Best Satellite Internet for Gaming Online

When you think of satellite internet, you might not think of torrenting massive files or playing your favorite online game. But satellite internet has come a long way from where it was. In addition, online gaming doesn't take as much data as you might think.

Can You Play Online Games on Satellite Internet?

In short, you can play online games on satellite internet. Satellite internet is well over the minimum 1 Mbps required for most online games. Many online games do not exceed this per-second requirement.

Of course, gaming on a satellite wouldn't be our first choice. Almost any other type of internet, except for dial-up and some fixed wireless options, is better than satellite internet. After all, satellite internet is limited by harsh data caps. While 1 Mbps is less than you might expect from an online game, it can quickly consume your data. To see what options are actually available, we have a tool to search for providers in your area or even down to providers by address.

Satellite internet isn't practical because of latency, which causes lag for gamers due to physical limitations. For example, your router's wireless network could be blocked by a bookcase. Satellite internet has long delays because it uses objects in orbit to communicate with other devices, which is more extreme than our bookcase example. Check out our guide on internet considerations for more information.

What are the Best Types of Games for Satellite Internet?

Naturally, the best games for satellite internet are those that don't consume your internet. Stardew Valley, Super Meat Boy, and Nuclear Throne are small offline indie games that provide great experiences without taking up much storage space. Smaller games will take up less data you can use for other tasks on a limited satellite internet.

But if you feel the urge to play online with friends, who could blame you? In these cases, you can play games like the newer Call of Duty games, Fortnite, and Overwatch in short stints. These games have dedicated servers, meaning the bulk of internet strain is put on third-party servers.

Worst Types of Games for Satellite Internet

The worst games for satellite internet, as you might guess, are games with heavy loads on the internet. One of the worst offenders is Minecraft, but only if you try to host a game. Hosting a game from satellite internet is a quick way to consume all of your available data in hours.

Other examples of bad games for satellite internet include older multiplayer games without dedicated servers. For example, older COD (Call of Duty) games without dedicated servers. If you find a “host game” button in the multiplayer menu, you should ask your friends if they can host it for you. Join games instead of hosting them.

Features to Look for in Good Satellite Internet

When comparing one of three satellite providers, here are some features to consider to help with your experience:

High Data Caps: Satellite internet providers can vary from 40 to 500 GB on data caps. Ideally, you can get unlimited data, which is available through provider #2 from our review below. However, this unlimited data has some notable limitations.
Mobile Availability: Some people who need satellite internet providers live in RVs or are digital nomads. There's no reason that more mobile people need to be excluded from online gaming. In this review, you'll learn how you can participate in online gaming from your RV.
Fair Pricing: Pricing varies heavily between the different providers on this list. Look for pricing that works for you, ideally with no data overage costs. Sometimes, you can save money by considering your options between monthly rentals of equipment or one-time equipment costs.

Considering that there are only three satellite providers across the US, you'll find these features in some form across these reviews.

Top Three Satellite Internet Service Providers for Gaming

In order of preference, here are the top three satellite ISPs for gaming:

Starlink
HughesNet
Viasat

All three of these providers excel in different areas.

1. Starlink – Best Overall

Ranges from $120 to $500 monthly
One time purchase of $600 hardware
No monthly rental fees
100 to 220 Mbps download speed
5 to 20 Mbps upload speeds

Pros	Cons
Unlimited, high-speed data	Requires high upfront investment into equipment
Provides service for RVs and campers	Expensive monthly costs
Low latency	Long waits for equipment in some cases

Starlink Summary

Starlink is a division of SpaceX, which is a legitimate rocket company. Taking advantage of this, Starlink is able to get its own satellites into orbit. The result is a relatively high speed satellite internet service provider that competes with some low-end cable internet speeds.

Starlink's Pricing and Plans Review

Its residential service, costing $120 monthly, offers download speeds ranging from 25 to 100 Mbps. This is a service for fixed locations, like rural areas, where normal ISPs usually don't provide coverage.

Starlink is also one of the few providers that sells mobile satellite internet. This means you could technically mount your satellite to your motorhome. Regional mobile plans go up to 50 Mbps, much slower than fixed alternatives. Its costs differentiate based on regional ($150 per month) and global ($200 per month) uses.

Starlink also provides priority plans, which are primarily designed for businesses. These plans go up to 220 Mbps, offering a limited amount of priority data at different price points. These priority levels get the highest internet speed available, with throttled data after this data cap is taken. They might be available in fewer areas.

Here's a breakdown of these more complex fixed priority plans:

Priority Fixed Plans	Cost (per month)
40 GB of Priority Data	$140
1 TB	$250
2 TB	$500

Starlink also provided priority mobile plans:

Mobile Priority Plans	Cost (per month)
50 GB	$250
1 TB	$1,000
5 TB	$5,000

Starlink markets itself as the premier provider compared to all satellite providers. And, as the fastest internet provider among the three, that much is clear. But, this is reflected in the company's pricing, which is far higher than the alternatives. HughesNet, for example, offers residential satellite internet plans that don't exceed $100.

