It doesn’t get much more futuristic than Starlink. Backed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Starlink uses satellites orbiting the planet to connect its customers down on Earth with the internet — no wires, cables, or telephone lines required. Starlink, however, isn’t the only company offering that kind of cutting-edge solution. Musk’s fast-growing company has a few rivals in the satellite internet space, including Viasat. Viasat has been doing it for longer than Starlink: It launched its satellite broadband option in 2012. They’re two of the top satellite internet options on the market, so you’ll want to carefully weigh the pros and cons of Viasat vs. Starlink before you make your choice.
Starlink and Viasat both operate under the same basic principle: They use satellites to beam information to and from their customers, which allows them to maintain an internet connection without using traditional internet infrastructure like cables or phone lines. That makes the providers particularly appealing to customers looking for internet service in rural areas, because the best kinds of internet infrastructure — such as fiber-optic cables — aren’t always available in less-populated regions.
Of the two, Starlink offers faster speeds. It advertises download speeds of 220 Mbps, while Viasat’s fastest advertised speed is 150 Mbps. Viasat’s cheapest plans are more affordable, but the savings will cost you some speed. If you want faster internet from Viasat, you’ll need to be willing to shell out.