Plan comparison · estimates as of 2026-09-01
Starlink Roam vs Residential
Residential is the home-address family: unlimited data in this dataset at $55 / $85 / $130 per month, and it is the family that typically triggers an address-specific demand surcharge in congested cells. Roam is the portable family: 100GB $55, 300GB $80, Unlimited $175, usually without a fixed-address surcharge.
If monthly rates match (Residential 100 and Roam 100GB are both $55 here), any surcharge makes Roam cheaper from month 1 in this model — with the trade-off of a data allotment and typically lower network priority. If you compare Residential 100 ($55) to Roam Unlimited ($175), Roam costs $120 more each month, so a $500 surcharge takes about 4.2 months to “earn back.”
| Plan | Family | Monthly | Spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential 100 | residential | $55 | Up to 100 Mbps |
| Residential 200 | residential | $85 | Up to 200 Mbps |
| Residential Max | residential | $130 | Highest Residential priority |
| Roam 100GB | roam | $55 | 100 GB priority data / mo |
| Roam 300GB | roam | $80 | 300 GB priority data / mo |
| Roam Unlimited | roam | $175 | Unlimited data |
Residential vs Roam break-even
Same hardware, install, tax, and electricity. Surcharge is applied to Residential only — Roam is modeled at $0 surcharge because it typically avoids a fixed-address fee. Surcharge math.
| Horizon | Residential 100 | Roam 100GB |
|---|---|---|
| Month-1 | $404 | $404 |
| Year-1 | $1,009 | $1,009 |
| Monthly service | $55 | $55 |
The two families tie at this horizon in this model.
Monthly rates are equal or Roam is cheaper ($55 vs $55). Any Residential surcharge makes Roam win from month 1 in this comparison.
- Month-1
- $404
- Year-1 TCO
- $1,009
Roam vs Residential questions
Does the Starlink demand surcharge apply to Roam?
The surcharge is address-specific and typically appears on Residential checkout in congested cells. Roam usually does not require a fixed service address, so it typically avoids that surcharge — that is the comparison StarCost models. Some third-party reports say a surcharge can still appear in certain Roam activations. Treat $0 as the Roam default and verify the live cart.
How do I estimate demand-surcharge break-even vs Roam?
If Roam’s monthly rate is higher than Residential, extra monthly cost × months eventually exceeds the one-time surcharge. Break-even months ≈ surcharge ÷ (Roam monthly − Residential monthly). Example: $500 surcharge and Roam Unlimited at $175 vs Residential 100 at $55 is $120 extra per month, so about 4.2 months. After that, paying the surcharge and staying on Residential is cheaper in this model. If monthly rates are equal (both $55), any surcharge makes Residential more expensive from month 1.
What is the difference between Residential 100, 200, and Max?
In this dataset they are unlimited-data US Residential tiers at $55, $85, and $130 per month, with increasing speed targets and network priority. Max is the highest Residential priority. Actual speeds vary by cell, time of day, and obstruction. Pick the tier that matches what starlink.com offers at your address.
Mini kit vs Standard kit — which should I model?
Standard kit buy is $349 (or ~$10/mo rent). Mini kit buy is $199 and has no rent option in this dataset. Mini is the portable dish commonly paired with Roam; Standard is the typical home kit. Compatibility and which kit checkout requires are address- and plan-specific — confirm on starlink.com. StarCost lets you price either kit on either plan family for apples-to-apples TCO.
More detail lives in the full FAQ and methodology.