Find the best deals on satellite internet.

Choosing the best satellite internet provider for you comes down to what you value most in a satellite internet plan and how much you're willing to pay each month.

With speeds up to 100 Mbps, Viasat is the best satellite internet provider for the fastest speeds and higher data caps—but it'll come at a price. Viasat's satellite internet plans are the most expensive and prices go up significantly after the three-month promotional period. With both Viasat and HughesNet, you have to sign a 2-year contract, so it's costly to jump ship if you don't want to pay the higher prices that kick in for the majority of your contract.

HughesNet, on the other hand, tops out at 25 Mbps but its prices stay the same throughout your entire 2-year contract. HughesNet offers smaller max monthly data caps, but it makes up for it with the Bonus Zone, which allows you to use data during off-peak hours with no limits. That said, 25 Mbps is really not that fast, especially when you consider that's the max speed you'll get with HughesNet.

Starlink seems like the satellite internet solution we've all been waiting for, but we'll see if its performance can live up to its promises as the network continues to launch. Most Starlink users experience 100–200 Mbps speeds, which makes Starlink the fastest satellite internet connection. Unlike the geostationary satellites employed by Viasat and HughesNet, Starlink employs low-Earth orbit satellites, which are closer to the Earth and allow for lower latency (as low as 20 ms) and faster speeds. However, Starlink availability is still highly limited, service and speeds are spotty, and the hefty installation fee makes its lower monthly price point less enticing.

Viasat offers faster speeds than HughesNet—up to 100 Mbps in many locations. That’s four times faster than the top HughesNet speed. Viasat also offers much more data than HughesNet plans. With Viasat’s largest plan, you can get 300 GB of data per month, which is six times more data than you can get on HughesNet’s largest plan.

If you want the fastest satellite internet available with more data, get Viasat.

HughesNet has the lowest long-term prices on satellite internet—although it isn’t the best choice for everybody. HughesNet plans are cheaper because they offer plans with much less data than Viasat plans. If your household doesn’t use much data because you use the internet only occasionally, you could use a HughesNet plan and save money. HughesNet plans also don't come with the massive price hikes you'll get with a Viasat plan. The price you pay when you sign up is the price you'll pay for 24 months.

HughesNet does offer a Bonus Zone, where you can use extra data between 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. One of the best things about HughesNet satellite internet is that it doesn’t increase your monthly price after three months like Viasat does. It’s not the fastest satellite internet provider, but it’s nice to know your bill will stay the same for the length of the 2-year contract.

For the lowest price on satellite broadband internet, go with HughesNet.

The most enticing thing about Starlink is that it currently offers truly unlimited data and fast internet speeds. In addition, Starlink may perform better for fast-paced gaming since it has lower latency thanks to low-Earth orbit satellites. It does have a hefty installation cost ($499 for equipment). But if Starlink satellite internet is available in your area, you're very lucky and it's worth checking out. On the other hand, Elon Musk has said that he plans on reducing the equipment cost in the future, so it might be worth waiting a few years until the network is more fleshed out.

If you use oodles of satellite internet data each month—and you have $499 to invest upfront in satellite internet equipment—try Starlink (as long as it's in your area).

The Viasat Unlimited Platinum 100 plan is about as good as satellite internet can get. With speeds up to 100 Mbps and a generous data cap, you can get rural internet that will keep up with a modern lifestyle. The catch? Viasat's fastest plan isn't available everywhere. Although Viasat internet is available nationwide, the fastest speeds are offered only to select areas. You'll have to see which satellite internet plans are available where you live through Viasat.

If you just need an internet plan but don't plan on using it much, go with the HughesNet 10 GB Data Plan. You'll get speeds up to 25 Mbps, which is fast enough for one person to do most things online. The price is also impossible to beat and makes sense if you just want your satellite internet to be available but not necessarily utilized to a great extent.

Although satellite internet is by far the most available internet type, there are several other satellite internet alternatives for rural areas. Explore more rural internet options:

• 4G LTE home internet
• DSL
• Fixed wireless
• Hotspots

Learn more about the best rural internet providers.

You can also get rural internet from national mobile providers like Verizon and T-Mobile. Check out our reviews to learn more:

• Verizon LTE Home Internet Review
• T-Mobile Home Internet Review

Satellite internet solves the problem of how to get internet to small towns and rural areas, where fiber and cable infrastructure aren't in place.

In urban areas, homes and skyscrapers are wired with cable and fiber lines that bring the internet to people living in cities and areas with dense populations. Installing fiber is cheap in an apartment building, where the cost per customer is minimal. But what about people who live beyond the city limits? Running fiber lines out to each home in rural America would be extremely costly.

That's where satellite internet comes in. Unlike most other types of internet service, satellite internet doesn’t need any land-based infrastructure running out to your home. Instead, a home satellite dish communicates with a satellite in space to provide internet service.

Data transfers from your home internet devices to the satellite in space and then to the Network Operations Center back on Earth. All of this happens in about half a second. Thanks to satellite internet, people can still enjoy internet access even if where they live lacks cable or fiber infrastructure.

What makes Starlink different from existing satellite internet providers like Viasat and HughesNet is the type of satellites it uses. Starlink relies on LEO (low-Earth orbit) satellites, which means it has thousands more satellites that circle the Earth at a lower altitude, making it possible to offer faster speeds and lower latency. However, there are limitations to this technology that may make Starlink service more spotty than Viasat and HughesNet.

Learn more about how satellite internet works.

Satellite internet costs $30.00 to $169.99 a month, but those prices can change depending on your contract and how much speed and data you want. The average person will pay around $100 a month for satellite internet.

Satellite internet is not as fast as fiber or cable internet, but it can reach speeds up to 100 Mbps. As Starlink continues to develop, satellite internet speeds may get faster.

Satellite internet is a good option for people who have no other internet options. It's available everywhere, which is its main strength. Satellite internet is not a good option if you have cable internet, fiber internet, or DSL internet available where you live.