Starlink dominates satellite internet, but Hughesnet, Viasat, and Amazon’s upcoming Kuiper offer the few real alternatives worth knowing.
Starlink may be the next frontier of internet technology. A part of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Starlink introduced a new kind of satellite internet in 2015 with a „constellation“ of small, low-orbit satellites. The idea is that the low orbit and larger quantity of satellites result in better coverage and faster internet — at least as far as satellite internet goes. It’s unlikely satellite internet will ever fully replace traditional fiber optic internet technology given its susceptibility to extreme weather and physical obstructions, but it is impressive technology nonetheless. Yet as promising as Starlink may be, it’s one of very few providers in a market starved for competition. Starlink belongs to SpaceX, one of the seven companies owned by Elon Musk — an increasingly unpredictable, volatile man who makes investors and customers alike unsure of what he’ll do next. There’s no shortage of controversy when it comes to the foundational satellite constellation technology, making it unclear if the nascent company can expand and advance into a long-term, reliable product. Anyone who’s skeptical of Starlink for these reasons may wonder what its alternatives are — or if there are any at all.
Good news first: There are alternatives. People living in rural locations won’t be forced to cave to the dominant internet provider that offers service in their area, or throw up their hands at having no service due to a remote location. That said, it’s a bit more complicated than „there are alternatives.“ Let’s take a look at your options if you’re shopping around for a proper Starlink competitor.Hughesnet
Hughesnet has a lot of skin in the satellite business, going back half a century. It even claims to have pioneered satellite internet. So how does it hold up? For starters, Hughesnet does not use LEO (low earth orbit) satellite constellations like Starlink, but rather geostationary satellites (GEO), which are located much further away from Earth. These cost more to launch and have slower speeds and higher latency, though one satellite alone offers a wider swath of coverage. Hughesnet offers three main internet plans, starting at $49.99 a month for a 50 Mbps connection and going up to $94.99 for its fastest 100 Mbps connection. Prices increase over time and require longer fixed contracts, with sometimes steep early-termination fees. For reference, Starlink’s cheapest plan starts at $50 a month with a 50GB data cap, rising to $80 for no cap. Plans tend to have no contract.
Ookla Research concluded that in the first quarter of 2025, Hughesnet had an average latency of 683 ms and an average download speed of 47 Mbps. Meanwhile, Starlink has a median latency of only 45 ms and a download speed of 104 Mbps. PCMag tested these speeds and got similar results. It’s also worth noting that Hughesnet drops your speeds once you use up your priority data. One meme posted on the r/HughesNet subreddit sums this disparity up with SpongeBob and Patrick (Starlink customers) frolicking outside and Squidward (Hughesnet customers) watching with jealousy from inside.
On Trustpilot, Hughesnet garners a 4.4-star average across over 88,000 reviews. However, Consumer Affairs offers a very different perspective with a 1-star average across over 11,000 reviews. A common thread appears to be poor customer service, deceptive marketing, and costly cancellations.
