Viasat vs. HughesNet satellite internet service
Both Viasat (Exede) and HughesNet are available almost anywhere in the US, but Viasat offers faster download speeds—up to 100 Mbps. HughesNet speeds max out at 25 Mbps. Viasat plans start as low as $30.00 a month for 12 Mbps, which is half the price of HughesNet’s cheapest plan—$59.99 for 25 Mbps.
We do recommend Viasat over HughesNet for most people, but it’s not so cut-and-dry. If you read on into our in-depth comparison, you’ll understand what we mean (hint: there are lots of plans and prices to choose from).
| Provider | Introductory Price | Download Speed | Availability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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$30.00–$150.00/mo.* | Up to 12–100 Mbps | Nationwide |
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$59.99–$149.99/mo.† | Up to 25 Mbps | Nationwide |
View Plans
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Data effective 7/15/2020. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Actual speeds may vary and are not guaranteed.
The bottom line
Get Viasat for the fastest satellite internet available. Viasat’s top speed is four times faster than HughesNet’s max speed. Not all areas have access to Viasat’s racing 100 Mbps speed, though, so check out availability in your area before you sign the dotted line. Viasat also has a 2-year price lock, another big perk for people who don’t like price hikes (and who does?).
Choose HughesNet to get the lowest satellite internet prices. HughesNet and Viasat both offer internet packages between $50 and $70 per month, but with HughesNet, you’ll get more than twice as much speed for that price. All HughesNet plans are the same speed—25 Mbps—but prices do go up after six months.
Packages & pricing
Viasat offers a variety of speed and data options to fit your needs. HughesNet keeps things a bit simpler with just one speed, but it still offers several data options.
Viasat plans
| Plan | Price | Speed | Data Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty 12 | $30/mo. | Up to 12 Mbps | 12 GB |
| Liberty 25 | $50/mo. | UP to 12 Mbps | 25 GB |
| Liberty 50 | $75/mo. | Up to 12 Mbps | 75 GB |
| Unlimited Bronze 12 | $50/mo. | Up to 12 Mbps | 35 GB |
| Unlimited Silver 12 | $100/mo. | Up to 12 Mbps | 45 GB |
| Unlimited Gold 12 | $150/mo. | Up to 12 Mbps | 65 GB |
| Unlimited Silver 25 | $70/mo. | Up to 25 Mbps | 60 GB |
| Unlimited Gold 30 | $100/mo. | Up to 30 Mbps | 100 GB |
| Unlimited Gold 50 | $100/mo. | Up to 50 Mbps | 100 GB |
| Unlimited Platinum 100 | $150/mo. | Up to 100 Mbps | 150 GB |
Data effective 7/15/2020. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
With Viasat, you can choose a package with the speed and data threshold that suits your needs. Remember, with all Viasat plans, the price will go up by about 33% after three months.
Viasat plans have a 2-year contract agreement.
Some Viasat services were formerly known as Exede Internet. In 2018, Viasat dropped the name Exede and now calls all of its internet services Viasat Internet.
While all Viasat package technically come with unlimited data, you will experience slowing after you reach your plan’s data threshold. You can also buy additional data tokens to get more full speed data, but they don’t carry over into the next month. We’ll explain this in more detail in the data section below. To save data, each package tier limits your video streaming quality.
Viasat video streaming quality by package
| Package | Streaming Quality |
|---|---|
| Bronze | 360p (SD) |
| Gold | 480p (DVD) |
| Silver | 720p (HD) |
| Platinum | 1080p (HD) |
Date as of 3/19/2020.
Unfortunately, the only way to change your video streaming on a Viasat unlimited plan is to upgrade to a better package.
HughesNet plans
HughesNet keeps things a bit simpler than Viasat with just one speed, but it still offers several data options.
| Plan | Price | Speed | Data Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 GB Data Plan | $59.99/mo. | 10 GB | Unlimited |
| 20 GB Data Plan | $69.99/mo. | 20 GB | Unlimited |
| 30 GB Data Plan | $99.99/mo. | 30 GB | Unlimited |
| 50 GB Data Plan | $150.00/mo. | 50 GB | Unlimited |
*Data effective 2/28/2020. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Actual speeds may vary and are not guaranteed.
HughesNet internet plans don’t have names, but they all offer the same speeds, which happen to coincide with the threshold for what the FCC defines as broadband (25 Mbps download speeds and 3 Mbps upload speed).
