Starlink Internet Speeds: Actual vs Advertised

I have had plenty of readers ask me about the internet speeds that I get with my Starlink connection.

With their user base increasing by the day, Starlink's internet speeds are a concern that many new subscribers have.

So I wrote this article based on my experience with Starlink's internet speeds, and I've compared it with the rated figures Starlink promises.

Given below is a brief summary of the speeds you can expect out of a Starlink connection, depending on the plan you choose:

	Expected Download speeds	Expected upload speeds	Latency
Starlink Residential	20-100 Mbps	5-15 Mbps	25-50 ms
Starlink Roam/RV	5-50 Mbps	2-10 Mbps	25-50 ms
Starlink Business	100-350 Mbps	10-25 Mbps	<20 ms
Starlink Maritime	100-350 Mbps	10-25 Mbps	<99 ms

Starlink Residential/Standard Speeds

Starlink's Residential is probably their most popular plan for personal use, with many Starlink nodes/locations filled to the brim with users.

Here is a brief rundown of the speeds you can expect from a Starlink Residential connection:

Rated Download Speeds	20-100 Mbps
Tested Download Speeds	55-250 Mbps
Rated Upload Speeds	5-15 Mbps
Tested Upload Speeds	5-20 Mbps
Rated Latency	25-50 ms
Tested Latency	20-100 ms

Starlink Residential users can experience speeds ranging from 20-100 Mbps download and 5-15Mbps upload.

These speeds are much higher than competing services such as Viasat and Hughesnet.

Although there are plenty of satellite internet options available in the market right now, none have the infrastructure that Starlink boasts.

Even the upcoming Amazon's venture into the satellite internet market, Project Kuiper, pales in comparison.

Although Starlink does not hold a candle against other popular wired and wireless internet communication services such as fiber and 5G, the coverage it offers is massive.

Tested speeds in our node were higher than Starlink claimed, with speeds usually ranging between 55 and 250 Mbps download with 5-20 Mbps upload.

The latency figures are also fine, with the connection usually providing latency figures below 100 ms, with an average of 48 ms.

Starlink Residential Speeds with Portability

If you wish to switch your residential connection to a different service address temporarily, you can opt for a portability feature.

Here is a brief rundown of the speeds you can expect from a Starlink Residential connection with the portability feature enabled:

Rated Download Speeds	20-100 Mbps 5-50 Mbps in congested areas
Tested Download Speeds	3-272 Mbps
Rated Upload Speeds	5-15 Mbps 2-10 Mbps in congested areas
Tested Upload Speeds	5-37 Mbps
Rated Latency	25-50 ms
Tested Latency	30-67 ms

Unfortunately, you won't be able to access the same speeds as you would in your service address, as it is dependent on the node you are currently in.

Once outside your service address, you will be put into the basic access service, where you might experience slower speeds depending on the traffic.

Starlink claims that you will be able to get 5-50 Mbps in congested areas.

In our testing, it came out to be around the same, with our speeds going as low as 3 Mbps in some congested areas to as much as 272 Mbps in non-peak hours.

The upload speeds were also slightly better than the rated 2-10 Mbps in congested areas, with our results ranging from 5-37 Mbps.

The latency was just about the same, with 30-67 ms tested compared to the 25-50 ms they claim.

Again, all this is entirely dependent on the node that you are currently residing in, and the stats may vary drastically.

Starlink Best Effort Service Speeds

Starlink's Best Effort Service is a plan for those who want to get their hands on the Starlink Residential service, but can't thanks to the long waitlist in their node.

Here is a brief rundown of the speeds you can expect from a Starlink Best Effort service connection:

Rated Download Speeds	5-50 Mbps
Tested Download Speeds	5-100 Mbps
Rated Upload Speeds	2-10 Mbps
Tested Upload Speeds	3-8.5 Mbps
Rated Latency	25-50 ms
Tested Latency	30-110 ms

Starlink's Best Effort service essentially allows the user to connect to the Starlink servers but at a permanent deprioritization of service.

They are queued behind the regular Starlink Residential service who has Priority Access by default.

Essentially the speeds that Best Effort customers get are reduced, especially during peak times.

This is a temporary placeholder service till the user gets a slot to access the Starlinjk Residential plan.

Compared to the Starlink Residential plan, the speeds that Starlink claims Best Effort Service users can get are not that impressive, peaking at 5-50 Mbps download and 2-10 Mbps upload.

The speeds that we got during testing were slightly better, at 5-100 Mbps download and 3-8.5 Mbps upload, mostly thanks to the comparatively low traffic conditions.

The latency is the same as Starlink Residential plans, at 25-50 ms, but we noticed that this was very unstable and at times reached 110 ms during testing.

Starlink Roam/RV Speeds

Starlink Roam, previously named RV, is for road warriors who want to avail of a Starlink connection while traveling.

