Last reviewed: September 30, 2026. Starlink RV plans and pricing in 2026 come down to three numbers and two one-time costs. Roam 100GB is $55/month, Roam 300GB is $80/month and Roam Unlimited is $175/month, all with no contract. The dish is a one-time $249 list for the Starlink Mini (selling for $199 as of September 2026) or $349 for the Standard Gen 3 kit, and pausing with Standby Mode costs $10/month. Prices have held steady since the May 2026 increase, and we re-checked them for this update.
This page is the full price breakdown: every fee, what a year of Starlink really costs, and how Roam compares to Residential on price and network priority. If you already know the costs and just want to know which plan to buy, read our best Starlink RV data plans guide, which picks a plan for each travel style.
Starlink RV pricing at a glance: every fee in September 2026
In short: a Starlink RV setup costs $55 to $175 a month plus a $199 to $349 dish, with no activation fee and no contract.
| Cost item | Price (September 2026) | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Roam 100GB | $55/month | Monthly |
| Roam 300GB | $80/month | Monthly |
| Roam Unlimited | $175/month | Monthly |
| Standby Mode (paused plan) | $10/month | Only months you pause |
| Starlink Mini kit | $249 list ($199 current price) | One time |
| Starlink Standard Gen 3 kit | $349 | One time |
| Activation fee on Roam | $0 | None |
| Travel inside the US/Canada region | $0 extra | None |
Total Starlink RV cost: first year and every year after
The monthly fee is only part of the bill. Here's the real first-year cost at September 2026 prices, including the dish and any Standby fees (Mini at its $249 list price; subtract $50 if you buy it at $199):
| Profile | Hardware | Plan cost (annual) | Standby fees | First-year total | Cost/year after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekend camper | Mini ($249) | Roam 100GB, 6 active months ($330) | 6 months ($60) | $639 | $390 |
| Solo/couple full-timer | Mini ($249) | Roam 300GB, 12 months ($960) | None | $1,209 | $960 |
| Full-time remote worker | Standard Gen 3 ($349) | Roam 300GB, 12 months ($960) | None | $1,309 | $960 |
| Family / heavy streamer | Standard Gen 3 ($349) | Roam Unlimited, 12 months ($2,100) | None | $2,449 | $2,100 |
| Seasonal RVer (6 months) | Mini ($249) | Roam 300GB, 6 active months ($480) | 6 months ($60) | $789 | $540 |
The bottom line: a full-timer on Roam 300GB pays about $101/month in year one once you spread the dish across 12 months, then $80/month after that. The single biggest cost lever is the plan tier: Roam 300GB costs $1,140 a year less than Roam Unlimited.
Is Starlink Roam deprioritized vs Residential? Network priority in 2026
Short answer: yes. Starlink network priority is the order in which traffic is served when a satellite cell runs out of capacity, and in 2026 every Roam plan sits one tier below Residential. When a campground cell saturates — typically 7–11 PM in peak season — Residential traffic is served first and Roam traffic is deprioritized behind it, dropping to roughly 5-25 Mbps while Residential holds 40-80 Mbps.
In short: deprioritization is a soft penalty, not a fixed throttle. In an empty rural cell, Roam and Residential are indistinguishable at 100-220+ Mbps.
Roam vs Residential at a glance (2026)
| Starlink Roam | Starlink Residential | |
|---|---|---|
| Network priority tier | 3rd (mobile) | 2nd (fixed address) |
| Deprioritization behavior | Deprioritized behind Residential on a congested cell | Served before Roam at its registered address |
| Speeds, congested cell | 5-25 Mbps | 40-80 Mbps |
| Speeds, uncongested cell | 100-220+ Mbps | 100-220+ Mbps |
| Monthly price | $55 / $80 / $175 | $55 / $85 / $130 (tiered) |
| In-motion use | Yes, all Roam plans | No, blocked in firmware |
The rest of this page prices every Starlink RV plan and piece of hardware for 2026, then breaks the deprioritization rules down cell by cell. If you instead want a straight recommendation for your travel style, read our guide to choosing the best Starlink plan for RV use. That page tells you which plan to buy, while this one shows what each option costs and how its network priority compares.
