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Hughesnet internet plans and prices reviewed

By Robin Layton Last updated: October 21, 2024

Hughesnet is a satellite internet provider offering nationwide availability and up to 200 GB data plans

  • Speeds up to 50 Mbps starting at:

    $49.99/mo.*

    *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. Save $25 per month for 6 months. Offer not valid on 15 GB plan. After 6 months, plans revert to the standard monthly fee. New residential subscribers only. Limited-time offer. 24-month commitment and early service termination fees apply. Monthly Fee reflects the applied $5 savings for ACH enrollment. Offer may vary by geographic area. As of 10/21/24.

    Shop Hughesnet

    or call to order: (844) 451-2720

Best Hughesnet plans for your home

  • Select
    Speeds up to
    50 Mbps
    Contract length
    12 mos.
    Connection type
    Satellite
    Rating
    Low
    Plan cost
    $49.99/mo.
    for 24 mos.
    Pricing breakdown
    Check with Hughesnet
    Or give us a call
  • Elite
    Speeds up to
    100 Mbps
    Contract length
    12 mos.
    Connection type
    Satellite
    Rating
    Low
    Plan cost
    $64.99/mo.
    for 24 mos.
    Pricing breakdown
    Check with Hughesnet
    Or give us a call
  • Fusion
    Speeds up to
    100 Mbps
    Contract length
    12 mos.
    Connection type
    Satellite
    Rating
    Low
    Plan cost
    $94.99/mo.
    for 24 mos.
    Pricing breakdown
    Check with Hughesnet
    Or give us a call

Hughesnet home internet review

Hughesnet is one of the best internet options available to residents of rural areas where a cable or fiber optic connection isn’t available. Satellite internet from Hughesnet is also faster than DSL, another popular rural internet choice, in many areas, but is likely to be higher priced than most DSL plans.

The Hughesnet Fusion plan combines satellite and wireless technologies to deliver a high-speed, low-latency, reliable internet. The Hughesnet Fusion plan is 200 GB with 100 Mbps download speeds.

Availability is the biggest advantage of Hughesnet service, but it also comes with other perks such as broadband speeds, Wi-Fi capabilities and flexible data options. Check out our review of Hughesnet to discover if the service is right for your home.

Hughesnet logo

Hughesnet internet rating

Allconnect Rating

2.22 / out of 5 stars

This score is based off of the 3 plans Hughesnet has available

Rating breakdown

  • Affordability

    2.18 / 5

  • Performance

    2.50 / 5

  • Value

    1.57 / 5

  • Customer satisfaction

    3.33 / 5

How we calculated our rating

Hughesnet Customer Reviews:

289 customer reviews
Read reviews

What we like

  • Available anywhere – Hughesnet is available in all 50 states

  • Bonus Zone data – All plans include 50 GB of free data per month during the Bonus Zone from 2 to 8 a.m.

  • Actual vs. advertised speeds – In a 2018 broadband report, the FCC scored Hughesnet among the highest for actual vs. advertised speed performance

Things to consider

  • Two-year contract – Hughesnet requires a two-year service agreement, and changing or canceling service before it’s up can result in early service termination fees

  • High latency – Satellite internet has high latency, which makes online gaming impractical. Hughesnet Fusion plans do have less latency, however

  • Low download speed – Hughesnet’s 15 GB plan comes with 15 Mbps of speed and the rest come with 25 Mbps

Hughesnet internet plans and pricing

*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. Save $25 per month for 6 months. Offer not valid on 15 GB plan. After 6 months, plans revert to the standard monthly fee. New residential subscribers only. Limited-time offer. 24-month commitment and early service termination fees apply. Monthly Fee reflects the applied $5 savings for ACH enrollment. Offer may vary by geographic area. As of 10/21/24.

Choosing a Hughesnet data plan

Your best Hughesnet internet plan depends on the type of internet activities you enjoy and the amount of time you spend online. Hughesnet internet plans are categorized by monthly data allotment.

