Starlink Vs. Viasat: Which is the Best? [Facts 2024]

Now, in 2022, there are only the three best satellite internet providers are dominating the world. Among them, Starlink and Viasat are the top two. HughesNet is sitting in the third position.

Starlink is a newcomer in the satellite internet sector. But, with its high bandwidth and unbelievably low latency, it has gained huge popularity among satellite-based internet users.

Starlink and Viasat have successfully provided internet to rural areas where broadband is still missing. But which one is the best, and which provides higher bandwidth?

If these questions are hovering in your mind, it’s time to read this article to clear out the confusion. Read it until the end to know which one is the best.

So, let’s start the journey to find the best one!

Important Things to Know About Starlink and Viasat

To find the best one, you will need to know some details before starting the comparison. Starlink and Viasat are pioneers in providing satellite internet connections in USA regions.

Starlink

It is part of Elon Musk’s SpaceX program, which is the most anticipated one. After planning everything, SpaceX launched Starlink satellites into orbit in 2019. After that, they released their first beta testing for the public in October 2020.

Starlink satellites are low earth orbit or, in short, LEO satellites. Those low earth orbit satellites are the one that makes Starlink utterly different from others.

Because of those LEO satellites, Starlink can provide the internet with higher bandwidth and lowest ping compared to any other satellite internet provider. Currently, they have launched at least 3,000 satellites in orbit. But, they planned to launch at least 45,000 satellites, which is enormous.

Starlink satellites are located only a hundred miles above the earth, whereas Viasat’s satellites are 22,263 miles away. Currently, Starlink has almost 4,00,000 subscribers worldwide.

You may also like to read how to find out if Starlink is available in your area?

Viasat

It’s an American communications-based company situated in Carlsbad, California. Viasat was co-founded by Mark Dankberg, Mark Miller and Steve Hart in May 1986. Later, Mark Danberg becomes the chief executive officer, and Richard A Baldridge becomes the CEO.

Viasat started providing satellite internet to the public in 2012 as Exede Internet. But later, in 2017, Exede was renamed Viasat Internet.

Their first satellite, Viasat-1, launched into space in 2011 and earned the Guinness World Record title for highest capacity communication satellite. The Viasat-1 carried 140Gbps capacity, and that was huge. At present, Viasat operates five satellites in orbit around the earth.

Currently, Viasat serves almost 6,87,000 customers in the USA.

Related content you should read about does starlink internet have data caps or limits?

Comparison Between Starlink and Viasat

From the above section, you know every vital piece of information about Starlink and Viasat. Now, let’s jump into the main section, the comparison. But before jumping into a detailed comparison, look at the table below for the main differences at a glance.

Now, let’s jump into the detailed comparison to give you a clearer picture of both.

Here are the detailed comparisons between Starlink and Viasat satellite internet:

1. Download & Upload Speed

As per Starlink’s advertisement, they stated their download speed is ranged from 100-200Mbps, and the upload speed is 20-50Mbps. According to the quarterly report of Speedtest.net, the median download speed for Starlink is 90.55Mbps, and the upload speed is 9.33Mbps.

From the same report of Speedtest.net, Viasat’s median download speed is 22.31Mbps, and the upload speed is 2.81Mbps. Viasat stated that its download speed is ranged from 12-150Mbps, and its upload speed is 3Mbps.

Viasat and Starlink advertised upload and download speeds as close to real-world data. But Starlink’s total speed is three times faster than Viasat’s. So, Starlink is the Winner here.

2. Latency

Satellite internet’s latency is greater than the usual broadband connection. The reason behind this is pretty simple; the signal first beamed from the earth’s ground station to the space satellite. Next, the satellite process the received data and sends it directly to the subscriber signal receiver dish.

Most satellites except Starlink are located almost 22,000 miles from earth. That’s why you will find the latency number is enormous. But Starlink is situated only a hundred miles from earth, and their network ping is pretty unusual for any satellite internet.

As per the test report, Starlink’s ping is below 50ms, and Viasat’s ping is almost 500-800ms. This latency of both internet providers varies from one location to another. In some places, Starlink’s ping might surpass the 50ms range.

So, in this latency section, Starlink wins again for its low ping than Viasat.

3. Data Cap

This is the most considerable sector for any broadband user going for a new internet connection. Speaking frankly, a user only goes for an internet plan that has unlimited data. From that perspective, Starlink holds that sweet spot.

Starlink offers an unlimited data plan for its users. Also, there is no data cap for their basic plans too.

Viasat offers unlimited data on their monthly plans too. But your net speed becomes slow when you reach the high-speed data limit. Viasat’s all monthly internet plans come with high-speed data. Their most high bandwidth 150+ Mbps Enterprise plan consists of 300GB high-speed data.

So, in this data limitation section, Starlink wins again.

4. Cost

Except for Residential or Home plans, Starlink has other monthly plans also, such as Business, RV, and Maritime. The cost of these monthly plans is $110/month for Residential, $500/month for Business, $135/month for RVs and $5,000/month for Maritime.

You can definitely watch Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and Youtube with Starlink’s basic plans. The one-time upfront cost for Starlink is $599.

Viasat has the same monthly plans, just like Starlink. Their monthly Home plans start from $69.99, and the highest 150Mbps Enterprise plan will cost you $300. Their Enterprise and Mobility plans include Aviation and Maritime packages.

They will charge you $5.00/month if you lease their wifi modem, and the lifetime lease will cost you $299.99.