We also mention Starlink's business plans because they are the highest of any satellite provider. Technically, there's nothing preventing residential customers from applying for business plans. So, if you're willing to pay the higher price, having a business plan might be worth it.

What Makes Starlink Worth the Cost?

There are three things that make Starlink worth the cost: its higher speed, unlimited data, and lower latency.

Starlink is the fastest of all satellite internet providers, with priority speeds of up to 200 Mbps. Among standard plans, speeds are about average at 100 Mbps. Viasat actually goes a bit higher, but Starlink offers unlimited data, which is part of what justifies the cost.

Starlink also has lower latency, likely because it has over 4,000 satellites in orbit as of 2023. Viasat currently operates four satellites, while HughesNet operates two. Starlink provides satellites for more than just the internet, but the wider spread has an impact.

Starlink is also one of the few providers offering mobile internet, offering you connections where mobile data doesn't go. But these mobile plans do not offer unlimited data, possibly thanks to the greater strain of remote connections.

Why You Should Avoid Starlink

Starlink has a series of issues, some of them related to the general aspects of satellite internet. These include latency issues and high equipment costs. Starlink is a bit more expensive for residential equipment (about $600). However, business equipment goes up to $2,500, which is a huge upfront investment for the internet.

Residential customers have also reported long wait times for equipment. Some customers ordering in 2021 waited until mid-2022, with current reports showing wait times of up to eight weeks. If you need the internet now, these wait times can be frustrating.

The other, unavoidable negative of Starlink comes from its owner: Elon Musk. As a polarizing figure, some people shopping on the internet might want to avoid giving him money. We won't get into it here, but it is worth consideration.

In those cases, one of our other two providers might be better for you.

2. HughesNet – Best for Pricing

The pricing varies from $49.99 to $109.99 for residential plans.
Equipment rentals of $15 monthly
One-time equipment purchase of up to $450
Download speeds of 50 to 100 Mbps
Upload speeds of 5 Mbps

Pros	Cons
No data overage costs	Two year contract
Solid speeds	Slower than other plans
Low latency	Lowest data caps can lead to quick throttling

HughesNet Summary

HughesNet is one of the earliest satellite internet providers on this list. With over 25 years of experience in the field, the company has established itself as a leading satellite provider. To remain competitive, HughesNet has made some significant upgrades to its available plans.

HughesNet Pricing and Plans

HughesNet offers three main plans to its residential customers. Below is a breakdown of those offerings:

HughesNet Residential Plans	Cost per Month
Select	$49.99 (renews at $74.99 after 12 months)
Elite	$64.99 ($89.99 at renewal)
Fusion	$79.99 ($109.99 at renewal)

The select plan offers up to 50 Mbps of internet speed with a 100 GB cap of priority data. The company's later two plans, Elite and Fusion, have up to 100 Mbps with 200 GB of priority data each.

HughesNet Fusion is unique because it combines satellite and wireless technologies to reduce latency. In online gaming, reduced latency is paramount to prevent lag, which is also helpful when streaming high-quality video. Fusion may not be accessible in some remote areas because it requires proximity to a wireless tower.

HughesNet also offers three different business plans you can choose from:

HughesNet Business Plans	Cost per Month
Select Pro	$59.99 (renews at $84.99)
Elite Pro	$74.99 (renews at $99.99)
Fusion Pro	$89.99 (renews at $119.99)

The three plans are identical to the residential plans when it comes to internet speed and priority data caps. What makes them different is the inclusion of express repair of business internet, network prioritization, and 24/7 phone support. If a business relies on the internet to get things done, these plans can be helpful.

HughesNet also offers three optional features for customers:

Express Repair

Costs $8.99 for second-day business service or $12.99 for next-day service. You also need to pay additional on-site repair fees of $24.99. This service is offered Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. This feature is already included for business customers.

Home Voice

Home phone services start at $9.95 per month for the first three months, renewing at $29.99 per month on month four. You can make international calls to 60 countries for $9.95 per month with 200 minutes or $22.95 per month with unlimited minutes. There is a more expensive alternative of this feature for business users.

Norton 360

Offers access to Norton 360 for five devices for $5.99 per month or 10 devices for $6.99 per month. This antivirus includes features like real-time threat protection, parental controls, a password manager, dark web monitoring, and automatic cloud backups. Norton Business is available for business users.

While having an antivirus is nice, many of these integrated features can add a lot to your monthly cost. Keep this in mind when comparing these optional services.

What Makes HughesNet Worth It for Gamers?

Don't let the slower speeds offered by HughesNet deter you completely. Earlier, we mentioned that most online games don't require more than 1 Mbps. So, HughesNet can handle a lot of online games in theory.

