Viasat vs. Hughesnet: Comparing The Two Legacy Satellite Connections

If you live in a rural area, need the internet for simple applications, and want to save money, we recommend Hughesnet.

Hughesnet offers the best price for just the right amount of speed for your everyday needs. It is ideal for people who live in remote areas and still need internet access.

If you use it for more data-intensive tasks, such as working from home or streaming, Viasat might be a better fit. This is especially true if you don’t like being locked into a multi-year contract.

To see how the service stacks up against Hughesnet and Viasat, read our Starlink review.

Hughesnet keeps its download speeds a bit more straightforward than Viasat. Hughesnet satellite internet plans offer 25Mbps, 50Mbps, or 100Mbps of download speed. All four of Hughesnet’s plans offer unlimited standard data after your priority data allotment, which comes in 100GB or 200GB per month. You’ll never be cut off from service, but your speeds will be much slower than on priority data.

The highest-tiered plan, Fusion, is a low-latency option that combines satellite internet with a fixed wireless connection, similar to 5G. This reduces latency, an inherent issue with satellite internet.

With Hughesnet’s two-year contract, at least you’ll know your price won’t jump during that duration. Since Viasat is month-to-month, they can’t make that same promise.

Overall, you could end up saving money with Hughesnet because its plans are cheaper overall, but only if you don’t end up buying tons of data to compensate. Monitor your data usage and decide what you need most from your satellite internet service: affordable pricing or high data caps.

For more specifics on Hughesnet’s internet service, check out our Hughesnet Review.

Viasat plans start at $39.99 per month for the first three months of service. The reduced Essentials plan includes 150 GB of monthly data and speeds up to 150 Mbps.  However, it does require a 12-month contract.

Our favorite plan is the unleased plan, which starts at $69.99 per month. Your speeds and final pricing are determined by your address, since they cannot guarantee their top speeds everywhere. The plan is billed monthly. Since there is no contract, you can cancel at any time; however, there is no price-lock guarantee.

Despite being more expensive than Hughesnet’s three main plans (especially in the first year), Viasat’s unlimited data and lack of contract or high upfront costs may make the extra charge worth it. Remember, Hughesnet caps its data at 200GB, and after you hit that, your speed will drop significantly, especially during peak hours. Viasat has a soft data cap of 850GB, so you may be throttled if you exceed it within a month. However, we've found that this is plenty of data for most households.

For more specifics on Viasat internet service, check out our entire Viasat Internet Review.

Viasat claims a maximum speed of 150Mbps, 50Mbps higher than Hughesnet's top speed of 100Mbps. However, Viasat's top speed is not available in all locations. In fact, depending on your location, you may not be able to get 100Mbps. So, if you’re judging on speed alone, you’ll need to check with both providers to find out which residential satellite internet provider offers the fastest service in your area.

Also, don’t forget the impact that data allowances have on your internet speed. Once you hit your monthly data threshold, your speed may be slowed to 3 Mbps or less. Ultimately, having a higher data allowance may have a greater impact on your internet speed than upgrading to a faster plan.

Latency is also a major factor in performance, more so than download speed. Latency is affected by satellites’ distance from the Earth, and Hughesnet and Viasat both use geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites. High latency can make your connection feel even slower than it is. Satellite internet latency averages 594–624 milliseconds (ms). Compare this with cable internet’s average latency of 15–35 ms, and you’ll understand why gaming can be difficult on satellite internet.

You can stream 4K with Hughesnet and Viasat (we don't recommend trying to stream 4K with less than 50Mbps). Viasat's unlimited data plan makes it ideal for streaming, since you don’t have to worry about data usage. On Hughesnet, we recommend streaming in standard or HD, since 4K requires plenty of bandwidth, and you still run the risk of hitting your data threshold if you stream a lot.

For more advice, check out our what speed you need guide to get the most out of your internet.

Both Viasat and Hughesnet advertise that they offer unlimited data--but only one has true high-speed unlimited data.

Hughesnet offers between 100GB and 200GB of data with its satellite plans, and Viasat Unleashed provides unlimited data (albeit with the exception of 850GB in a month). After you exceed your monthly data cap, you won’t be cut off from your internet connection entirely. Instead, your internet speeds will be throttled, so you’ll experience slower speeds. Whatever your plan is, you’ll likely drop to around 1Mbps to 3Mbps, down from your usual download speed. Let’s not even look at the upload speed.

This throttled data is standard data, while the faster data you’ll experience under your data cap is high-speed data. Fixed wireless providers and cellphone providers also tend to use this model and these terms. That said, Viasat’s lack of a hard data cap is the key differentiator here. However, on the off chance that you exceed 850GB and your data is slowed down, you’re unable to buy additional data.

Once you reach your data limit, your service will slow down. You can buy additional data if you still need full-speed data after that, and unused Hughesnet data you purchase will carry over into the next month. Hughesnet plans also try to make up for their lower data allowances with Bonus Zone data that you can access between 2:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m. Learn how to manage your data.

Both Hughesnet and Viasat require professional installation from a technician. You cannot install your dish and router yourself. Also, when leasing your equipment, both providers will require you to ship back the equipment undamaged. Otherwise, you'll be charged a sizable fee.

You can lease your Viasat equipment for $15 per month or opt for the lifetime lease for a one-time fee of $250. The lifetime lease is good for as long as you keep the same model of equipment.

Installation with Viasat is the most in-demand expense and could even be a deal breaker. Your final price will depend entirely on your location and the result of a soft credit check. Although the installation could be free, circumstances can result in charges—the worst-case scenario is a $300 installation.

Hughesnet gives you multiple equipment leasing options, plus an option to buy. The monthly leasing option costs $14.99 for satellite plans and $19.99 for the Fusion plan, though some areas may get a $5 per month discount, and the purchase options cost $299.99 or $449.99.

Unless you plan to be with Hughesnet for a long time (55 months or more), leasing is the more cost-effective option. Also, new customers may get free installation, so you could save even more.

As mentioned before, satellite internet is more susceptible to lag (also known as latency or ping) than other types of internet service. The lag occurs because a signal transmitted via satellite has to travel much farther than it would with other internet types. That extra distance also leaves the signal more vulnerable to interference.

Viasat and Hughesnet are both satellite internet providers, so they face similar limitations. If you’re concerned about going over your data limit, go with Viasat. Viasat delivers more data than Hughesnet plans do. If cost is the biggest factor, go with Hughesnet because their prices are slightly lower and don’t increase after three months.

And if superior speeds and performance are top priority, and you don’t mind the high sign-up cost, check into Starlink, which offers the most data and fastest speeds of any satellite internet provider.

Because both these ISPs operate by satellite, they’re both available almost anywhere in America. However, the packages available will vary by area because the beam from the orbiting satellite will hit different locations at different angles. A more direct beam can deliver a stronger signal and a better service.

Your choice between Viasat and Hughesnet will come down to several factors. First, you need to determine what's available to you at your location. Both Viasat's 150Mbps plans and Hughesnet's reliable Fusion plan aren't available to everyone.

Once you're aware of what you're working with (likely 100Mbps from both providers), you need to determine how much of a data user you are. We typically recommend Hughesnet for its affordable pricing. However, if you anticipate using lots of data—for instance, you have a big family that likes to stay connected—Viasat's significantly larger priority data caps may be a selling point for you.