Each HughesNet package tier has a different data limit. Once you reach that limit, your service will slow down. You can buy additional data if you need full speed data after your limit, and unlike Viasat, HughesNet unused data you purchase will carry over into the next month. We’ll discuss the differences between HughesNet’s slowing and Viasat’s slowing in the data section.
With HughesNet, you could end up saving money because their plans are cheaper overall, but they do offer less data. So with Viasat, the plans are more expensive, but you actually pay less for each GB of data than you do with HughesNet. HughesNet plans come with a 2-year contract agreement.
Pros and cons
Viasat
Pros
- Faster speeds
- Free installation
- Built-in Wi-Fi
- Newer equipment
- No throttling
Cons
- 2-year contract required
- Restricted streaming quality
- Additional purchased data expires at the end of the month
HughesNet
Pros
- More affordable
- Built-in Wi-Fi
- Video Data Saver
- Additional data doesn't expire
Cons
- Throttled speeds after data allowance
- 2-year contract required
Important features
Speed
While both these ISPs offer broadband speeds, Viasat uses newer satellites with more advanced technology than HughesNet, so you can get faster speeds in select areas. You can also count on those speeds to remain faster than what HughesNet can provide because Viasat plans to launch another satellite before Hughesnet launches its next one.
Satellite internet can be susceptible to lag (also known as latency) that can make your connection feel slow.
Data
Data restrictions are one of the main differences between satellite internet and other types of internet. While any type of connection could come with a data limit, satellite internet limits are usually much smaller and thus have a more significant effect on the overall service.
Viasat and Viasat allow you to buy extra data. However, while HughesNet’s Data Tokens don’t expire, the extra data you buy from Viasat doesn’t roll over into the next billing cycle, so you lose any unused data. Also, HughesNet Data Tokens are much cheaper than Viasat’s extra data prices.
Viasat
Viasat packages offer unlimited data but you still have a data threshold, which is the amount of full-speed data you can use every month. When you reach your data threshold, you can keep using the internet but you’ll have reduced speed.
If you use up your data allowance before the end of the month but you need more full speed data, you can get more data with the “Buy More” feature on the app or on the Viasat website. Viasat extra data expires at the end of the billing cycle, so it’s use it or lose it!
- 5 GB for $48
- 7 GB for $67
- 10 GB for $95
- 25 GB for $75
Data as of 3/23/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
HughesNet
HughesNet internet packages vary in price based on their data limits. If you hit your data limit, your internet will still work, but HughesNet will slow your connection to just 1 to 3 Mbps and keep it that slow until the end of the billing cycle.
Don’t like slowing down? No problem. HughesNet provides several ways to work with the data limits. You can buy “Data Tokens” to add incremental amounts of data to your plan.
If you compare HughesNet Data Token prices to Viasat, you’ll see that getting extra data with HughesNet is much cheaper than with Viasat. HughesNet charges $15 for an extra 5 GB, while Viasat charges $48 for 5 GB. Plus, HughesNet rolls over any unused Data Tokens into the next month, but with Viasat it disappears.
- 3 GB for $9
- 5 GB for $15
- 10 GB for $30
- 25 GB for $75
Data as of 3/23/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Save your data
You can save your data by using the internet during the Bonus Zone with HughesNet or the Free Zone with Viasat. These are only available with select plans.
HughesNet Bonus Zone
The Bonus Zone occurs between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. local time. When you use your internet during the Bonus Zone, the data you use won’t count against your monthly allowance. Instead, HughesNet gives you 50 GB of data for the Bonus Zone.
Plan ahead and use the Bonus Zone to download games and videos you can play offline during regular hours.
Viasat free zone
Older Viasat plans (marketed under the brand name Exede®) had a nightly free use zone where you could use the internet without it counting against your data allowance. The new unlimited internet packages from Viasat don’t have a free zone.
HughesNet Video Data Saver
HughesNet comes with Video Data Saver. This feature automatically adjusts your video streaming to save your data. However, this also limits the quality of video to 480p. That’s still DVD quality, but not HD quality.
If you do a lot of streaming, this feature will help prevent reaching your data limit. When you want to watch something in HD, you can turn off the Video Data Saver by changing the settings when you log into your account.
Viasat video data extender
As with the Free Zone, the video data extender was available on old Exede® plans, but the Viasat unlimited plans don’t offer this feature. Instead, it varies video streaming quality by package. The intent of limiting streaming quality on lower tier packages is to save data.
