play on their service. Multi-player games can be harder to play because of the high latency issue.
Editor’s note: Satellite internet has taken on a new role on the global stage, being used by the military and emergency services during the Ukrainian-Russian war which started in February 2022. According to Wired, “The speedy, widespread rollout of Starlink in Ukraine has also been an unplanned experiment in the potential geopolitical power of next-gen satellite internet services.”
Manage that data cap
If you do pick satellite internet, you’ll want the ability to manage your data usage, especially as a gamer. Techiexpert.com says, “If you want to stay within budget and don’t want to pay extra for data limits, you can simply manage the usage. It is only possible with the best data monitoring apps that allow you to keep track of your daily online usage and activities.”
They recommend using an app like DataEye that will compress images for you into smaller packets or Data Monitor that allows you to set the limits and remind you of the billing cycle. Check out more data usage management apps here.

How we evaluated satellite internet providers
Although satellite internet is not competitive when compared to fiber or cable internet providers, it still gets the job done in areas of the country that lack the infrastructure needed for other connection types. Starlink is beginning to change how we see satellite internet since its latency is considerably lower than Hughesnet and Viasat. This means Zoom calls and live streaming are much more realistic options.
When comparing Viasat, Hughesnet and Starlink to one another, we considered cost, speeds, latency, contracts and data caps. Below is a breakdown of the three providers.
Our opinion on satellite internet providers
If you’re looking for reliable satellite internet in a rural area, Viasat or HughesNet (and in some areas, Starlink) are your best options. If your address is eligible for Starlink, we’d recommend trying it out to experience the faster speeds and lower latency, but beware that starting pricing is higher than HughesNet or Viasat.
HughesNet: Best for speed consistency
HughesNet internet plans
Plan name | Best for | Starting price* | Download speeds** | Monthly data allowance |
---|---|---|---|---|
15 GB | Single-subscribers who browse | $64.99/mo. | 25 Mbps | 15GB |
30 GB | Small households that don’t stream video | $74.99/mo. | 25 Mbps | 30GB |
45 GB | Mid-sized households who stream some TV | $109.99/mo. | 25 Mbps | 45GB |
75 GB | Households who work and learn from home | $159.99/mo. | 25 Mbps | 75GB |
*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. **Actual speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. ***If you exceed your monthly plan data, you will experience reduced data speeds, which are typically in the range of 1-3 Mbps, until your next billing period. As of 5/25/22.
HughesNet offers the same speeds no matter where you live, which is not true of Viasat.
- Plan price and speed consistency – HughesNet speeds (up to 25 Mbps) are standard, as is plan pricing at $64.99/mo.
- “Bonus Zone” data – HughesNet customers can enjoy an extra 50GB of data/mo. available from the hours of 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. – a feature that Viasat doesn’t have.
- Low equipment fees – HughesNet equipment lease starts around $10/mo., a few bucks cheaper than the Viasat rental fee.
- Actual vs. advertised speeds – HughesNet is one of the few ISPs that actually provides faster speeds than what is advertised. The FCC reported that HughesNet’s median download speed is 31.27 Mbps for its advertised 25 Mbps plan.
Viasat: Higher data limits
Viasat internet plans
Plans | Intro price* | Price after 3 mos.* | Download speed | Data cap |
---|---|---|---|---|
Unlimited Bronze 12 | $64.99/mo. | $84.99/mo. | 12 Mbps | 40GB |
Unlimited Silver 25 | $84.99/mo. | $119.99/mo. | 25 Mbps | 60GB |
Unlimited Gold 50 | $119.99/mo. | $169.99/mo. | 50 Mbps | 100GB |
Unlimited Platinum 100 | $169.99/mo. | $249.99/mo. | 100 Mbps | 150GB |
*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Speeds may vary. As of 05/25/22.
Viasat offers faster speeds than HughesNet, but only in select areas. Regardless of available speeds, customers will appreciate higher data allowances than what’s available with most HughesNet plans, plus a two-year price guarantee.
- Speeds up to 100 Mbps – Viasat offers four times the speed of HughesNet, but only in select areas. In some locations, available speeds may top out at 50, 30 or 12 Mbps.
- Higher data allowances – With data plans ranging from 40-150GB, Viasat plans give you more data for the price compared to HughesNet.
- Two-year contract – Viasat plans require a two-year contract lock, but your price will be guaranteed for the length of it once the three-month introductory pricing ends. HughesNet customers may see a price increase after six months of service.
- Actual vs. advertised speeds – Expect Viasat’s service to be slightly slower than what is advertised. The FCC reported that the median download speed for Viasat’s advertised 12 Mbps plan is 10.75 Mbps (89.6% of the advertised speed).