  • 50 GB

    With 50 GB of data, you can do one of the following each month:

    • Stream 416 hours of audio
    • Stream 100 hours of SD-quality video
    • Stream over 12 hours of HD-quality video 
    • Participate in over 19 hours of Zoom meetings

  • 100 GB

    With 100 GB of data, you can do one of the following each month:

    • Stream 1,042 hours of audio
    • Stream 107 hours of DVD-quality video
    • Stream 30 hours of HD-quality video 
    • Browse Facebook for 481 hours
    • Participate in 47 hours of Zoom meetings

*Video streaming services with minimum speed requirements may not operate properly.

Make the most of your Bonus Zone data

Hughesnet plans come with “Bonus Zone” data, which is an additional 50GB of data included at no extra cost each month available between the hours of 2-8 a.m. Obviously, this isn’t the most convenient time to be shopping online or streaming a TV show, but strategically setting a movie or large file to download during this time is a smart way to take advantage of the extra free data.

What if I go over my data limit?

Hughesnet plans feature No Hard Data Limits.* If you exceed your plan data, Hughesnet won’t cut you off or charge you more. However, during high-traffic periods, you may experience reduced speeds.*

If you don’t want to wait until the next billing period to bring your speeds back up, consider purchasing Data Tokens. These extra data blocks do not expire and are available until you have used them in full.

*Video streaming services with minimum speed requirements may not operate properly. During high-traffic periods, you may experience reduced speeds.

Hughesnet Wi-Fi equipment and fees

Hughesnet equipment has built-in Wi-Fi capabilities so that you can connect Wi-Fi-enabled devices to your network. Your Hughesnet plan includes a modem and router in one device, available for purchase or rental. The tradeoff between purchasing and renting your equipment is that you get access to free equipment upgrades when you rent; however, you can save $14 if you buy your equipment.

  • Hughesnet monthly equipment rental fee: $14.99/mo. for satellite; $19.99/mo. for Fusion plans.
  • Hughesnet equipment purchase fee for satellite-only is $299.99 and equipment for Fusion is $449.99.

Is Hughesnet’s equipment good?

Score: 5/5

Hughesnet offers top-notch Wi-Fi equipment, featuring 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Its modem and router are as fast and advanced as any equipment you’ll find from most other providers, so it’s worth using and it’s probably worth sticking with their equipment instead of buying your own equipment.

Other Hughesnet internet fees

Aside from equipment fees, taxes and various government fees for service, there aren’t many extra fees you’ll have to worry about with Hughesnet.

  • Commercial installation is $199.99
  • Activation fee: $99 (unless you buy your equipment)
  • Data tokens: Starting at $9 
  • Early service termination fee: $400 if you cancel within the first 90 days, fee decreases by $15 for each month of active service thereafter

How does Hughesnet internet service compare to Viasat and Starlink?

Hughesnet is an option for internet in your area, but it may not be the only one. Find out which providers are in your area and compare pricing, speeds and more with Allconnect.

Hughesnet internet FAQs

What is Hughesnet?

Hughesnet is a broadband satellite internet service. With Hughesnet satellite technology, you can stay connected no matter where you live.

Yes! Hughesnet is available coast to coast in the U.S. All you need is a clear view of the southern sky.

With Hughesnet, all service plans feature No Hard Data Limits. If you exceed your plan data, Hughesnet won’t cut you off or charge you more. However, during high-traffic periods, you may experience reduced speeds.

Hughesnet service can support “turn-based” strategy games and apps like chess or Candy Crush. However, real-time, multiplayer games like Destiny and Overwatch will not work with satellite internet service. This is due to the half-second delay that occurs when your computer communicates with the satellite, making it difficult to maintain a continuous connection with the gaming server.

The Hughesnet service term is 24 months. If you cancel after activation but before the end of your 24-month commitment, you will be charged an Early Service Termination Fee of up to $400, which, after 90 days of service, decreases by $15 per month. In addition, once your service is canceled, even after the 24-month term, you must return equipment in good condition within 45 days of the cancellation date to avoid an Unreturned Equipment Fee of $300. This includes the satellite radio, Wi-Fi modem, power cords and wireless antenna.

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Robin Layton

Written by:

Robin Layton

Editor, Broadband Content

Robin Layton is an editor for the broadband marketplace Allconnect. She built her internet industry expertise writing and editing on the site since January 2020, as well as on Allconnect’s sister site MYMOVE.com… Read more

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