Satellite internet offers you a reliable way to access the internet from totally remote areas. With it, you can enjoy the freedom of being off the beaten path and unplugging from the world, but still be able to plug in and watch some YouTube when you’re tired of talking to the critters in the woods.
Keep in mind: Satellite internet needs a power source; this could be an issue if you’re so off the grid that your setup runs on solar power and you don’t have much voltage to spare.
How satellite internet works
Satellite internet uses satellites that are orbiting the Earth to transmit and receive data. There are two main types: GEO (geostationary) and LEO (low Earth orbit) satellites.
GEO satellites remain in one position high above the Earth—more than 22,236 miles, to be exact—and provide a stable connection. However, due to their distance, there’s usually a slight delay in data transmission—like how it might take you a moment to understand what someone’s saying when they yell from a distance.
LEO satellites orbit much closer to Earth (only 111–1,242 miles), resulting in faster internet speeds. They move fast, and much like how a volleyball team works together to keep the ball in the air, a network of multiple satellites works together to maintain continuous coverage.
So, GEO satellites offer time-tested stability but have some delay (high latency), while LEO satellites provide faster internet (low latency) at the cost of requiring a new and still expanding network.
Below, we’re going to cover the major LEO and GEO satellite internet providers so you can make your off-grid internet choice with confidence.
Available in 99% of the US
Most affordable satellite plans
Reliable availability
Professional installation
High latency
Slow download speeds
Needs a power source
Annual contract
Hughesnet is overall more affordable than its competitors, Starlink or Viasat. Hughesnet uses GEO satellites, so the speeds from the satellite-only plans aren’t lightning-fast, but these plans are tried-and-true options that have been thoroughly tested by our team for over a year.
According to our proprietary data (collected on over 7 million speed tests), we found that Hughesnet has the slowest national download speed averages. If you want to use your Hughesnet service for all-night streaming and downloading a bunch of software, it’s not the right choice for you. However, if you’d just like to check your emails and read through your homesteading forum, Hughesnet is likely to fulfill your needs.
Hughesnet plans and pricing
Data plan | Price | Speed |
Select | $49.99/mo for 12 mo. | Up to 50 Mbps |
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Elite | $64.99/mo for 12 mo. | Up to 100 Mbps |
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Fusion | $94.99/mo for 12 mo. | Up to 100 Mbps |
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Data as of 01/2/2024 Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Offer for 12 months. Service plans require a 24-month commitment. Equipment Lease or Purchase fees extra. Service plans require a 24-month commitment. Equipment Lease or Purchase fees extra.
Last year, Hughesnet rolled out its high-speed Hughesnet Fusion plan. The plan combines both satellite internet and wireless (cellular) internet; they promise lower latency than their normal satellite plans and much faster speeds. They may be pricier than the satellite-only plans, but if you want fast internet out in the boonies, the robust data cap and speeds will be worth every cent.
Fusion isn’t available everywhere yet, as the service is still pretty new, but we recommend checking to see if you’re lucky enough to have it in your area now.
Starlink might be the new kid on the block in the satellite internet world, but it quickly solidified itself in our top three recommendations. Starlink internet uses LEO satellites and recently expanded its coverage network, meaning the service is now available in almost every corner of the USA, remote or not. We’ve tested the service ourselves, and there’s a reason people are talking about it.
Available in 99% of the US
High speeds (up to 100Mbps for residential users)
Unlimited standard data
Low latency
No annual contract
Pricey plans
Hefty up-front equipment purchase
Needs a power source
Online customer service only
If a power source isn’t an issue in your off-grid setup, and you don’t mind paying a little more, check out the plans Starlink has to offer:
Starlink Plan | Data | Download speed | Price | Learn more |
Standard (Residential) | Unlimited standard | 25–100Mbps | $120.00/mo.
+ $599.00 for hardware | View Plan |
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Mobile (Roam) Regional and Global | Unlimited standard (lowest priority) | 5–50Mbps | $150.00–$200.00/mo.
+ $599.00 for hardware | View Plan |
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Priority (Business) | Unlimited standard; 40GB–2TB high-speed priority | 40–220Mbps | $140.00–$500.00/mo.
+ $2,500.00 for hardware | View Plan |
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Mobile Priority | Unlimited standard; 50GB-5TB high-speed priority | 40–220Mbps | $250.00–$5,000.00/mo.
+ $2,500.00 hardware | View Plan |
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If you just need to set up internet for your personal off-grid home base, Starlink’s standard residential plan will get you everything you need. If your property has multiple buildings (think schoolroom, workshop, greenhouse) that you want to bring the internet into, the Mobile Regional plan’s portable satellite might suit you best—as long as you have an outlet to power it in each building.
Or maybe you’re trying to get a small business up and running in a remote area. Maybe you share your land with a cooperative and want to get the whole farm connected to the internet. Either way, we recommend choosing between Starlink’s Priority plans (40GB, 1TB, 2TB), as they have a larger capacity and can handle more digital traffic for a business.
While Viasat may not be our number one satellite internet recommendation, don't let its ranking fool you; Viasat satellite internet is still a great option for off-grid life in its own right.
99% availability in the US
Fast speeds (up to 150Mbps)
Unlimited high-speed data
No contract
Offline customer service available
Speeds depend on location and network traffic
Potentially expensive installation
Unlimited plans not available everywhere
In 2024, Viasat restructured its pricing, simplifying it to a single package with pricing and download speeds that vary depending on a customer’s location. It's an easy choice if you're a heavy data user.
If it’s just you in your off-grid home, and you just want to check emails and read the news, we recommend any plan that offers speeds of at least 25Mbps. On the flip side, if you’ve got a whole family wanting to stream videos, take Zoom meetings, and do their online homeschooling, you really want a minimum of 100Mbps to do so comfortably.
Plan | Data | Download speed | Price | Learn more |
| Unlimited high-speed data | 25—150Mbps | $99.99—$119.99/mo. | View Plan |
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After internal testing, we’ve concluded a few things about Viasat’s services.
- Its advertised top download speed of 150Mbps is totally enough to get the job done, but customers aren't guaranteed to ever get those speeds.
- It’s faster than Hughesnet in terms of download speeds, but Starlink still dominates over both of them.
- If something goes wrong with your service, Viasat has a toll-free customer service phone number, while Starlink requires an internet connection (you think they’d consider that if your internet is broken, you probably can’t use the said broken internet to ask for help, but, you know, companies).