All Starlink Roam plans for RVers in 2026
Starlink offers three Roam plans designed for mobile and RV use. All plans include in-motion satellite connectivity, cover the whole US/Canada home region, and can be paused at any time. Since July 14, 2026 only Roam Unlimited works outside that region.
Plan comparison
| Feature | Roam 100GB | Roam 300GB | Roam Unlimited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $55 | $80 | $175 |
| Data included | 100 GB | 300 GB | Unlimited |
| After data cap | Basic access, under 1 Mbps | Basic access, under 1 Mbps | N/A |
| In-motion use | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| International roaming | Domestic only (US/Canada region) | Domestic only (US/Canada region) | Yes, 30 days abroad per trip |
| Standby Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Contract required | No | No | No |
| Hardware required | Standard or Mini kit | Standard or Mini kit | Standard or Mini kit |
Roam 100GB — $55/month
The entry-level Roam plan provides 100 GB of data per billing cycle at full speeds. After 100 GB, your line drops to "basic access" — still usable for email and maps, but under 1 Mbps until the cycle resets. Our Starlink RV data usage guide shows how to stretch the cap.
Who this plan is for:
- Weekend and seasonal travelers who use internet for email, navigation, and light browsing
- RVers who turn Starlink off during the day and only use it evenings
- Campers who supplement Starlink with a cellular hotspot for daily use
- Anyone who wants satellite backup without a large monthly bill
What 100 GB actually covers:
- About 100 hours of standard-definition video streaming
- About 33 hours of HD video streaming
- Several thousand emails and web pages
- Hundreds of video calls (1–2 hours per day for a month)
For a solo traveler or couple who streams a movie most evenings and uses internet for work during the day, 100 GB can be tight. If you work from the road with frequent video calls and cloud file syncing, you will likely exceed it.
Roam 300GB — $80/month
Launched May 13, 2026, the Roam 300GB plan slots between the 100GB and Unlimited tiers. You get 300 GB of full-speed data per billing cycle at the same Roam priority level, with in-motion use, coverage across the US/Canada region, and Standby Mode. After 300 GB, you drop to basic access (under 1 Mbps) like the 100GB plan.
Who this plan is for:
- Full-time solo travelers and couples who use Starlink as their primary internet
- Remote workers who stream evenings but don't run all-day video
- Anyone who finds 100 GB too tight but doesn't need uncapped data
What 300 GB actually covers:
- About 100 hours of HD video streaming
- Or roughly 600 hours of video calls
- Plus everyday browsing, email, navigation, and software updates
For most one- or two-person households, 300 GB is enough to never hit the cap, which makes this the new sweet-spot plan for full-time RV use — it costs $95/month less than Unlimited.
Roam Unlimited — $175/month
Unlimited data at the Roam service tier. No caps, no after-cap slowdown, no overage charges. It is also the only Roam plan that works outside the US/Canada region, capped at 30 days abroad per trip.
Who this plan is for:
- Full-time RVers who consistently use more than 300 GB a month
- Remote workers with video calls, cloud syncing, and large file transfers
- Families with multiple people streaming, gaming, and browsing simultaneously
- Anyone who does not want to monitor data usage
Is it truly unlimited? Yes. There is no hidden soft cap or throttling threshold on the Roam Unlimited plan. Your traffic is treated at the Roam priority tier at all times. During severe network congestion, all Roam users (100GB, 300GB and Unlimited) may experience reduced speeds, but there is no additional deprioritization for heavy usage.
