When it comes to Starlink internet subscription plans, two service plans are worthy of extensive review: Starlink RV vs. Starlink residential.
Starlink Roam, previously known as Starlink RV and Starlink Residential, are two of the numerous subscription plans offered by the satellite company SpaceX.
Roam, as the name implies, caters to travelers, while the residential plan best suits home internet users. The two plans offer different features, costs, and performance.
In this comparison guide, you will get clear insights about both plans and their seeming similarities, advantages, and their disadvantages.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of which Starlink plan best aligns with your lifestyle, work engagements, and daily activities.
Starlink RV VS Residential
Let’s dive into the comparison between Starlink RV and Residential across various features:
Hardware
When it comes to hardware, both starlink RV and residential provide you with the same essential components you need for internet access. These typically include an antenna, modem, router, dish, and all the necessary cables to set it all up.
Hardware For Starlink RV:
For Starlink RV, SpaceX designed the components to be more portable. The portability of the parts makes it more convenient for users who have to change location very often.
Hardware For Starlink Residential:
The manufacturers have designed the hardware of the Residential plan for permanent or semi-permanent installations in your home.
Price
Pricing can be quite different between Starlink RV and residential plans. When you decide to get a Starlink, regardless of the plan you choose, the pricing structure involves a one-time equipment fee and a monthly service fee.
For both RV (Roam) and residential plans, you’ll have to pay a one-time fee of $599 for the equipment kit. That comes with all the components like the router, dish, modem, and cables you need for the installation and set-up.
Starlink Residential Pricing:
The pricing for the monthly service fee differs between the two. For the residential plan, you’ll pay a monthly service fee of $120. The fee will grant you access to the in-home, stable, and fast internet connectivity of Starlink.
Starlink RV pricing:
On the other hand, the roam (formerly known as RV) plan grants you more flexibility in terms of the service fee. Here’s a quick breakdown of how it’s priced:
- Regional Roam
The regional roam option of the roam plan allows you to use the Starlink device only within the continent of your Shipping Address, i.e., the continent you reside. For this option, you’ll have to pay a monthly fee of $150.
- Global Roam
Global roam, on the other hand, is available for use regardless of the continent. That means you can use it anywhere around the world. For this reason, it’s no surprise that this plan is slightly more expensive than the Regional Roam – it requires you to pay a monthly fee of $200.
Service
In terms of service quality, both plans aim to provide a reliable satellite internet connection. Nevertheless, the plans are a bit different in this regard.
Starlink RV service:
Starlink RV more readily meets the demands of mobile and remote use. That is why, of the two options, it is most suitable for travelers who are always on the move.
Starlink Residential service:
The Starlink Residential plan, on the other hand, is specifically designed for steady, in-home use, ensuring a steady and consistent internet connectivity experience for your home.
Starlink app
Speed and Data Cap
Starlink currently divides its internet service into two-speed tiers – Priority and Basic tiers. Each of these tiers has its own unique speed and data access.
Priority access users enjoy faster internet connection during periods of network congestion than basic access users do.
The tier you get depends on the plan, RV or Residential, you subscribed to.
Starlink RV:
Starlink RV users are only entitled to the “basic access” tier at all times.
That means if you subscribed to this plan, you will experience slower internet speed compared to “priority access” users.
This is more pronounced during periods of congestion and peak hours where users with the “priority access” tier have higher priority on the network.
Here are the internet speeds you can expect if you’re a Starlink RV user:
- Download Speed: 5-50 Mbps
- Upload Speed: 2-10 Mbps
- Ping/Latency: <99 ms
Starlink Residential:
Starlink Residential users are entitled to the two tiers of starlink service in terms of speed.
If you’re a Starlink Residential user, you receive 1TB of priority access data, during which Starlink promises download speeds ranging from 20 Mbps to 100 Mbps.
However, when this priority access data is exhausted, you will be automatically transitioned to the “basic access” tier like the RV users.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the speeds to expect:
- Download Speed: 20 – 100 Mbps
- Upload Speed: 5 – 15 Mbps
- Ping/Latency: 25 – 50 ms
A starlink antenna out in the open
Performance
Both plans share similar hardware setups.
Starlink Residential:
While both plans share identical hardware setups, residential plan users always get bandwidth priority.
That ensures that they get better performance during network congestion. Although neither plan has a hard data limit, Residential users get 1TB of priority access data monthly.
Official performance specs for Residential include 20-100 Mbps download, 5-15 Mbps, and 25-50 ms latency.
Starlink RV:
RV plan users, on the other hand, are on the Basic access tier, resulting in slower internet speed during network congestion.
Official performance specs for RV include 5-50 Mbps download, 2-10 Mbps, and <99 ms latency.
Portability
Starlink Roam:
Portability is a significant advantage of Starlink RV. The equipment has been designed to prioritize mobility and allow for easy setup and disassembly. That makes it ideal for travelers who frequently have to change their locations.
Starlink Residential:
Conversely, residential plans are intended for permanent or semi-permanent installations. That makes them less portable but ideal for your steady home use.
A satellite starlink dish
Features
Although both plans basically offer the same key internet service features, Starlink RV has some additional features the Roam plan doesn’t. Here are a few of them:
Concerning Pausing Subscription Service:
Starlink RV:
One feature that sets the Starlink RV apart from the Residential plan is the ability to pause your service.
For example, if you’re just a seasonal user who only uses the plan during camping season, Starlink RV allows you to pause your subscription till you need it again.
This flexibility means you can save money when you’re actively using it.
Starlink Residential:
For the starlink Residential users, the option to pause their service isn’t available.
The option you would have is to cancel your subscription completely. It’s important to note that canceling a Residential plan can be tricky.
That’s because when you do this, you can be put back on the waitlist and might have to wait a long time before you can restart your service.
Global Coverage:
Starlink Residential:
Another important feature difference lies in the coverage both plans offer. Residential users have limited mobility because their service is tied to their service address.
Starlink RV:
Roam users enjoy far more coverage and, for all intents and purposes, can use their service virtually anywhere.
Starlink RV offers both Regional and Global Roam options. The regional option limits the user to their continent, while the Global option allows you to use it anywhere in the world.
Availability
Starlink Residential:
There’s a specific capacity of users allocated to each area, which gradually expands as more satellites are launched into orbit by the SpaceX company.
That means the Residential starlink service is limited. If you tried to order a Starlink Residential plan, you would be put on a waitlist to patiently wait for your turn.
That, obviously, would lead to delays.
Starlink RV service:
In contrast, there’s no waitlist for ordering the RV plan. In most areas, you can get in record time without a waiting period in between.
Starlink satellite dish
Which Starlink Should You Order?
The choice between a Starlink RV (Roam) and a Residential ultimately depends on your needs, lifestyle, and work requirements.
Before you choose anyone, consider your usage patterns, mobility requirements, and use for features like pausing services, etc.
You Should Get Starlink Residential If:
- You only need the service for your home.
- You do not travel much or, at least, you don’t need internet service on your travels.
- You need top-notch internet at all times, even during network congestion.
You Should Get Starlink RV If:
- You don’t want to join a waitlist for the Residential plan.
- You want the ability to pause your service when you no longer need it.
- You are comfortable with inconsistent performance.
- You need travel internet service.
Placing a starlink order
Conclusion
In summary, choosing between Starlink RV (Roam) and Starlink Roam involves considering factors like mobility, performance, speed, availability, etc.
The Roam service offers flexibility to people who travel a lot, while Residential caters to stable in-house connectivity.
By weighing your needs carefully with the guidelines in this guide, you can make an informed decision.