Reliability
As mentioned before, satellite internet is more susceptible to lag (also known as latency or delay) 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 the same limitations. If you’re concerned about reliability, go with Viasat. Its newer satellites will have more advanced equipment that isn’t likely to wear out anytime soon.
Availability
Because both these ISP’s 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.
Equipment and installation
Viasat has the better satellites, but HughesNet gives you the option to buy your equipment. Viasat and HughesNet both include built-in WiFi capabilities with their gateways (modem/router combos).
*Plus a $100 installation fee. †Applies only to lease option. Data as of 3/23/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Viasat
Viasat’s newer satellite technology means it can deliver a stronger service, but the equipment you get in your home has to be compatible with the latest technology—which means you have to get it from Viasat. Viasat doesn’t offer any option for purchasing your internet equipment, so leasing is your only option.
You have two leasing options. You can lease your Viasat equipment for $9.99 per month, or you can opt for the lifetime lease for a one-time fee of $299.99. The lifetime lease is good for as long as you keep the same model of equipment.
If you’re confident that you’ll be using Viasat as your ISP for more than thirty months, the lifetime lease could save you money. But, if you’re just signing up for the standard 2-year agreement, go with the monthly lease. The total cost of the leasing fees for two years is less than the lifetime lease price.
HughesNet
HughesNet gives you multiple equipment leasing options, plus an option to buy. The monthly leasing option costs $14.99, though some areas may get a $5/mo. discount, and the purchase option costs $349.98.
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.
Satellite internet for business
Are you running a business in a rural area? You can get business internet solutions from Viasat or HughesNet. Business internet service can keep your business humming with more data and higher security than satellite service for homes.
Satellite internet for business plans
| Provider | Price* | Speeds | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viasat Business | 50.00– $500.00/mo.* | Up to 12–100 Mbps | View plans |
| HughesNet Business | $49.99– $149.99/mo. for the first 6 mos., then $69.99–$199.99/mo. | Up to 25 Mbps | View plans |
*Data current as of 7/15/2020. Prices and availability vary by location.
†If you reach your monthly data allotment with your Viasat business plan, internet speeds may be reduced to 1 to 3 Mbps until the beginning of the next billing cycle.
‡HughesNet has no hard data limits, so if you reach the monthly data allotment you will have uninterrupted data, but at reduced speeds (typically 1–3 Mbps).
Add satellite TV to your internet service.
Neither HughesNet nor Viasat bundle with television, but you can get DISH or DIRECTV alongside either service. The perks of satellite TV? You won’t use up data when you’re watching live TV. (Using your DVR will use up data, though.)
| TV Provider | Intro. Price Range | Channel Count | Features | Order Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV | $39.99–$114.99/mo.* | 155+–330+ | NFL SUNDAY TICKET | View plans |
| DISH | $59.99/mo.–$94.99/mo.† | 190–290+ | HD FREE for Life® | View plans |
Data effective 2/28/2020. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.*For 12 months with a 2-yr contract, paperless bill, & autopay. Price increases for months 13-24. †For 24 months with a 2-year contract and eAutoPay.
DISH
DISH offers high-quality satellite television on all its packages. In addition to delivering the entertainment you want, DISH also features the Hopper 3 DVR. With 2TB of space and 4K HD picture quality, you can record hours of your favorite shows with the Hopper 3, and you’ll know they’ll look great.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV satellite TV service also delivers great entertainment, especially for sports fans. The DIRECTV Genie® DVR supports 4K HD for a stunningly clear picture and has a huge storage capacity for virtually endless entertainment.
Our verdict
The best satellite internet providers available are Viasat and HughesNet. Viasat is the best satellite internet provider for speed, data plans, and performance, while HughesNet offers the best value for what you pay.
To get the most speed on a small budget, go with HughesNet. While its top speed comes nowhere close to what Viasat can offer, the most affordable HughesNet package delivers twice the speed as Viasat for the same price. And if you need to buy extra data for that late-night movie binge, HughesNet extra data is much cheaper.
Starlink, OneWeb, and the 2020 space race
Wondering about Starlink and other satellite providers? We’re eagerly awaiting official release dates on new home internet plans from OneWeb, Project Kuiper, and SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service.
SpaceX’s satellite launches are a little ahead of the gang and they could start offering service in late 2020. Here’s the latest news on the new space race that aims to eliminate the digital divide and offer affordable satellite internet everywhere. We’ll keep you posted on updates.
