Starlink vs. HughesNet: Which Internet Provider Is Best for You?

Compare Starlink and HughesNet head to head

Starlink and HughesNet both sit at the forefront of satellite internet technology, though each one has taken a very different approach to achieving lower latency connections. Starlink bills itself as the premium, high-tech solution for early adopters and has prices that match.

HughesNet, on the other hand, has always focused on providing affordable coverage in rural areas. HughesNet Fusion is a low-tech solution to the latency problem, although Fusion plans can be just as expensive as Starlink.

Pros and cons: Starlink vs. HughesNet

Jump to: Plans and pricing | Extra fees | Internet connection types | Data caps | Contracts | Installation | Availability

Jump to:

• Plans and pricing
• Extra fees
• Internet connection types
• Data caps
• Contracts
• Installation
• Availability

Plans and pricing: Starlink vs. HughesNet

Starlink plans and pricing

Starlink only offers a single option for residential internet, but also has portable Starlink Roam plans. This is great for those who need internet access that goes with them wherever they go, but it comes with higher prices and lower speeds, so it’s not the best option for everybody.

HughesNet plans and pricing

Comparing HughesNet plans is fairly straightforward, since the majority of plans come with 25Mbps download speeds (though during our hands-on testing, we found that our connection’s average speed came in way below this threshold). Your biggest decisions will be how much data you need and whether or not low latency is worth a much higher monthly cost.

Fusion plans provide low-latency when you need it through a hybrid connection that makes use of terrestrial wireless networks. This means that video chat and online games will be able to make use of these quick and responsive connections while the bulk of your data still travels to orbit and back.

HughesNet satellite-only plans differ only in the data cap, making it easy to determine their value. You end up paying just half as much for data with the more expensive plans, so although you don’t want to pay for more data than you’re going to use, you also get more value with higher-data plans. Of course, this is much less of a selling point when comparing with Starlink and its unlimited data.

In general, we don’t recommend HughesNet’s plans with the lowest data caps because 15GB isn’t very much data at all. It’s better than nothing if that’s what fits your budget, but you have to be very frugal with your internet use to stay under that limit by the end of the month.

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Extra fees: Starlink vs. HughesNet

Data as of 5/22/2023. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Equipment and installation are big hurdles when switching to any new wireless plan. Switching to HughesNet is relatively painless, as installation is reasonably priced compared to other providers. Its monthly equipment rental fees aren’t too bad, but they do add up, especially if the whole reason you went with HughesNet was to save on costs over the competition. HughesNet does give you the option to purchase your equipment, which will run you almost as much as Starlink’s equipment.

Starlink has no option to rent equipment, nor do they offer installation, so switching is both a big investment and potentially a lot of work. Although setting up Starlink is simple enough that you can do it yourself, you usually get the strongest signal if you place your antenna on the roof of your home. Working on your roof is always potentially dangerous, so be sure to consider this before you sign up.

Internet types: Starlink vs. HughesNet

Starlink and HughesNet both provide satellite internet, but they each put a different spin on the established technology. Starlink operates a constellation of satellites in a low-Earth orbit with many tiny satellites crossing the sky in any location. HughesNet operates several large satellites in geosynchronous orbit, which is a very long distance from Earth. The time it takes for your data to travel to one of those satellites and back causes incredibly high latency or lag on your connection.

Latency is a big deal for certain kinds of activities, so HughesNet created a hybrid, multitransport connection for its Fusion plans. HughesNet Fusion uses terrestrial wireless networks for latency-sensitive data, switching your data over to a wireless connection if you make a Zoom call or turn on a Twitch stream to get that data to your device without the lag you’d get using your satellite connection.

For most of us, however, speed is more important than latency. Starlink initially claimed much higher speeds than its competition, but these speeds have dropped significantly as its service grew. Starlink speeds aren’t that impressive at the moment, but Starlink’s slowest speeds are still about as fast as HughesNet’s fastest speeds, so there’s still no competition in this category.

Data caps: Starlink vs. HughesNet

Starlink has ditched its data caps after waffling back and forth on the issue while trying and failing to manage its network congestion. HughesNet plans do have caps, and they’re incredibly low when compared to other connections like DSL or cable. HughesNet’s low speed makes it harder to burn through data as fast as you would on a wired connection, but it’s still cheaper to buy a plan that covers your needs than to buy additional data on a regular basis.

Additionally, HughesNet plans come with 50GB of Bonus Zone data, which you can use between 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. This isn’t very convenient for most online activities, but it gives you a time to schedule things like system updates, which could otherwise eat up your entire data cap for the month in one go. You can download media like games or videos during this time, which you can then play back during daylight hours.

Contracts: Starlink vs. HughesNet

Starlink requires no long-term contracts, which is great. It’s currently the only satellite provider not to require one. Buying your equipment upfront places a fairly big barrier to switching, but it’s still better than paying huge termination fees down the line.

HughesNet plans come with a two-year service contract. Two years is about as long as internet contracts get, but it’s standard for most satellite providers. It’s also unfortunate for Starlink customers, because a basic HughesNet plan would make an excellent stopgap while you’re waiting the 6 to 11 months for your equipment to be shipped if you could just cancel your service when it finally arrived.

Installation: Starlink vs. HughesNet

Starlink doesn’t offer professional installation, so you’ll have to set up your equipment yourself. Although it’s much simpler to install than the equipment for GSO satellite service like HughesNet, doing any work on your roof can be dangerous if you don’t have experience doing it. If you’re not confident about installing your dish on your roof, we suggest that you get some help from a friend or hire a local handyman for assistance.

HughesNet equipment requires professional installation, which involves mounting a satellite dish on or nearby your house and running a cable inside to the router. The dish must be aligned to the satellite by the technician in order to get a signal. Those leasing their equipment can get free professional installation, which makes it a much more accessible option to those who can’t afford a huge upfront investment.

Availability: Starlink vs. HughesNet

Both Starlink and HughesNet are available nationwide, even in the most remote rural locations. Starlink Roam plans give the added benefit of being able to access the internet anywhere you go, whereas HughesNet and Starlink Residential plans only function at your home address.

Final call: Starlink vs. HughesNet

With each of the two providers targeting a very different group of customers, it’s easy to recommend Starlink to those who want speed and are willing to pay for it and HughesNet for those looking for an affordable option that covers the basics.

For those who need a low-latency connection, the race is a bit closer. Starlink has higher speeds and can offer the best overall experience, but the company is also struggling with basic logistics and network management. HughesNet, by contrast, rolled out its entire Fusion program nationwide in a matter of weeks and can have technicians at your home to install your equipment in days, not months.

So the big question for those deciding between HughesNet Fusion and Starlink is whether you’d rather get an adequate internet connection now or wait for a great connection later.

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Methodology

Our HighSpeedInternet.com editorial team bases our analyses on customer input from our annual customer satisfaction survey, results from our speed test tool, and proprietary internet provider data on speeds and pricing. To strengthen our research, we look closely at provider contracts to get hard-to-find information on price hikes, data caps, and extra fees, and we keep tabs on the latest news reports and online reviews. When applicable, we also rely on our personal experiences testing these services.

More about Starlink and HughesNet

• Starlink Internet review
• HughesNet Internet review
• Best rural internet providers
• What is HughesNet Fusion?
• Starlink Roam Is Here, but Is It Worth It?