Viasat vs. Starlink (2026)
Viasat and Starlink are the two satellite options most rural households compare. Here's how they differ now.
Starlink is the better connection for most households: from $55/mo, no contract and much lower latency. Viasat starts at $39.99/mo but adds a monthly equipment lease and slows down past data thresholds.
Side by side
Which to choose
- Starlink for streaming, video calls and households that use a lot of data.
- Viasat if Starlink isn't available at your address or charges a high demand surcharge there.
Reviews: Starlink · Viasat. See also HughesNet vs. Starlink.
Who are Starlink and Viasat?
Both sell satellite internet: a dish at your home talks to satellites instead of a cable or phone line in the street. It's 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.
A California satellite company selling home internet since 2009. Most of its business is now in-flight Wi-Fi and government work.
How Viasat's data thresholds work
Viasat markets its plans as unlimited, but each has a high-speed threshold. On Essentials you get 150 GB of high-speed data; after that, speeds can slow. On Unleashed, speeds slow to about half past roughly 360 GB and much more past roughly 850 GB. Starlink has no data threshold on Residential plans, though its 100 and 200 Mbps plans are deprioritized when the network is busy.
Latency and everyday use
Like HughesNet, Viasat uses geostationary satellites about 22,000 miles up, so latency is around 600 ms or more. Streaming and browsing work, but video calls have noticeable delay and fast online games are hard to play. Starlink's low-orbit network keeps latency low enough for calls and most games.
Costs to compare
- Viasat: monthly price from $39.99, a monthly equipment lease fee and a possible installation fee. Professional installation and built-in Wi-Fi are included in the service.
- Starlink: from $55/mo with no contract; a $0 rental kit in select areas or a purchased kit elsewhere; free self-install or $99 professional install on the 100 Mbps plan.
Over two years, Viasat Essentials and Starlink cost about the same before equipment; add Viasat's equipment and Starlink comes out a little cheaper (the true cost of internet over 3 years shows the same math for other providers). The difference is what you get for it: Starlink has no data threshold on Residential and far lower latency.
Who should still pick Viasat
- Households where Starlink adds a high demand surcharge at checkout (reported at $250, and up to $750 in some areas) or marks the area sold out.
- Sites where trees block too much sky for Starlink but a single southern view is clear.
- Light users who mostly browse and email and stay under the high-speed threshold.
- People who want a technician to install it. Viasat includes professional installation; Starlink is self-install unless you pay $99 on the 100 Mbps plan.
Switching from Viasat to Starlink
- Check your contract. Leaving before a 12- or 24-month term ends costs $15 for each month left (up to $360 on a fresh 24-month term). Month-to-month plans have no fee.
- Get Starlink working first. Order Starlink, set it up and run it for a few days before cancelling Viasat, so you're never offline. Check the price at your address for a demand surcharge.
- Cancel by phone and return the equipment. Viasat sends a UPS return kit for the modem and the transceiver on the dish. Return it within 30 days or you can be charged up to about $345. The dish itself can usually stay.
- Moving instead? Ask about Viasat's Hibernation Plan, which pauses service for 2–6 months a year at $9.99/mo plus any lease fee.
More on leaving any provider: how to switch internet providers.
Also check before you choose
Many rural addresses can also get 5G home internet from T-Mobile or Verizon, which often costs less and has lower latency than either satellite. See best rural internet, Starlink vs. HughesNet vs. Viasat and best 5G home internet.
What could change
Viasat says its ViaSat-3 Flight 2 satellite, now in service, more than doubles its capacity, so speeds and plans may improve. Starlink keeps adding satellites and adjusts prices and demand surcharges by area. We recheck this page when either changes.
Questions
Is Viasat better than Starlink?
For most households, no. Starlink has lower latency and no equipment lease. Viasat can work where Starlink isn't available.
Does Viasat have data caps?
Viasat calls its plans unlimited but slows them past thresholds: Essentials includes 150 GB of high-speed data, and Unleashed slows past about 360 GB and more past about 850 GB.
Is Starlink killing Viasat?
Starlink has taken many rural customers because of its lower latency and lower starting price, but Viasat still serves areas where Starlink is unavailable or has a waitlist.
Sources (2)
- Plan pages and Broadband Facts labels from Starlink Residential, Viasat, checked Oct 2026
- Company press releases and regulatory filings on the ownership changes mentioned
- SpaceX customer milestones (June 2026); Viasat annual report for fiscal 2026 (subscriber count as of March 31, 2026)
- Viasat Residential Customer Agreement v9.14 and Broadband Label (termination and equipment terms); Starlink Help Center on demand surcharges
Prices and offers change often; confirm at your address before you order. How we research
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.
