Starlink Roam vs. Starlink Residential: What’s the difference?

By Kevin Kearney

Last updated 25 October 2023

Contents

In this guide:

Plan options
Cost
Coverage
Speeds
Starlink Roam to Residential
Rural internet providers
Methodology
Frequently asked questions

Starlink has changed the internet game in Canada, offering high-speed satellite internet access to every inch of the country, including the rural areas of the Great North. In addition to their residential service, Starlink offers mobile internet access with Starlink Roam, formerly known as Starlink RV, which promises low-latency internet for digital nomads, campers, and anyone else who’s constantly on the go.

Starlink’s plans come with a number of options and add-ons, which can make for a confusing experience if you’re unfamiliar with the tech-specific terminology. That’s where we come in.

In this guide, we break down everything you need to know about Starlink Residential and Starlink Roam, including cost, equipment, and speeds. If you’ve already got Starlink and want to switch plans, we’ll also explain how to do that in just a few quick steps.

Plan options

Starlink’s satellite internet can be delivered in a number of different packages, with three main connection types available:

Residential, for stationary internet
Roam, for mobile internet
Boats, for high-speed internet at sea

If you’re planning on using Starlink at a single location, you should use Starlink Residential. If you’re planning on traveling–whether it’s for camping, roadtripping, or hopping from one Airbnb to the next–you should select Starlink Roam.

Whether you choose Starlink Residential or Starlink Roam, you have the ability to select a base level plan (Standard for Residential, Mobile for Roam) or a Priority plan (simply called Priority for Residential and called Mobile Priority for Roam).

Starlink internet plan options — *Starlink’s options are varied, with different plans available for different needs.*

As the name implies, Priority plans receive prioritized data and speeds, leading to an overall faster internet connection. The Standard and Mobile plans, in turn, are deprioritized.

Cost

Starlink’s monthly price is rather affordable, especially considering its impressive speeds in remote areas. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that the cost of Starlink’s equipment is a hefty upfront cost that outweighs what you’d pay a more typical ISP.

Costs for Starlink internet plans

	Service plan	Monthly price	Upfront equipment cost
Starlink Residential	Standard	$140	$759
Starlink Residential	Priority	$185 (40GB) $320 (1TB) $635 (2TB)	$3,170
Starlink Roam	Mobile	$170 (Regional) $260 (Global)	$759
Starlink Roam	Mobile Priority	$329 (50GB) $1,270 (1TB) $6,390 (5TB)	$3,170

The standard Starlink hardware, which costs $759, is recommended for the base level Residential and Roam plans. The device is effectively a dish on a tripod that can be affixed to the roof of a house, placed on a deck, or set in any spot with a clear view of the sky. The hardware is weather-resistant and even heats up during snow storms, protecting your internet connection from being interrupted by the elements.

The Flat High Performance hardware, which costs $3,170, is recommended for the Residential and Roam Priority plans. Unlike the standard hardware, the Flat High Performance piece is aerodynamic and can be installed on the top of an RV, allowing for internet connectivity while you’re in motion.

If you’re hoping to pull a fast one and bring your Starlink Residential on the road with you and set it up when you stop to camp, we don’t recommend it. Starlink states that the portability for Residential plans is fixed. They might not realize you’re using your Residential plan to Roam, but if they spot your loophole you could have your service disconnected.

Coverage

Starlink now offers coverage throughout all of Canada. Yes, all of Canada–even the stretches of the northern wilderness that are mostly unoccupied. Whether you’re signing up for Starlink Residential or Starlink Roam, you can count on coverage so long as you stay on the continent.

If you’re looking to take your Starlink Roam outside of North America, you’ll need to sign up for Starlink Roam Global, which allows you to use your Starlink internet wherever SpaceX has satellites and the ability to provide service. Starlink claims they provide high-speed internet that’s “available almost anywhere on Earth” and it’s not hyperbole: Starlink is available through North America, Australia, and much of Europe and South America. It’s also listed as “Coming Soon” in Africa and Asia.

The service is unavailable in Afghanistan, Belarus, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and Venezuela.

Speeds

Starlink offers high-speed satellite internet, though the exact speeds largely depend on the plan you select. Priority plans, whether it’s the Starlink Residential Priority or the Starlink Roam Mobile Priority, offer faster speeds than their base level counterparts, with downloads up to 220Mbps.

