PUBLISHED
Picking an internet plan can feel like guessing how much speed you need. Is the entry plan enough for movie nights and working from home? Is the next step up worth it? In the video, I walk through the three residential options and explain where I would start.
A quick note before we compare: These are the plans and offers shown when I filmed, not a current price list. I have not verified today’s terms or tested the three plans side by side. Check Starlink’s ordering page for your address. The everyday examples below are ways to think about your needs, not promises of performance.
CONSIDERING STARLINK?
Check Starlink plans and offers for your address Disclosure: This page contains a Starlink referral link. I may receive referral benefits if you sign up through it, at no additional cost to you.Watch the residential plan walkthrough
The three plans at a glance
Think of these as three amounts of room for downloading and streaming. The useful question is how much room your household will actually use.
| Option shown | Advertised download figure | Where I would start |
|---|---|---|
| Residential 100 Mbps | 100 Mbps | Everyday use: movies, music, browsing, and routine work, without lots of large downloads competing at once. |
| Residential 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps | A busier home where streaming and work overlap with game downloads or other large files. |
| Residential Max | “400+ Mbps” discussed in the video | Frequent, heavy downloading alongside other activities, when extra download room is worth the cost. |
These are advertised figures from the video, not guaranteed speeds. Scroll the table sideways on a small screen.
The entry option was described as including unlimited monthly data. For current prices and data terms, use the offer shown for your address.
100 Mbps: start here for everyday internet use
If your internet day is mostly watching shows, listening to music, checking email, and browsing, I would give the entry option a serious look before paying more.
Picture a normal evening: A movie is playing on the TV, someone is scrolling on their phone, and you make a FaceTime call to family. These are the kinds of everyday activities to consider with this plan—you do not automatically need Max because more than one person is online.
For perspective, Netflix recommends a stable 15 Mbps connection for a 4K stream. That is why I would not assume a movie night alone calls for the highest tier. Your actual connection and whatever else is running still matter.
You can also consider this tier for routine work and occasional file uploads. If you regularly send large videos or photo folders, though, check upload speed separately. The “100 Mbps” download label does not tell you how quickly those files will leave your computer.
200 Mbps: consider it when things get busier
The middle option is where I would look when several activities regularly overlap, especially when large downloads are part of the mix.
Picture a busier evening: Someone is streaming a movie, another person is watching videos, and a game console is downloading a large update while you finish work. If downloads regularly keep everyone waiting, more download room may be useful.
Or imagine working from home: you are on a video call, music is playing in another room, and you need to download a large project folder. The reason to consider 200 Mbps is the combined demand—not the idea that a video call by itself requires this plan.
I would compare the extra monthly cost with how often those busy periods happen. If your current connection handles them comfortably, there may be little reason to spend more. And if the slow part is uploading your finished project, look at upload performance before choosing a higher download tier.
Max: for people who will use the extra download room
Max is worth a look when heavy downloads are a regular part of your day and you want them to fit around everything else happening online.
Picture a download-heavy household: One computer is downloading large video files for a project, a console is getting a new game, and other people are streaming shows. That is the sort of mix where I would investigate whether Max’s extra download capacity would save enough waiting to justify the price.
What if you upload large files? Sending a finished video to YouTube or backing up a big photo collection is a different question. Max’s advertised download figure does not establish faster uploads. Check that part of the service before paying more specifically for uploading.
In the video, I discuss an advertised “400+ Mbps” figure for Max. I did not measure that result or show that newer hardware alone delivers it. I would choose Max for a clear need for more download capacity, not simply because it is the top plan.
A faster plan is not always the fix
If a movie buffers or FaceTime freezes, it is tempting to buy more speed. First, take a quick look at what is going wrong.
- Sending big files? Check upload speed. Downloading a file and sending one use different directions of your connection.
- Calls or games keep stuttering? Speed is only part of the picture. Delays and dropouts matter too; a higher download tier is not a promised fix.
- Only one room has trouble? Look at Wi-Fi coverage and router placement before changing plans.
- Trees block the antenna’s view? A more expensive plan will not move those obstructions out of the way.
If you already have Starlink and something is not working well, Starlink support is a useful next stop before deciding you need an upgrade.
What about the hardware rental offer?
When I filmed, the offer included rented hardware with no upfront hardware charge apart from an approximately $20 processing fee. You still paid for service, and the equipment had to go back if you canceled.
That is the key distinction: you were borrowing the equipment, not getting a free kit to keep. Before ordering, read the rental costs and return terms shown with your offer.
The kit in this series is the Standard version five. You can see what came in my box in the Standard V5 unboxing; check your own order to see which equipment you will receive.
I also mentioned a free-month referral offer in the video. Treat that as part of the offer at filming and check what is available now.
How I would make the choice
Still deciding whether to get Starlink at all? My personal Starlink review explains why I’m keeping it at our cabin but planning to cancel it at home, where our fiber connection is a better fit.
Want to see what changed when I upgraded? My Standard speed test from 100 Mbps to Residential Max follows the readings I observed before and after the plan change.
Think about your busiest hour online. Are you mostly watching a show and using your phone? Are several streams competing with a big game download? Or are you waiting on large work files every day?
I would start with the least expensive available plan that looks suited to those needs. Then ask what the next tier would actually improve. There is no prize for paying for speed you rarely use.
- Check your address and the full cost. Look at monthly service, hardware or rental charges, and the terms of any offer.
- Compare your local choices. Starlink is especially interesting where other options are limited. Compare the services you can actually get at home.
- Get ready for setup. My home setup guide walks through the process. Still choosing a kit? Read the Mini vs Standard comparison.
If camping or travel is your main goal, head over to the Mini service-plan guide for that side of the decision.
CONSIDERING STARLINK?
Check Starlink plans and offers for your address Disclosure: This page contains a Starlink referral link. I may receive referral benefits if you sign up through it, at no additional cost to you.