Hardware costs
You need a Starlink hardware kit to use any Roam plan. There are two options for RVers:
Starlink Mini — $249
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Price | $249 list ($199 current price, September 2026) |
| Weight | 1.10 kg (2.43 lbs) |
| Dimensions | 259 x 298.5 mm (10.2 x 11.75 in) |
| Power consumption | 20–40W average (15W idle) |
| Power input | 12–48V DC or AC via included adapter |
| WiFi | WiFi 5, dual band, up to 128 devices |
| Ethernet | 1x RJ45 via Starlink Plug |
| Built-in router | Yes |
| Max download speed | 200+ Mbps |
The Mini is designed for portable and mobile use. It is compact, lightweight, accepts DC power directly, and has a built-in WiFi router. It is the best choice for most RVers, especially those who boondock or want a simple plug-and-play setup. Our Starlink Mini setup guide covers every step from unboxing to optimization.
Starlink Standard (Gen 3) — $349
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Price | $349 |
| Weight | 2.9 kg (6.4 lbs) dish, 0.57 kg router |
| Dimensions | 594 x 383 mm (23.4 x 15.07 in) dish |
| Power consumption | 75–100W average |
| Power input | 100–240V AC (DC accessory available separately) |
| WiFi | WiFi 6, tri-band, up to 235 devices |
| Ethernet | 2x RJ45 on router |
| Built-in router | Separate Gen 3 router included |
| Snow melt | Up to 40 mm/hour |
The Standard offers WiFi 6, more Ethernet ports, stronger snow melt capacity, and wider coverage area. It is the right choice for full-time RVers who need maximum WiFi performance, have AC power available, and want the best cold-weather operation.
Which hardware for which plan
Any hardware works with any Roam plan. However, there are natural pairings:
| Use case | Best hardware | Best plan |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend camper, light internet | Mini ($249) | Roam 100GB ($55/mo) |
| Frequent traveler, moderate use | Mini ($249) | Roam 300GB ($80/mo) |
| Full-time RVer, remote work | Standard ($349) | Roam 300GB ($80/mo) |
| Full-time RVer, heavy streaming | Standard ($349) | Roam Unlimited ($175/mo) |
| Boondocker, solar power | Mini ($249) | Roam 300GB ($80/mo) |
| Seasonal RVer, 3-4 months/year | Mini ($249) | Roam 100GB + Standby ($55/mo active) |
Standby Mode: pause when you are not traveling
Standby Mode is one of the best features of Starlink Roam for RVers. When you are not using your Starlink, you can pause your active plan and pay only a small monthly holding fee.
How Standby Mode works
- Open the Starlink app
- Go to your account settings
- Select "Standby Mode"
- Your active plan pauses at the end of the current billing cycle
- You continue to pay a $10/month holding fee (raised from $5 in May 2026)
- Emergency messaging features remain available
- Reactivate instantly from the app when you are ready to travel again
When to use Standby Mode
- Seasonal RVers: If you RV from April through October and store the rig over winter, pause from November through March. Six months of Standby instead of active service saves hundreds of dollars
- Occasional campers: Weekend warriors who travel once or twice a month can activate for the trip and pause between trips, though the economics only make sense for multi-week pauses
- Snowbirds: Activate for the drive south, use all winter, then pause for the drive home and the off-season
Cost savings example
| Scenario | Without Standby | With Standby | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| RV 6 months, store 6 months (Roam Unlimited) | $175 x 12 = $2,100 | ($175 x 6) + ($10 x 6) = $1,110 | $990/year |
| RV 6 months, store 6 months (Roam 100GB) | $55 x 12 = $660 | ($55 x 6) + ($10 x 6) = $390 | $270/year |
| RV 3 months, store 9 months (Roam Unlimited) | $175 x 12 = $2,100 | ($175 x 3) + ($10 x 9) = $615 | $1,485/year |
International roaming for RVers
Starlink rewrote its roaming rules on July 14, 2026 for new customers, and on August 17, 2026 for existing ones. Roam 100GB and Roam 300GB are now domestic only, and Roam Unlimited is the only Roam plan that works abroad, capped at 30 days per trip. The price of crossing a border therefore depends on which way you cross.