Starlink internet plan speeds

	Service plan	Download speed	Data
Starlink Residential	Standard Priority	25-100Mbps 40-220Mbps	Unlimited Unlimited + prioritized
Starlink Roam	Mobile Mobile Priority	5-50Mbps 40-220Mbps	Unlimited Unlimited + prioritized

All Starlink plans promise unlimited data, though that definition comes with an important asterisk: while base level plans feature unlimited data, they’re deprioritzed (or slowed) in favor of users who pay for Priority plans, which offer prioritized, full-speed data.

Starlink suggests that single family households don’t need anything faster than what Starlink Residential Standard offers. Likewise, the company says Starlink Roam Mobile is ideal for campers and RVs. The Priority plans, meanwhile, are recommended for businesses and travelers looking for ultra-reliable internet connectivity. Still, if you want to experience the full power Starlink’s satellite internet, without any slowdowns or interruption, then you should purchase a Starlink Residential Priority or Starlink Roam Mobile Priority.

Switching from Roam to Residential

Before Starlink was widely available for households in Canada, more than a few Canadians purchased Starlink Roam and then, er, parked it. If you’re now looking to convert your Starlink Roam to a Residential plan so you can save on your monthly bill. Luckily, doing so only takes a few quick steps.

"Change Service Plan" page in Starlink app — *The “Change Service Plan” page allows you to pick a new Starlink plan.*

Open the Starlink app.
Click on Account.
Scroll to the bottom.
Click on Manage Subscription.
Click on Change Service Plan.

From there, you’ll be able to select a new plan.

Starlink internet speed test

Starlink Residential promises faster speeds than Starlink Roam. Want to check to see if Starlink is holding up their end of the deal? If you want to check your current internet Starlink internet speed before converting your plan, you can do that with our Starlink internet speed test.

Rural internet providers in Canada

Starlink isn’t the only rural internet provider in Canada. Xplore, Bell, Telus, and SaskTel also offer options for those living outside of the country’s major metropolitan areas. You can check out some of the best of those plans below.

#1	Xplore	Xplore LTE 25 Truly Unlimited Data Fixed Wireless 25/5 Mbps $49.99/mo Go	$49.99/mo	Go
#2	Bell	Bell Wireless Home Internet 25 Home Wireless 25/5 Mbps $50/mo Go	$50/mo	Go
#3	Telus	Telus Smart Hub 25 Fixed Wireless 25/25 Mbps Contract (24 mths) $70/mo Go	$70/mo (plan + modem)	Go
#4	SaskTel	SaskTel fusion 5 Home Wireless 5/1 Mbps $79.95/mo Go	$79.95/mo	Go

Xplore is the other satellite internet provider in Canada. Xplore’s plans offer lower prices, but they also feature slower speeds and less data: the provider’s best plan, the Satellite 350, offers 25Mbps downloads and 350GB of data for $79.99/month.

Provider	Xplore
Speed	Up to 25 Mbps
Data	350GB
Connection	Satellite
Type	No Term Contract
Total Price	$79.99 per month for 12 months then $119.99/mo + $59 Upfront
	View Details

Starlink Roam vs. Starlink Residential: FAQs

Can I use Starlink Roam at home?

Yes, you can use Starlink Roam at home, but if you’re staying in one place for an extended period of time, we recommend converting your plan to Residential and save $30 a month.

Is Starlink Roam slower than Residential?

Yes, Starlink Roam is slower than Residential: Starlink reports that Starlink Roam has download speeds between 5 and 50Mbps while Starlink Residential has speeds between 25 and 100Mbps. The Starlink Roam Mobile Priority, however, is faster than the Standard version of Starlink Residential, with download speeds between 40 and 220Mbps.

How do I contact Starlink customer service?

The best way to contact Starlink customer service is by opening the Starlink app, then tapping Support > Troubleshooting. There will be topics and questions with common user issues. Hopefully your question is answered by one of these topics, but if it’s not, you can scroll to the bottom of the page, where you’ll find the question “Did this answer your question?” Tap the thumbs-down icon. This will prompt the app to open a direct message to Starlink customer service, which will provide the ability to explain your uniqure issue and add attachments. Users on Reddit and Quora have reported success in resolving issues in this way.