Same Starlink Service, Different Starlink Price?

Starlink sees 3.3x global traffic growth

An annual report from Cloudflare found that Starlink growth exploded worldwide in 2024, growing by 3.3 times.

The analysts cited several reasons for the rapid growth, including the introduction of the Starlink Mini and the provider’s adoption on cruise lines, airlines, and trains.

The company also started offering service in several new countries in 2024, bringing the total to more than 100 million. Combined, those companies have more than 4 million subscribers, according to a Starlink post on X.

Starlink kits vary by $200 based on location

Costs for a standard receiver kit from Starlink were up and down nationwide throughout 2024. At year’s end, prices varied by $200 based on location.

As of mid-December, new customers in some areas enjoyed a $100 discount on the kit, making their total price $249. Other areas were stuck with the regular $349 price, while others were charged the $349 plus a $100 congestion charge, bringing the total to $449.

Taxes and shipping also vary by location but usually ring in at around $30.

Monthly prices vary by $30 based on where you live

It’s not just upfront equipment costs that vary from Starlink—monthly costs are different too. In some areas, you can get standard residential service for $90 per month. Subscribers in other areas are charged the standard $120 for monthly service, or you can pay $165 if you want unlimited roaming data.

Exclusive Starlink Mini Bundle could save you $20 per month

Starlink offered a short-term deal on its Starlink Mini kit, but it disappeared from the site by Dec. 8. Meanwhile, Starlink emailed offers of a Starlink Mini Bundle to certain Starlink residential subscribers.

If you’re eligible, the deal is to add a 50GB Roam subscription for a Mini Dish for $30 per month. That’s $20 off.

The downside is that the bundle plan isn’t pausable, unlike the $50 Roam plan. And you’ll lose your discount if you end your residential subscription.

If you ask me, a $20 monthly discount for a plan you can’t pause after a purchase price of $599 isn’t super stellar.

You might be better off waiting for another sale on the Starlink Mini kit and signing up for a pausable service plan.

Some would-be subscribers are stuck on waiting lists

Some subscribers get screaming good deals, others get extra congestion charges, and yet others are completely locked out.

We first saw the return of Starlink waiting lists in mid-November, 2024.Several of the same places are still on the list a month later.

They include the following:

• Sacramento and San Diego in California
• Portland and surrounding areas up and down the Oregon coast
• Seattle and Spokane in Washington
• Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
• Aspen, Colorado
• Missoula, Montana
• Austin, Texas
• Small parts of Arizona, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and West Virginia

You can check the Starlink Availability map to see if your area is wait-listed. If it is, you can get on the list by paying a $9 deposit.

SpaceX moves forward with direct-to-satellite text messaging

SpaceX got approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to move forward with text messaging services via satellite on Nov. 26. A few weeks later, it shot 20 new satellites into orbit to make the plan possible.

The new satellites are fitted with LTE modems and have a bandwidth of around 10Mbps, which is pretty slow. However, they connect to the rest of the SpaceX constellation via laser backhaul, and speeds could improve with future launches.

“The first Starlink satellite direct to cell phone constellation is now complete,” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on X. “This will enable unmodified cellphones to have Internet connectivity in remote areas. Bandwidth per beam is only ~10Mb, but future constellations will be much more capable.”

The company started offering satellite text messages during hurricane season in 2024, and it plans to launch the service more widely in 2025 through its partnership with T-Mobile. It also plans to launch data and IoT (Internet of Things) services on the new network in 2025, with voice services “coming soon.”

Is a Starlink subscription worth the money? My take

A Starlink residential subscription is not worth the money if you live where you can get fiber or cable internet, or even solid 5G or 4G LTE fixed wireless internet. You’ll save money, expense, and hassle by choosing another provider—and you’ll have a more reliable connection.

That said, Starlink residential internet is a game changer for folks who don’t have any other high-speed options. Even if you can get DSL, you might have a better experience with a standard Starlink dish.

The Starlink Mini is a different story. Honestly, it’s not for everyone. I recommend it for RV owners and long-haul truckers who travel frequently or governments and businesses that need backup internet.