Starlink: Best overall
Starlink internet plans
Plan | Starting price | Download speeds | Latency | Data caps | Equipment costs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Starlink | $110.00/mo. | 100 – 200 Mbps | 40 – 60 ms | Unlimited | $599 |
*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Speeds may vary. As of 05/25/22.
Starlink internet is a game-changer for satellite internet. With faster speeds, lower latency and unlimited data, Starlink will allow residents of rural households who currently are unable to work and learn remotely, to finally be able to do so. Starlink’s only downside is that it is pricier than HughesNet or Viasat, with prices starting at $110/mo., with $599 down for the equipment.
Although not available everywhere yet, Starlink has introduced a new plan tier with more range and speed that offers, according to CNET, “a scan array that’s twice as big as the standard plan and with download speeds ranging from 150-500 Mbps. That tier costs $500 per month, plus an initial payment of $2,500 for the equipment. Starlink is taking orders for that tier now, and plans to launch the service later in 2022.”
- Speeds up to 500 Mbps – Starlink speeds currently range between 100 and 500 Mbps.
- Low latency– The greatest difference between Starlink and other satellite companies has to do with latency. Starlink’s latency is significantly lower than HughesNet or Viasat, which means it will be easier for users to work or learn from home using Starlink.
- Unlimited data – Although Starlink is currently not imposing data caps, it is unclear whether this will remain true after its beta phase. Starlink has only stated that there are no data caps “at this time.”
What to know about satellite internet data caps
Both HughesNet and Viasat plans have monthly data allowances. Viasat plans tend to offer a higher monthly data allowance than HughesNet.
Viasat plans generally come with more data than HughesNet – 40-150GB/mo. vs 15-75GB/mo. – but data allowances from both providers are significantly lower than other internet types which tend to offer 1 TB/mo. or more.
Starlink does not have data caps currently, but that may change as the program expands.
HughesNet and Viasat both offer “unlimited” data
Fortunately, both HughesNet and Viasat plans come with no hard data limits. Once you reach your data limit, you will experience reduced, or throttled internet speeds, but not an interruption in service or fees for going over your data limit. Your regular speeds will resume after the billing period in which you’ve gone over your limit ends.
Both providers also give you the option to purchase additional data “tokens” if you don’t want the speed reductions. Price and data amount for data tokens varies by satellite internet provider and plans. However, if you do not want to go over your data allowance, you can read about how to beat low data caps.
You can also purchase more data if needed
Both HughesNet and Viasat sell extra data blocks if you think you’ll need to use the internet more some months. Viasat charges $10 for 1GB, $48 for 5GB, $67 for 7GB and $95 for 10GB. HughesNet is a little cheaper, with 3GB of extra data for $9, 5GB for $15, 10GB for $30 and 25GB for $75.
How much data do I need?
To give you an idea of how much data you’ll need with your satellite internet plan, here is an estimate of data consumption for various online activities.
- Browsing the web/social media for 200 hours – 3GB
- Streaming 200 hours of music – 0.8GB
- Streaming 50 hours of SD video – 35GB
- Streaming 20 hours of HD video – 50GB
- Downloading a full-length SD movie – 4GB
- Downloading a full-length HD movie – 10GB
- Downloading a video game – 40+GB
If you’re worried about running over your monthly data cap, you can take advantage of HughesNet’s “Bonus Zone,” which gives you 50GB of extra data per month between 2am-8am local time. If you want to download games or movies without using all of the month’s data allowance, this is a great workaround. Closing background apps on your computer and phone is also an effective way to avoid excess data consumption.
Source: AT&T data calculator, Forbes.com
Satellite internet FAQs
Can you stream TV with satellite internet?
The speeds available with satellite internet (12-100 Mbps) are good for streaming on-demand video, but the high latency makes it difficult to stream live TV. Keep in mind that streaming video can consume a lot of data, which may quickly use up the relatively low data allowances that come with satellite internet plans.
How can I boost my satellite internet?
Bad weather and extensive cloud coverage can interfere with your satellite signal, but if that doesn’t seem to be an issue, check out our tips to boost your satellite Wi-Fi signal.
Is satellite good for online gaming?
Due to high latency, playing real-time multiplayer online games with any satellite internet provider is impractical. Turn-based online games should work fine.
What is the fastest satellite internet service?
Where available, Viasat offers the fastest satellite internet speeds with download speeds up to 100 Mbps. These speeds are not available in all Viasat service areas, however. In some areas, Viasat only offers speeds up to 12 Mbps, which would make HughesNet the fastest satellite internet provider in that area with speeds up to 25 Mbps.
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Written by:
Ari HowardAssociate Writer, Broadband & Wireless Content
Ari is an Associate Writer for the Allconnect team. She primarily writes about broadband news and studies, particularly relating to internet access, digital safety, broadband-related technology and the digital d… Read more
Edited by:
Robin LaytonEditor, Broadband Content
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