Pick the right Starlink plan, fast.

Five questions and a simple decision tree. Skip the marketing pages, just figure out which plan actually fits your situation.

The current plan lineup

As of 2026 in the US, Starlink offers three Residential tiers and two Roam tiers. Promotional pricing comes and goes, but the structure has stabilized:

Pricing in other countries follows the same structure but in local currency. The free month from a referral applies to all of these plans (Business and Priority tiers excluded).

Question 1: Are you fixed at one address, or moving?

If your dish lives at one place permanently (a house, a cabin, a fixed office), you want a Residential plan. If you move regularly (RV, van, boat, frequent travel between addresses), you want a Roam plan.

Roam plans are also the only option in some "Pending Approval" countries where Residential is not yet available. People in those countries activate Roam in a neighboring approved country and use it from home until Residential launches.

Question 2: How many people, how many devices?

This is the main driver for picking between Residential 100, 200, and Max. Honest guidance:

• One person, normal use (work email, video calls, occasional Netflix): Residential 100 is plenty. Going up does not improve your experience.
• Couple, normal use, two simultaneous streams: Residential 100 if you live in a low-density Starlink area, Residential 200 if you are in a city or suburb where peak-hour congestion is a thing.
• Family of 4+, multiple streams, kids gaming, work from home: Residential 200 is the right starting point.
• Heavy users (multiple 4K streams simultaneously, large file uploads, streaming gaming, content creation): Residential Max for the priority bandwidth, not just the higher cap.

The trick that most reviews miss: plan tier affects priority, not just speed cap. Higher tiers get bandwidth allocated first when the network is congested. In a busy area at peak hours, Residential Max users barely notice the slowdown, while Residential 100 users can drop to 20 to 40 Mbps. If your area has a lot of Starlink subscribers, the priority is worth more than the speed number suggests.

Question 3: Do you stay in your home country, or travel internationally?

If you only travel within one continent, Roam Regional at $50/month is the right Roam tier. Works across all of North America (US/Canada/Mexico) or all of Europe, depending on where you activate.

If you cross continents (Europe to South America, US to Asia, etc.), you need Roam Global at $165/month. Triple the price, but it actually works abroad. Regional Roam fails the moment you cross continental boundaries.

For most RVers and van lifers, Regional is the right choice. For most digital nomads and cruising sailors, Global is the right choice.

Question 4: Are you stationary or moving?

This trips people up. Roam Regional and Roam Global both work in motion (driving, sailing). Standard Residential plans technically do not, though Starlink has been relaxing this enforcement in some regions.

If you actively use the internet while the vehicle moves (passenger streaming on the road, working at sea), you need a Roam plan. If you only use the dish while parked or anchored, technically a Residential plan with a portability add-on can work, but Roam is simpler.

Question 5: How do you handle peak-hour congestion?

This is the underrated factor. Starlink shares satellite bandwidth across all subscribers in your area. At peak hours (typically 7 to 11 PM local time), areas with many subscribers see real slowdowns. Your plan tier determines how much you feel the slowdown:

• Residential 100 / Roam Regional: Lowest priority. Feels great off-peak, can drop hard at peak. If you mostly use the internet during the day or late night, this is fine.
• Residential 200: Standard priority. Mild slowdowns at peak. Good middle ground.
• Residential Max / Roam Global: Higher priority. Peak hour slowdowns are minor.

If you live in an area Starlink classifies as "high density" (most US suburbs, parts of urban Europe), the priority difference matters more. Rural users barely feel it.

The simple decision tree

1. Are you stationary? → Residential. Mobile? → Roam.
2. Stationary: light use → 100. Most households → 200. Heavy users → Max.
3. Mobile: stay on one continent → Regional. Cross continents → Global.
4. Going to use it during peak hours every night with a heavy load? → Bump up one tier.

The plans are easy to switch. If you guess wrong, change to a different tier in the Starlink app within minutes. There are no contract penalties. Most people start with the cheaper option and upgrade only if they actually feel the limit.

The free month from a referral works on all of these

Whichever plan you pick, the referral free month applies. On Residential 100 it is worth $50. On Residential Max it is worth $120. On Roam Global it is worth $165. The discount scales to whichever tier you choose, so no matter what plan fits you, ordering through any valid referral saves you a month of service.