What international travel costs now
| Destination | Roam 100GB ($55) | Roam 300GB ($80) | Roam Unlimited ($175) |
|---|---|---|---|
| US, Canada, US territories | Included | Included | Included |
| Mexico, Bahamas, Caribbean | Not covered | Not covered | Up to 30 days per trip |
| Longer stays abroad | Not covered | Not covered | Need Local Priority (60 total days) or Global Priority |
Canada and Mexico
- Canada: Starlink treats the US, Canada and US territories as one home region, so Canada costs nothing extra on any Roam plan, including the $55 tier.
- Mexico: Outside the home region. Short trips need Roam Unlimited at $175/month. Longer snowbird seasons need Local Priority (from $55/month for 50 GB, 60 total days abroad) or Global Priority (from $250/month).
- Global Roam: The $400/month worldwide plan was discontinued on July 15, 2026, so it is no longer an option.
For the full breakdown of which plan to pick for cross-border travel, see the international section of our best Starlink plan for RV guide and our US-Canada snowbird guide.
Speed expectations on Roam plans
Starlink Roam download speeds typically range from 25–220+ Mbps depending on location, congestion, obstructions, and weather. Upload speeds are typically 5–20 Mbps.
Factors that affect speed
| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Congestion | More Starlink users in your area means slower speeds for everyone |
| Obstructions | Trees, buildings, and terrain blocking the sky reduce satellite visibility |
| Weather | Heavy rain and snow reduce signal quality |
| Time of day | Evening hours (7–11 PM) are typically the most congested |
| Location | Urban areas have more users and more congestion than rural areas |
| Dish type | Both have a 110° field of view; Standard Gen 3 has a larger antenna and stronger WiFi 6 router |
Realistic speed ranges
| Scenario | Typical download | Typical upload |
|---|---|---|
| Rural campground, clear sky | 100–220 Mbps | 10–20 Mbps |
| Suburban RV park | 50–150 Mbps | 5–15 Mbps |
| Dense campground with 20+ Starlink users | 25–80 Mbps | 5–10 Mbps |
| Moving at highway speed | 30–100 Mbps | 5–10 Mbps |
| Forest campsite with moderate obstructions | 15–60 Mbps | 3–10 Mbps |
For remote work, 25 Mbps is generally sufficient for video calls and cloud applications. Even the lower end of Starlink Roam performance beats most campground WiFi and many cellular connections in rural areas.
Comparing Starlink Roam to alternatives
Before you buy, it helps to see how Roam stacks up against the two alternatives RVers ask about most: a Starlink Residential plan and a cellular hotspot. The Starlink Roam vs Residential differences in 2026 come down to network priority and deprioritization, while the Roam vs cellular comparison comes down to coverage. The two sections below break down each.
Roam vs Residential: priority, deprioritization, and congestion in 2026
This is the question that trips up most new Starlink RV buyers in 2026: should I sign up for Roam, or try to use a Residential plan in my RV? The honest answer to Starlink residential vs Roam network priority in 2026 comes down to deprioritization — how Starlink's system decides whose traffic moves first when a cell gets crowded. Per Starlink's official plan documentation, Roam traffic is deprioritized behind Residential traffic on a congested cell, so the residential vs Roam priority deprioritization gap only shows up when a tower is saturated.
Starlink network priority: Residential vs Roam in 2026
Starlink runs a tiered priority system. When a satellite cell has more demand than capacity (typically 7–11 PM in popular camping areas, weekends in tourist regions), traffic is served in this order:
- Priority / Business — paid commercial plans, served first
- Residential — fixed-address home plans, second priority
- Roam (Unlimited, 300GB and 100GB under cap) — mobile plans, third priority
- Roam 100GB / 300GB after cap — deprioritized further until the cycle resets
In an empty cell at 2 PM, all four tiers feel identical — you'll see 100–220 Mbps on any plan. The differences only appear under congestion. That's why Roam users in dense RV parks during summer evenings sometimes complain about 15–40 Mbps speeds while a nearby fixed home on Residential is still pulling 150 Mbps.