So, in this section, Viasat wins for its cheaper monthly plans and one-time upfront cost over Starlink.

Also, check out our separate post on can you cancel Starlink internet anytime?

5. Cancellation Policy

You will have to sign a 24-Months contract while taking Viasat internet connection just like HughesNet. But there is an early cancellation fee for Viasat. If you end your subscription before ending the 24-Months contract, they will charge you $15 for each month.

But you will need to pay $360 as an early termination fee if you cancel Viasat’s net within the first month of the contracted period.

Conversely, there is no cancellation fee for Starlink. You can cancel Starlink’s internet connection any time and start again without any cancellation fee.

Moreover, you won’t need to sign any 24-Months contract with Starlink to get their net connection. That’s why Starlink is currently the best satellite internet service provider.

So, in this cancellation policy comparison between Starlink and Viasat, Starlink snatched the winning title again.

6. Reliability

You can’t fully rely on satellite internet connection due to natural phenomena such as heavy rain, snow and ice. You will find the net speed is fallen too much in the stormy weather.

This happens because the signal receiver dish is installed outside in an open place. Due to stormy weather, the signal gets interrupted, and your internet speed becomes slower.

Plus, signal obstructions like trees, buildings and roofs can slow down your internet connection. You should go for the usual broadband connection to avoid reliability issues. However, choosing a satellite internet connection is worth it when no broadband connection is available.

So, in terms of reliability, both Starlink and Viasat get a minus point here.

7. Equipment Setup Process

The Starlink equipment installation process is simple. You can DIY install it or ask for a Starlink technician’s help. But you will need to pay when you install the equipment with a professional’s help.

First, unpack the Starlink kit and check for obstruction. Assemble and Install the receiver dish in an open place like on the roof or outside with a stand pole mount. Plug in ethernet cables in the dish and the wifi mode. Install the Starlink app to manage your Starlink account, speed, billings, etc.

But the Viasat equipment installation process is hard. You must need a Viasat technician’s help to install all the necessary equipment. As you know, Viasat’s satellites are geostationary, and you must install the receiver dish in the exact direction.

The technician will locate an obstruction-free place and install the receiver on your roof or outside with a stand pole. Next, they will set up Viasat’s wifi modem by plugging all the required ethernet cables. Moreover, they will guide you on how to access your Viasat account for managing your account, paying the bill and other settings.

So, it’s a tie for both. Though Viasat installation is free of charge, you will need professional help. Starlink equipment installation with a professional’s help will cost you a bit.

8. Gaming & VPN

With 100-200Mbps bandwidth and below 50ms ping, you can definitely game on with Starlink’s internet. For decent online gaming, you will need minimum latency below 60ms. Anything above that will cause lag in the game.

But you can’t game with Viasat’s net connection. Despite Viasat’s high bandwidth plans, you can’t play games due to high latency.

Viasat’s ping is enormous, almost 500-800ms. So it is not suitable for gaming. But can watch streaming content, mailings, and other stuff with this.

Starlink is compatible with VPN. You will find no issues when you add a VPN to its network. On the other hand, Viasat also supports VPNs, though some might work and others might not.

So, Starlink gets the bonus point for gaming and VPN support.

Some more guides on Starlink Vs. HughesNet all you should know.

Starlink vs. Viasat: Which is the Best?

Compared to Viasat, Starlink has better download and upload speed, no data cap limitations, and  lower latency. Moreover, Viasat has a high amount of early cancellation charge, and subscribers must sign a 24-month contract. Conversely, Starlink subscribers don’t need to pay any charge.

You can also DIY install Starlink’s receiver dish or ask for professional help. So, you will need to pay  to install Starlink’s dish with the technician’s help and for mount accessories. As for Viasat, you must call a Viasat-certified technician to install the equipment, you can’t DIY install that.

Gaming is possible with Starlink internet for high bandwidth and unbelievably low latency for satellite internet. On the contrary, you can’t game on Viasat’s internet.

So, it’s crystal clear from the above comparison that Starlink is far better than Viasat. Starlink claims the victory against Viasat.

Follow our guide to know about Starlink for gaming-is it good or bad?

FAQs

Is Viasat better than Starlink?

According to Ookla’s speed test from Q1 of 2022, Starlink wins the fastest satellite internet provider title. Starlink’s median download speed in the US region is over 90Mbps, while Viasat’s download speed is approx 22.3Mbps.

How much faster is Starlink than Viasat?

Starlink is three times faster than Viasat from every perspective. Starlink offers a maximum of 250Mbps, whereas Viasat offers only a maximum of 150Mbps.

Can you game on Viasat’s internet?

You can’t game on Viasat’s internet. For online gaming, the minimum latency required is 50-60ms. But Viasat’s satellite internet ping is huge, between 500-800ms.

What is the maximum bandwidth of Viasat?

Currently, Viasat’s maximum bandwidth is capped at 150Mbps. But from the real-world speed test, the speed varies from 12-100Mbps.

Wrapping Up

Starlink rocks the satellite internet sector with its high bandwidth and low latency. Due to SpaceX’s LEO satellites, all this has become possible. Starlink is ruling over other satellite internet providers as a new come, which is appreciable.

Though Viasat is not a bad option to go with, it’s only some steps behind Starlink. But, from every perspective, Starlink is the best option as satellite internet.

I hope you have read till the end and understand why Starlink stacks up against Viasat. Shortly, SpaceX plans to cover the entire world with its lightning-fast internet.

If you need any further information, let me know in the comment section. See you at the next one.