Are you stuck when trying to choose Viasat vs. Starlink? Worry not; we’ll help you compare the two superb satellite internet services. Often, the main point when picking ISPs is their internet speeds, latency, and availability.
We’ll cover all these aspects while comparing and contrasting the services in detail below.
Viasat vs. Starlink: Definition
Starlink is a satellite internet company founded by Elon Musk, who also owns X, The Boring Company, and Space X. Stalink’s internet services are present in almost all continents today.
Moreover, the company is renowned for its low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, which have a remarkably high connectivity rate. It comes with no annual contracts and offers fast speeds with remarkably low latency.
Viasat is an American-based internet company with broad coverage, especially in rural US. It is headquartered in Carlsbad, CA, although, like Starlink, it also has a worldwide presence.
You’ll find it in rural Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia.
Viasat’s internet speeds and connectivity are also incredible, making it a perfect competitor to Starlink. However, on average, the speeds are relatively lower than Starlinks.
Why? Viasat satellites use geostationary orbits, further away than Starlinks LEO satellites.
Viasat vs. Starlink: Internet Plans and Pricing
Is Starlink Cheaper than Viasat?
Starlink Plans
Starlink offers two main packages if you’re a residential or business owner.
The first one is Starlink Residential, which requires you to pay an upfront hardware fee of $599.
Next, you will pay between $90 and $150 monthly after setting up the systems.
This package comes with a 1TB maximum capacity of priority data every month.
Also, there’s the business plan popularly called Starlink Business. It is primarily reserved for individuals who have businesses that are internet-intensive.
The equipment acquisition cost for this plan is $2,500, and the monthly fee is $500.
Lastly, Starlink offers a Roam service, a plan for those always on the move. Using the service within your region costs $150 per month.
But for those who want a Global plan, the cost is $200.
Most importantly, the biggest perk for Starlink is that there’s no contract. You can cancel anytime without incurring any cost.
The volume of the priority data is also quite immense, as the company offers a maximum of 1TB.
Only when you exhaust this limit will you be deprioritized and access the internet at lower speeds.
Viasat Plans
There are four primary Viasat Plans categorized based on internet speeds.
- The lowest package is Choice 25, with a maximum speed of 25Mbps. Also, under this plan, you access up to 60GB of data, making it ideal to use the internet for basic browsing. Since it’s a basic plan, it’s best suited to a single internet user.
- You can also opt for Choice 75 if you’re looking for faster speeds of up to 75Mbps. It requires a monthly fee of $149.99, but you will receive high-speed data of 150GB. Again, this plan is best suited for a maximum of three users who are doing basic browsing.
- Thirdly, there’s Choice 100Mbps/300GB. As per its name, the internet speeds are at 100Mbps with a high-speed maximum data allocation of 300GB. The package goes for $199.99 per month.
- There’s also the Choice 100Mbps/500GB plan with a high-speed data allotment of up to 500GB. The speeds are superb at 100 Mbps.
Among the perks of using Viasat is that the company offers unlimited data use. Therefore, the data limits highlighted above are for the high-speed service.
Beyond each ceiling, you can continue the internet as long as your subscription runs. However, this will be at lower speeds.
Nonetheless, the main downside of Viasat is that you must sign a 2-year contract with the company.
Hence, early termination before your contract ends will attract monthly fees.
Viasat vs. Starlink: Performance
Starlink has exemplary download speeds.
How does Starlink perform in comparison to Viasat? Let’s find out below.
Download Speeds
On average, Starlink speeds range between 20 and 100Mbps. The actual speeds you will get will depend on several factors, including the following:
- Time of day
- Current Bandwidth Demand
- Your Location.
Viasat also offers decent speeds, which can be higher than Starlink’s, especially if you’re on the premium plans.
For instance, a user on the Choice 100Mbps/500GB can access superfast internet speeds of 100Mbps up to the 500 GB limit.
Upload Speeds
The average upload speed for Viasat is 3 to 4Mbps, while they range between 5 and 20 Mbps for Starlink.
Hence, uploading a file with Starlink Internet is much faster than using Viasat basic packages.
Latency
Viasat has a high latency, making it unsuitable for activities like online gaming.
It has an average ping of 594–624 milliseconds, which is very high compared to other internet alternatives.
On the flip side, Starink’s latency averages around 25ms. It makes Starlink a better internet service for online gaming than Viasat.
Data Caps
Neither of the two Internet services has a hard data cap. Although there’s a limit for the maximum speed data use limit, you will not disconnected when you hit the threshold.
Instead, only the internet speed will dip.
Viasat vs Starlink: Availability
A middle-aged man browsing under a tree.
Viasat is present in all the US states and has expanded outside the country. As we mentioned earlier, you can receive the internet service if you’re in other continents.
At present, Starlink is also not available in the US. Its newest market is Kenya, and the company continues providing its services in other world parts.
It is also experiencing a faster growth rate than other satellite companies. Hence, we expect it to cover most world parts soon.
But before buying a Starlink kit, check out if Starlink is available in your area. Otherwise, you will be put on the waitlist. And it may take a long time before your area gets coverage.
Viasat vs. Starlink: Installation
Starlink rectangular dish set on the ground.
Starlink has a self-installation package, meaning you don’t have to pay a technician to set up the kit.
However, if you’re on the residential plan, you will incur $599 on the equipment. Next, you can install everything all by yourself.
Viasat’s installation is free of charge. However, you will spend something little to set up your dish at an optimum location.
For instance, if you want to connect it to your roof, you’ll require a J-mount, which is not part of the installation kit. So you’ll have to purchase it yourself.
Viasat vs. Starlink: Which One Is Best?
A senior man browsing.
We recommend Starlink if you’re a heavy internet user in a remote area where fiber internet is unavailable or too expensive.
Also, it’s the best option for online gamers thanks to its low latency despite being a satellite internet service.
Nonetheless, if you’re on a budget and are looking for an internet service for basic applications, choose Viasat.
Its segmented packages depend on the average maximum speeds and data allocation.
So you can pick the low-cost packages and make a trade-off for the short high-speed allowances.
Conclusion
With the recent expansion of people’s internet uptake around the globe, satellite Internet is poised to grow.
Hence, companies like Viasat and Starlink will increasingly become important because they offer a unique service.
Their capability to deliver internet even in areas no broadband company has ever covered is a significant achievement.