5 Affordable Alternatives to Starlink Satellite Internet

For those of us who live in rural areas of the United States, getting a fast and stable connection remains a challenge because fiber or cable options are less common outside of cities. Starlink has filled this gap by bringing satellite internet to more remote areas, and today you can get a 100 Mbps plan starting at $55, with faster options as well.

The company also offers 200 Mbps plans starting at $85 per month and Residential Max at $130 per month, with hardware terms that vary by address. Although this is a competitive price for many users, it does not mean that Starlink is the cheapest option on the market. Beyond cost, another major factor for people who must rely on the connection daily is Starlink’s reliability.

However, the service’s highest costs include the equipment needed to receive the signal, which costs more than $300 up front. That’s why it’s worth considering other Starlink alternatives, many of which don’t require satellites and may be cheaper than Starlink. For those living in the countryside, these solutions can reduce monthly costs without sacrificing a reliable connection for everyday tasks.

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is one of the best Starlink alternatives for people living in rural areas. The service does not rely on satellites; instead, it uses the operator’s mobile network to provide a fixed Internet connection to each household. So, plans start at $50/month with Rely and AutoPay, or $35 if you have a qualifying T-Mobile voice line.

The coverage of this T-Mobile Home Internet plan is also quite extensive. The service was created with rural residents in mind and is now available in millions of homes, including in these smaller markets across the United States. However, availability depends on where you live, as it doesn’t have the same coverage as Starlink. People living in more remote areas should check availability before changing.

The Rely plan includes unlimited data and download speeds ranging from 170 to 354 Mbps, subject to change based on congestion and signal strength. You can also get a cheap cell phone plan from the operator as they will also offer discounts on 5G home internet.

Another option for rural areas, besides Starlink, is Rise Internet, a fixed internet specialist. Instead of using satellites, the service installs an antenna on the house and connects it to a nearby tower. Today, the company primarily serves rural communities in 16 states across the United States. It has a strong presence in the Midwest, Rocky Mountains, and Southwest regions, with more limited signal availability.

Rural coverage is good in this region, but availability must be confirmed on an address-by-address basis. The connection depends on a nearby tower, so trees, buildings, hills, and other obstacles can block a good line of sight and weaken the signal. Still, Rise’s median download speed in 2025 was around 42.6 Mbps, a significant jump from previous years.

The plans also help Rise compete with Starlink on price, with fixed wireless options starting at around $30 per month in some markets. The technology doesn’t have the same range as a satellite network, which covers most of the country, but it avoids some of the drawbacks of satellite Internet, especially if you have one of the company’s towers nearby.

Viasat is a direct alternative to Starlink for anyone who still needs to use satellite internet in the country. The Essentials plan starts at $39.99 per month during the promotional period, then goes up to $69.99 with 150GB of high-speed data, with priority discounts possible during periods of congestion. It covers most of the United States, even the most remote places without cable, fiber or mobile network.

In practice, however, Viasat’s performance is more limited than Starlink’s. User experiences with this Internet service tend to vary greatly depending on where you live. Nevertheless, for isolated homes without access to fixed wireless network or residential 5G, it is an option, mainly due to the lower promotional price, wide availability and the possibility of installation on very remote properties. It’s better suited for browsing, moderate streaming, and everyday tasks than online gaming or activities that require high speeds to function properly.

If you live in a small town or rural area and your area has ultra-wideband 5G coverage, Verizon is another Starlink alternative. Just keep in mind that it’s a separate service, so home internet isn’t as widely available as the traditional mobile network, especially in more remote areas. So you need to check and make sure that your address is within its coverage area.

In terms of price, this Verizon plan costs $60 per month, but if you already have a carrier line and autopay enabled, it’s $35. It includes a router, unlimited data, and speeds of up to 100 Mbps, with no annual contract. Additionally, as the service uses the operator’s own network, it does not require complex installation or additional equipment, making it easy to get started.

If your home is eligible, Verizon offers a network that can handle basic needs, such as browsing, streaming, and other activities. However, signal quality can vary significantly depending on your distance from the tower and any obstacles in the way that may affect the connection.

Although fiber optic internet remains out of reach in many areas far from major cities, Kinetic has expanded its infrastructure to meet some of this demand. Currently, the operator offers fiber optic and DSL connections in 18 US states, including Texas, Florida and the Carolinas. However, availability can vary significantly by address, and some properties still rely on existing telephone infrastructure, which may result in lower speeds.

In terms of prices, Kinetic offers attractive packages. The carrier advertises 100 Mbps plans starting at $24.99 per month with autopay enabled, while DSL costs $45 for the first year. Aside from cost, the benefits of fiber optic internet include low latency and greater stability, making it a recommended option, especially for anyone looking to play games online. Keep in mind, however, that you usually also have to pay equipment fees and may face price increases after a promotional period.

To select these options, we mainly focused on price, coverage in areas further from major US cities, and connection quality. We also analyzed official provider information, independent testing, and user reviews to identify the best services to meet these needs.

So while other companies offer satellite internet services, few offer a similar combination of latency, speed, and coverage as Starlink. Additionally, many terrestrial alternatives have regional coverage and do not reach as many isolated sites. For this reason, we prioritized services with lower prices and greater availability in rural areas, even if their networks are less extensive, and we did not limit our selection to satellite networks.