Roam vs Residential side-by-side (2026)
| Feature | Roam 100GB | Roam 300GB | Roam Unlimited | Residential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $55 | $80 | $175 | $55 / $85 / $130 (tiered) |
| Network priority tier | Mobile (3rd) | Mobile (3rd) | Mobile (3rd) | Fixed (2nd) |
| Congestion behavior | Deprioritized vs Residential during peak | Deprioritized vs Residential during peak | Deprioritized vs Residential during peak | Served before Roam during peak |
| After-cap deprioritization | Yes, after 100 GB | Yes, after 300 GB | None | None |
| Data | 100 GB then deprioritized | 300 GB then deprioritized | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| In-motion use | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Portability | Anywhere with sky view | Anywhere with sky view | Anywhere with sky view | Registered address only |
| Pause / Standby | Yes (~$10/mo) | Yes (~$10/mo) | Yes (~$10/mo) | Cancel and lose your slot |
| Intended use | Weekend / seasonal RVers | Most full-time RVers | Full-time families, heavy streamers | Fixed home, primary internet |
What "deprioritization" actually feels like
Deprioritization is not a hard throttle. It's a soft penalty that only bites when a cell is saturated:
- Empty cell (rural BLM, weekday morning): Roam and Residential are indistinguishable. Both will hit 150–220 Mbps if conditions allow.
- Moderately busy cell (typical campground at 8 PM): Residential users see 80–150 Mbps. Roam Unlimited users see 50–120 Mbps. Roam 100GB users past their cap might see 10–30 Mbps.
- Severely congested cell (popular national-park-adjacent RV park, summer Saturday night): Residential might dip to 40–80 Mbps. Roam can drop to 5–25 Mbps with high jitter — video calls become unreliable, streaming stutters.
If you mostly camp in rural or shoulder-season locations, you may never feel deprioritization. If you live in dense RV resorts during peak season, you will.
Can I use Residential in an RV in 2026?
Technically you can power up a Residential dish anywhere, but Starlink's terms tie the plan to the registered address and the dish will eventually nag or restrict you when it detects sustained off-address use. In-motion use is also blocked on Residential firmware. There is a second catch that surprises people: the Residential priority advantage only applies inside its registered home cell. Taken on the road, a Residential line gets "best effort" service that ranks below Roam at the same campsite — so you lose the very priority you were trying to keep. Starlink has been more aggressive in 2026 about enforcing this — RVers using Residential off-address have reported speed throttles and account warnings. The clean answer for anyone actually traveling: use Roam.
When the Roam vs Residential answer flips
- Stationary part-timer with a home base: Keep Residential at home, run Roam 100GB on the RV with Standby in the off-season. Lowest total cost.
- Full-time RVer: Roam 300GB for most solo travelers and couples, Roam Unlimited for families and heavy streamers. Residential isn't a real option once you give up a fixed address.
- Workamper at one campground for the season: Some workampers register a Residential plan at the host's address (with permission) for priority during the stay, then switch to Roam when they move on. Read the terms before doing this.
- Snowbird with two homes: Many snowbirds keep a Residential plan at the primary address and a Roam Unlimited plan for the rig — the Roam plan gets paused via Standby Mode for the months they're not traveling.
For a deeper breakdown of how congestion affects mobile users specifically, see our Starlink urban vs rural speed differences guide.
Residential is cheaper but locked to one address. If you have a home and an RV, the common setup is a Residential plan at the house and a separate Roam plan for the rig. To see how much the priority gap actually costs you in the field, compare our Starlink RV speed tests by region and our take on whether Starlink is worth it for RV use in 2026.
