2026 Starlink Review - From an Owner
- Telicia
- Feb 22
- 5 min read
Are you considering getting Starlink? We've had it for 3+ years now, and looking back on our experiences, here's my honest opinions on how well it works, and whether it's worth having.
There's no denying it, Starlink are offering consumer satellite internet in a way that's leagues ahead of their competitors. We live full-time on a sailboat, and like many people living in remote or rural areas, getting reliable internet was a mixture of cell tower juggling, 4G boosters, expensive satellite plans, and good old-fashioned frustration.
Then Starlink came along, and flipped the script. We installed Starlink on our boat in early 2023 and have been using non-stop ever since. In that time, I've learned a lot about the plans, functionality and how well it actually performs in different environments, so here's my 2026 Starlink review.
What is Starlink
Starting with the basics, Starlink is a satellite internet system from SpaceX that uses the company's low earth orbit satellite array to provide high speed internet. Customers choose a Starlink dish to receive signal, and a monthly plan that provides them with internet service.
To give you a quick insight into our experience, over the past 3+ years we've had a High Performance dish, then a Starlink Mini, both on the Roam Unlimited data plan. Starlink is our primary internet provider, so we're using it on a daily basis.
Starlink coverage
Technically, Starlink can provide coverage anywhere in the world. The residential plans work on homes in neighborhoods as well as homes remote areas, and there are options for people who are on-the-go, travelling around the world - like us! What limits coverage is factors like:
Whether the country you're in has given regulatory approval for Starlink to operate (Check the Starlink coverage map)
Which Starlink plan you have
Whether Offshore Data mode is turned on (for boats)
Since we're always moving around, our Starlink subscription is set to a Roam plan. With Roam, land and coastal use is included for supported countries, which we've experienced in places like Trinidad & Tobago, Saint Martin, and Guadeloupe.
Anecdotally, we've heard the Roam plan works in countries where it's "not available" for around 2 months before service is cut off. We have passed through some of these places, such as Grenada, and our service wasn't interrupted. We've also used our Starlink offshore with ""Ocean Mode" toggled on, and it was flawless.
How well Starlink works
We've found that Starlink works as well on land, as it does on the water.
To give you a better idea of performance, here's two different speed tests; the one on the left was from Saint Martin in 2025, the other from Trinidad in 2026. Both were done on our Starlink Mini dish.
As you can see the speeds are quite reasonable, although like all satellite internet providers the ping for Starlink is slower than what you'd expect with fiber.
Asking myself if I think Starlink satellite internet is any good, I do. In our household, it handles the needs of three adults who are using the internet for data intensive activities like video calls, uploading big files, and streaming. We have 10+ devices connected to the network, and notice no difference in speed if one person is sending an email versus three people streaming videos.
Service drop-outs
Like many users we've found that very heavy tropical rainstorms can cause temporary disruptions, although the service typically recovers as soon as the rain stops or lightens up. You can check the dish drop-out frequency in the Starlink app, as well as check for any obstructions (like trees or infrastructure) that are impacting the dish's communications.
Plans and pricing - What does Starlink cost in 2026
As always, there are two parts to how much it costs to get Starlink internet.
Part 1: The Hardware
Part 2: The Plan
Within the two parts, there are a few factors that influence what you'll pay.
Starlink hardware costs
Getting the Starlink equipment is a one-off cost at the start. You buy the dish of your choice and any associated installation gear, like mounts or longer cables. Whether or not you need to get a Starlink router depends on whether the dish comes with one; some do, some don't and some have one built into the dish.
There are three way to purchase a Starlink dish:
Second-hand
Authorised sellers like West Marine
Direct from Starlink
The cost depends on factors like your service address, the type of dish you're buying, how you you're buying it, and whether there are any sales on. You can get an instant quote for your specific dish, plan and location on the Starlink website, or check with a local reseller.
Starlink subscription costs
All Starlink subscriptions are run directly through Starlink, and the cost depends on your service address and which plan you're choosing. You'll notice I bought up the service address twice, this is because there is some variation in the cost of plans and dishes between countries.
Someone with a dish registered to the United States pays 165 USD per month for Roam Unlimited, while someone with the exact same dish and plan registered to Trinidad & Tobago, pays the equivalent of around 99 USD per month for Roam Unlimited. If you're a traveller like us, this is something to take into consdieration and choosing the most optimal service location has helped us save money.
Starlink has a referral program so if you use this link to sign up for a Residential or Roam Unlimited plan, you could get 1 month free and so would we!
Pros and cons of having Starlink
Thinking back on our experiences over the past 3+ years, here's my take on the positives and negatives of having Starlink.
Pros of Starlink | Cons of Starlink |
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If you're curious about my thoughts on the Mini Dish, here's my full review.
Is Starlink still worth it
For us, Starlink represents is the best option available right now. Between 3 people we use around 500 Gb per month and there's no other service than comes close to being able to provide that to us as international liveaboard cruisers.
For those in a house, it's a question of what other providers can offer you in terms of speed and price, and how Starlink compares.
FAQ
Is Starlink reliable?
For us, it has been. To date we've never had the hardware break, and the connection has been stable. Widespread outages are extremely rare and I struggle to remember a time where I've lost connection for a longer period of time
Does Starlink have a monthly fee?
Yes it does, with the fee being determined by which service plan you've chosen. If you're not using the dish you can end your Starlink service, then reactivate it later, or switch to the cheaper "Standby Mode".
Will Starlink get better?
I believe so, as I've already seen so much change over the past few years. Speeds are increasing and dishes are becoming more functional, with the gap between Starlink and their closest competitors becoming extremely apparent.
Does Starlink have good reviews?
Being part of the sailing community I am connected to a group of people who are largely using Starlink as their internet provider, and reviews of the system itself are overwhelmingly positive. I am also getting Starlink reviews from Australia, where family have used it for remote outback travels for months at a time, with no issues.