Here is a brief rundown of the speeds you can expect from a Starlink Roam/RV connection:

Rated Download Speeds	5-50 Mbps
Tested Download Speeds	50-300 Mbps
Rated Upload Speeds	2-10 Mbps
Tested Upload Speeds	4-6 Mbps
Rated Latency	25-50 ms
Tested Latency	30-300 ms

Starlink Roam is also susceptible to the basic access program, meaning the service is prioritized similarly to the Best Effort customers.

Therefore it is not at all surprising to see the speeds of the Roam plan are very similar to what the Best Effort service offers.

Starlink says that a Roam user will get about 5-50 Mbps download and 2-10 Mbps upload, with a latency of 25-50 ms.

On testing, we got a pretty impressive 50-300 Mbps download and a middling 4-6 Mbps upload, with latency peaking at 300 ms, making it not so ideal for gaming during congestion.

Since Starlink Roam doesn't support in-motion internet access, it can also be a chore for those who need to stay connected at all times.

Starlink Roam/RV Speeds with Flat High-Performance Dish

If the standard Starlink Roam is providing middling speeds, and you would like to access the internet while in motion too, the Flat High-Performance dish is a must-have.

Here is a brief rundown of the speeds you can expect from a Starlink Roam/RV connection if you opt for the flat high-performance dish:

Rated Download Speeds	100-350 Mbps
Tested Download Speeds	80-220 Mbps 10-50 Mbps during congestion
Rated Upload Speeds	10-25 Mbps
Tested Upload Speeds	6-19 Mbps 3-5 Mbps during congestion
Rated Latency	<20 ms
Tested Latency	17 ms when idle 86 when in motion

This essentially is a Starlink Roam connection, but with access to a much better flat high-performance dish that is specced much better than the traditional rectangular dish.

Starlink claims that you can get anywhere between 100-350 Mbps download and 10-25 Mbps upload, at a latency lower than 20 ms.

The impressive claims are backed up to an extent too, as during our testing we got better speeds compared to the regular Roam dish, with 80-220 Mbps download.

The 6-19 Mbps upload and a latency of 17 ms were also very impressive figures in a node with not a lot of traffic.

But when congestion creeps in, the speeds drastically reduce due to the deprioritized service and we held on with 10-50 Mbps download, 3-54 Mbps upload, and about 86ms latency on average.

The main USP of the flat dish is that the Starlink satellites can be accessed even when in motion, making it much more practical than the regular counterpart.

Starlink Business Speeds

Starlink Business is solely exclusive for commercial users who have a much bigger speed requirement than Residential users.

Here is a brief rundown of the speeds you can expect from a Starlink Business connection:

Rated Download Speeds	100-350 Mbps
Tested Download Speeds	60-480 Mbps
Rated Upload Speeds	10-25 Mbps
Tested Upload Speeds	8-20 Mbps
Rated Latency	<20 ms
Tested Latency	19-52 ms

Starlink Business users have immediate access to a high-performance dish, similar to the flat high-performance dish on the Starlink Roam plan.

Unlike Roam users, Starlink Business users have access to prioritized data, therefore having access to better speeds consistently.

Starlink says Business users will get about 100-350 Mbps download, 10-25 Mbps upload, and a latency of less than 20 ms.

In practice, the figures are much better with 60-480 Mbps download, 8-20 Mbps upload, and latency just shy of 52 ms.

Starlink Maritime Speeds

Starlink Maritime is specifically designed for ocean dwellers who want to gain access to a Starlink internet connection even in rough seas.

Here is a brief rundown of the speeds you can expect from a Starlink Maritime connection:

Rated Download Speeds	100-350 Mbps
Rated Upload Speeds	10-25 Mbps
Rated Latency	<99 ms

Starlink claims that their service can provide boats with 100-350 Mbps download, 10-25 Mbps upload, and latency of less than 99 ms on a good day.

Starlink Aviation Speeds

Starlink Aviation, as the name suggests, is specifically for aircraft, both personal and commercial, so that the passengers can access the internet even on air.

Starlink hasn't posted any figures as to how much speeds one can expect out of a Starlink Aviation connection, as it is a relatively new plan.

Plenty of commercial airlines have expressed their desires to work with Starlink and implement the Aviation kit on their aircraft, so expect it soon on select airlines.

Final Thoughts

If you have further doubts regarding their internet speeds, you can try contacting Starlink support.

I hope my article on the internet speeds you can expect from a Starlink connection has been a helpful read and has aided you with the same.

Have a good day!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is Starlink more stable than 5G?

The stability of Starlink and 5G completely depends on the service address and location. In most cases, Starlink should be more stable than 5G.

Is Starlink Best Effort service better than fiber?

A wired fiber connection will always provide better speeds than any Starlink plan, including Starlink Best Effort. Starlink Best Effort's main USP is its coverage and availability in areas where fiber is not available.

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