The 10 Best Satellite Internet Services in the U.S.

When you’re out on the road, you need to stay connected. And with the way your lives are now, you can’t just work from any old internet connection. You need a faster and more reliable hauling than what you get at the local coffee shops.

10. Verizon Fios

Verizon Fios is available in select areas of the country, but it offers some pretty great plans. It’s one of the more expensive providers, but you get what you pay for. What it offers: Speeds of up to 500 Mbps, and home phone service is included with your subscription.

Verizon Fios is Best For

• People who want the absolute best connection speeds available in their area.
• People who don’t mind paying a bit extra for top-of-the-line internet service.

9. StarLink Satellite Internet Service

Slightly cheaper plans than what you’ll find with other providers, but speeds are on the low end. Plans are slightly cheaper compared to other providers, but the speeds are on the low end. What it offers: Speeds of up to 10 Mbps for downloads and 3 Mbps for uploads, and with no data caps.

StarLink is Best For

• People who want fairly consistent speeds of around 10 Mbps for streaming movies or gaming.

8. DirecWay Satellite Internet Service

Satellite internet service is available virtually anywhere in the U.S., and it offers some of the fastest speeds around. It’s a good option for anyone who has had issues receiving signals from other satellite providers. What it offers: Speeds of up to 15 Mbps, 20 Mbps, and 25 Mbps for download, and 1 Mbps, 3 Mbps, and 5 Mbps for upload speeds.

DirecWay is Best For

• People who have had issues receiving signals from other satellite providers.
• People who don’t mind paying a bit extra for some of the fastest speeds available.

7. DishNet Satellite Internet Service

Offers one of the cheapest prices on satellite internet, but speeds are on the low end. It’s one of the more affordable satellite internet providers, but you get what you pay for with DishNet. What it offers: DishNet internet service is priced very low compared to other providers – but that means your speeds will be on the slow side. For example, its two plans offer download speeds of up to 10 Mbps and 5 Mbps, respectively.

DishNet is Best For

• People who need an extremely low monthly payment for their internet service.
• People who also want TV or phone service with the same provider (since DishNet offers all three).

6. Charter Spectrum Internet

Charter Spectrum satellite internet is another great option for people looking to combine their internet service with a TV or phone. Spectrum provides some pretty good speeds, but their plans are a little pricey compared to other options on this list. What it offers: Speeds of up to 100 Mbps for downloads and 20 Mbps for uploads.

Charter Spectrum is Best For

• People who want to combine their internet with TV or phone service.
• People who need consistent speeds of around 20 Mbps for streaming movies or gaming.

5. Rise Broadband Satellite Internet Service

Rise Broadband offers some pretty good satellite internet plans, but they’re only available in specific areas across the country. If you live within one of their coverage zones, then you’re in luck. What it offers: Rise Broadband’s internet service is available only to a select few areas across the country, and it offers download speeds of up to 20 Mbps and upload speeds of 4 Mbps.

Rise Broadband is Best For

• People who live within rising Broadband’s coverage zone.

4. Xplornet Satellite Internet Service

Canada-based ISP offers very speedy download and upload speeds for a reasonable price. Speeds up to 25 Mbps for download and upload. Xplornet also offers free email services on some plans but doesn’t offer any freebies like Viasat or Exede.

What it offers: Speeds of up to 25 Mbps for downloads and 3 Mbps for uploads.

Xplornet is Best For

• People looking to combine internet service with TV or phone service.
• People who need consistent speeds of around 25 Mbps for streaming movies or gaming.

3. Viasat Internet Satellite Service

Viasat satellite internet service is the only other company besides HughesNet that operates a global satellite network in the U.S. Its plans are slightly more expensive than what you’ll find with HughesNet, but it offers slightly faster speeds. Viasat operates over a global network of high-powered satellites and is available virtually anywhere in the U.S. What it offers: Viasat Internet service offers download speeds of up to 25 Mbps and upload speeds of 3 Mbps. It’s available across the country, and customers can add on additional data for a low monthly fee.

2. Exede Satellite Internet Service

Exede, formerly WildBlue satellite service, is the second-best satellite internet service that we reviewed. It was acquired by Viasat and now operates under its brand. Exede offers download speeds of up to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 1 Mbps, and it’s available virtually anywhere in the U.S. What it offers: Exede offers speeds of up to 12 Mbps for downloads and 1 Mbps for uploads. It’s available across the country, and satellite internet customers can add on excess data for a low monthly fee.

Exede is Best For

• People who need consistent speeds of around 12 Mbps for streaming movies or gaming.
• People who are looking to combine their internet with TV service.
• People who want to add on additional data for a low monthly fee.

1. HughesNet Gen4 Satellite Internet Service

HughesNet Gen4 is the top best satellite internet service in the country right now. It gives speeds of up to 15 Mbps, and customers can add on additional data for a low monthly fee. It’s perfect for providing you with the connectivity you need on the go. HughesNet Gen4 is available virtually anywhere in the United States, and it’s also one of the least expensive plans that we reviewed. What it offers: This is the largest satellite internet provider in the U.S., and offers speeds of up to 15 Mbps for downloads and 2 Mbps for uploads. HughesNet operates over a global network of 137 high-powered satellites, and the service is offered across the U.S.

HughesNet Gen4 is Best For

• People who need consistent speeds of 15 Mbps or more for streaming movies or gaming.
• People who are looking to combine their internet with TV service.
• People who want to add on additional data for a low monthly fee.

Conclusion

Satellite internet plans are available virtually everywhere, but they can be a bit more expensive than what you’ll find with other providers. You’ll want to compare plans and find the right fit for your household.