Starlink Roam vs cellular hotspot
| Feature | Roam Unlimited | Cellular hotspot |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $175 | $50–$100 |
| Data cap | Unlimited | 50–100 GB typical |
| Coverage | Anywhere with sky view | Cell tower dependent |
| Rural performance | Excellent | Poor to none |
| Speed | 50–220 Mbps typical | 5–100 Mbps typical |
| Latency | 25–60 ms | 30–80 ms |
| Hardware cost | $249–$349 | $0–$300 |
The key difference is coverage. Starlink works everywhere you can see the sky. Cellular hotspots only work near cell towers. For RVers who camp in remote areas, national forests, and BLM land, Starlink is the only option that delivers consistent speeds.
For a detailed comparison, see our Starlink vs cellular hotspot for RV guide.
How to choose your plan
Choose Roam 100GB if:
- You RV occasionally (weekends, holidays, seasonal trips)
- You use Starlink primarily for email, web browsing, and navigation
- You have a cellular hotspot for heavier daily use
- You want the lowest monthly cost
- You are comfortable monitoring data usage
Choose Roam 300GB if:
- You are a full-time solo traveler or couple
- You stream in the evenings but not all day
- You stay inside the US/Canada region
Choose Roam Unlimited if:
- You reliably use more than 300 GB a month
- You work remotely with heavy cloud syncing or large daily uploads
- Multiple family members use the internet simultaneously
- You take trips into Mexico or other countries (up to 30 days each)
- You stream video regularly
- You do not want to think about data usage
The math on upgrading from 100GB to Unlimited
The cost difference is $120/month ($175 vs $55). That extra $120 buys you unlimited data instead of 100 GB. (Or step up just to the Roam 300GB plan at $80/month — $25 more than 100GB — if you don't need uncapped data.)
If you regularly exceed 100 GB and drop to basic access (under 1 Mbps) for the last week of each billing cycle, the upgrade pays for itself in productivity and reduced frustration. If you consistently use under 80 GB, the 100GB plan is the better value.
You can check your data usage in the Starlink app at any time. Track it for one or two billing cycles before deciding.
30-day trial and returns
Starlink offers a 30-day trial on all plans and hardware. If you are not satisfied with the service, you can return the hardware for a full refund within 30 days of delivery.
What to test during your trial:
- Set up at your most common camping locations
- Test during different times of day (morning, afternoon, peak evening)
- Measure speeds with a speed test app
- Test video calls and streaming
- Try in-motion use if that matters to you
- Check obstruction levels with the Starlink app's obstruction finder
This trial period is generous and eliminates the financial risk of trying Starlink.
Gear to go with your plan
Once you pick a plan, these accessories round out your setup:
- Travel router for better coverage — GL.iNet Slate AX adds WiFi range and VPN in larger rigs. See our guide to extending Starlink WiFi range for setup details
- Portable power station — Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 (1,070 Wh) runs the Mini about 31-33 hours at a typical ~28W draw, enough for full-day boondocking
- Surge protector — Tripp Lite Isobar protects your Starlink hardware from campground power spikes
- No-drill mount — Ladder mount clamp for quick daily setup without permanent modifications
What to do next
- Choose the right hardware with Starlink Mini vs Gen 3 for RV use
- Plan your power system with Best 12V power setup for Starlink RV
- Pick a mount in Best no drill Starlink RV mounts in 2026
- See all the gear you need in Best Starlink RV accessories on Amazon
Related reading
- Best Starlink RV data plans in 2026 — which plan to pick for your travel style
- Starlink RV speed: urban vs rural differences — where deprioritization actually hurts
- Starlink RV park WiFi: when to use your own dish
- Starlink RV data usage: manage every GB
- Starlink Mini vs Gen 3 for RV
- Best 12V power setup for Starlink RV
- Best no drill Starlink RV mounts
- Best Starlink RV accessories on Amazon
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