Starlink vs. HughesNet vs. Viasat
Satellite is often the only option in truly rural areas. Here's how Starlink, HughesNet and Viasat compare on speed, latency, data and price.
Get Starlink if it reaches you: low delay, no contract, and cheaper over two years. Choose HughesNet or Viasat only where trees block Starlink's view of the sky.
Side by side
Who are Starlink, HughesNet and Viasat?
All three sell satellite internet: a dish at your home talks to satellites instead of a cable in the street. It is mainly used in rural areas that cable and fiber don't reach. The big difference is how far away the satellites are.
Satellite internet from SpaceX, Elon Musk's rocket company. Open to the public since 2020.
Satellite internet from Hughes, a Maryland company owned by EchoStar. Its parent filed for Chapter 11 in August 2026 and says service continues.
A California satellite company selling home internet since 2009. Most of its business is now in-flight Wi-Fi and government work.
Latency, speed and data
Latency, the delay before anything responds, is the number that separates these services. Signals to HughesNet and Viasat travel about 22,000 miles each way, so every click waits 600 ms or more. Streaming and browsing work once things load, but video calls lag and fast online games are hard to play. Starlink's satellites are about 340 miles up, so its 25–60 ms delay is close to cable.
Starlink is also faster: its FCC labels list typical speeds of 80–100 Mbps on the $55 plan and up to 170–320 Mbps on Max. HughesNet tops out at 100 Mbps and Viasat at 150 Mbps, with typical speeds well below that. Uploads are slow on all three, from a few Mbps on HughesNet and Viasat to 15–40 Mbps on Starlink.
Data is where the fine print matters. Starlink Residential has no data threshold, though its 100 and 200 Mbps plans are deprioritized at busy times. HughesNet includes 100–200 GB of priority data, then slows you down. Viasat Essentials slows after 150 GB, and Unleashed after about 360 GB.
What two years actually costs
Before taxes, installation fees and any Starlink demand surcharge. Intro prices are counted for their full length, then the regular price. HughesNet and Viasat look cheaper on the first bill, but cost more over two years.
Contracts and the HughesNet risk
Starlink has no contract and a 30-day refund. Viasat Unleashed is month-to-month, but Essentials needs a 12- or 24-month term, with a fee of $15 for each month left. HughesNet Lite has a 12-month term and its other plans 24 months, with a cancellation fee of up to $400.
Hughes Satellite Systems filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2026, after its subscribers fell from about 1.6 million in 2020 to about 622,000. It says service continues while it reorganizes. That isn't a reason to panic if you already have HughesNet, but signing a new two-year contract carries more risk than usual. Why HughesNet is losing customers
Weather and obstructions
All three need a clear view of the sky. HughesNet and Viasat point at one spot in the southern sky, which can be easier to find on a wooded lot. Starlink needs a wide view overhead; trees or a close roofline cause short dropouts, so run the obstruction check in the Starlink app before ordering. Heavy rain can interrupt any of them briefly, and Starlink's dish heats itself to melt snow.
Head to head
Starlink vs. HughesNet
Starlink wins on speed, delay, data and contract.
Starlink delivers 80–320 Mbps with 25–60 ms delay and no data threshold, on no contract. HughesNet tops out at 100 Mbps, has 600+ ms delay outside Fusion areas, slows you after 100–200 GB, and needs a 12- or 24-month term. Over two years, HughesNet Select costs about $1,960 against $1,320 for Starlink 100 Mbps.
Starlink vs. Viasat
Starlink wins unless trees block its view overhead.
Viasat reaches up to 150 Mbps but has 600+ ms delay, and Essentials slows after 150 GB. Viasat Unleashed has no contract, which narrows the gap, but at about $2,290 over two years it costs more than any Starlink plan at that speed. Viasat only needs a clear view to the south, so it can work on lots where Starlink keeps dropping.
HughesNet vs. Viasat
Viasat for most people, HughesNet only for Fusion.
Viasat is faster (up to 150 Mbps against 100), has more data on Unleashed and offers a no-contract plan. HughesNet is cheaper on the first bill, but costs more over two years once the lease and setup fee are added. Its Fusion plan, where sold, cuts delay to about 100 ms, which helps video calls. Weigh HughesNet's August 2026 bankruptcy filing before signing a 24-month term.
Which should you get?
- Starlink if it reaches your address with a clear view of the sky. It is the better connection on every plan and usually cheaper over two years.
- Viasat if trees block Starlink but a southern view is clear, and you want no contract (Unleashed) or light use (Essentials).
- HughesNet only if neither of the others works at your address, or you need Fusion's lower delay where it is sold. Weigh the 24-month contract against its bankruptcy filing.
- Check 5G home internet first. T-Mobile and Verizon reach many rural addresses and often beat all three on price and delay. Best 5G home internet
Switching to Starlink
Set up Starlink and use it for a few days before cancelling, so you're never offline. Check how many months are left on your contract, since early cancellation fees can outweigh a few months of savings. Then return the leased equipment, or you can be charged up to $500 by HughesNet or about $345 by Viasat. Step-by-step guides: leaving Viasat and cancelling HughesNet.
More on Starlink: checking for Starlink outages · Starlink Mobile explained.
Related guides
Sources (2)
- Plan pages and Broadband Facts labels from HughesNet, Viasat, Starlink Residential, checked Oct 2026
- Company press releases and regulatory filings on the ownership changes mentioned
- HughesNet and Viasat Broadband Facts labels and customer agreements (terms, equipment and termination fees)
- EchoStar Q2 2026 results and Hughes Satellite Systems Chapter 11 filing (August 2026)
Prices and offers change often; confirm at your address before you order. How we research
Questions
How much is Starlink now?
Starlink Residential starts at $55/mo for 100 Mbps, with a 200 Mbps plan at $85 and Residential Max at $130. There's no contract, and the kit is a $0 rental in select areas.
Is Starlink better than HughesNet?
For most households, yes. Starlink's low-orbit satellites give much lower latency and faster speeds, and its cheapest plan is now $55/mo.
Is Starlink better than Viasat?
For most homes, yes. Starlink is faster, has 25–60 ms delay against Viasat's 600+ ms, and costs less over two years. Viasat can be the better pick where trees block Starlink's view overhead but the southern sky is clear.
Is HughesNet or Viasat better?
Viasat, for most people. It's faster, offers a no-contract plan (Unleashed) and costs less over two years than HughesNet Select. HughesNet's Fusion plan has lower delay where it's sold.
Is HughesNet going out of business?
Not yet. Hughes Satellite Systems filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2026 and says it will keep serving customers while it reorganizes. Chapter 11 is a restructuring, not a shutdown, but it adds risk to a new 24-month contract.
Comparing every rural option, not just satellite? See the best rural internet options.
Jean founded ShopHighSpeed after trying to find one straight answer about business internet in his own town. He has been a Comcast and Verizon Fios customer, and ranks providers on what they actually deliver, not on what they advertise.