HughesNet provides excellent value when compared to other satellite providers. All of its plans are cheaper than what you get through Starlink and Viasat. Despite this, you still get speeds that the FCC considers high-speed internet.

But paying lower costs does lead to some sacrifices.

Why Should Gamers Avoid HughesNet?

The two main drawbacks of HughesNet are the slower speeds and hard data caps.

With a maximum download speed of 100 Mbps, receiving larger files takes a while. A satellite connection isn't particularly fast, and HughesNet is the slowest of the three.

HughesNet imposes highly restrictive data caps, limiting users to a meager 200 GB of usage. When downloading large files or playing online games, you can quickly eat up this data. When you run out of this data, your speed reduces from 1 to 3 Mbps, which makes it very difficult with online gaming.

Video games like Minecraft are out of the question on HughesNet. But if you're willing to pay a bit extra, you can expand these caps through Viasat

3. Viasat – Highest Data Caps

Pricing ranges from $65 to $350 monthly
One-time purchase of $300 for equipment
Monthly equipment rental cost of $15
25 to 150 Mbps download speeds
3 Mbps upload speeds

Pros	Cons
Cheapest one-time purchase of equipment	Lowest upload speeds
Great plan flexibility	Lower-tier plans are impossible for gamers
No data overage fees	Some areas don't get speeds faster than 12 Mbps

Viasat Summary

Other than Starlink, Viasat is the fastest internet service provider on this list. What makes it different from Viasat is that there are fewer waiting periods. If you want fast internet service without waiting for up to eight weeks and don't mind paying, Viasat is a good option.

Viasat Plans and Pricing

One of the more annoying aspects of Viasat is that they don't provide pricing details without you providing information. Viasat also has different plans depending on your area. Here is a list of Viasat's more common plans:

Plans	Pricing	Download Speeds	Data Allowance
Choice 25	$65 ($85 after 3 months)	25 Mbps	40 GB
Choice 50	$85 ($120)	50 Mbps	60 GB
Choice 75	$120 ($170)	75 Mbps	100 GB
Choice 100	$170 ($250)	100 Mbps	150 GB
Choice 125	$250 ($350)	125 Mbps	300 GB
Choice 150	$250 ($350)	150 Mbps	500 GB

Here are some plans available in some areas:

Plans	Pricing	Download Speeds	Data Allowance
Unlimited Bronze 12	$70 ($100 after 3 months)	12 Mbps	40 GB
Unlimited Silver 25	$100 ($150)	25 Mbps	60 GB
Unlimited Gold 50	$150 ($170)	50 Mbps	100 GB
Unlimited Platinum 100	$200 ($300)	100 Mbps	150 GB
Unlimited Diamond 100	$300 ($400)	100 Mbps	300 GB

All of these plans share the same upload speed of 3 Mbps.

When I looked into Viasat, I put in my personal address and got “Viasat Unleashed” at $99.99. These speeds were up to 100 Mbps. The wide range of plans vary heavily depending on your location.

Every Viasat plan includes a complimentary professional installation.

What Makes Viasat Great for Gamers?

Outside of Starlink, Viasat provides the highest data caps compared to other providers. This means that downloading large files and playing more-demanding online games aren't out of the question. If you're in an area that offers unlimited data, that's even better.

At higher pricing tiers, Viasat is one of the fastest providers among satellite providers. Those who can afford this faster connection can benefit from Viasat.

For everyone else, gaming might be difficult.

Why is Viasat Bad for Gamers?

Viasat is tougher to recommend for those who can't afford the top-tier internet service of Viasat. This is doubly true for renewal pricing, which increases by nearly $100 monthly under most tiers. Even under lower tiers, the $100+ monthly cost for internet is steep for most families.

Lower tiers, which have low data caps and low speeds, are difficult with online gaming. Fast-paced games with high data requirements will impact latency for Viasat. This is where the blended plans and number of satellites benefit our two other providers.

Out of the three, Viasat is one of the worst satellite internet providers.

Other Internet Providers for Remote Areas

Satellite internet will naturally have more lag, which is a big issue for gamers. While rural gamers have a few options, remote areas are more limited.

For most remote locations, the best alternative is fixed-wireless internet. Fixed wireless internet is established through an extensive network of cellular towers. On top of showing you what traditional internet providers are at your address, it can also tell you if you have a fixed-wireless option available in your city / zip code or at your address.

Rise Broadband, for example, has speeds ranging from 25 to 100 Mbps, and a monthly cost of $55 to $75 per month. This doesn't include the cost of equipment, which varies from $0 to $25 per month. The company also offers unlimited data, but we'll have to dig into them a bit further.

Other internet fixed-wireless providers include Viaero, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon. But these fixed internet providers aren't available in remote locations. Sometimes, these providers can only be found in major metropolitan areas.

Future Development in Satellite Internet

One of the few companies that could possibly compete with Starlink is Amazon. Amazon has announced Project Kuiper, which has launched a competitive number of satellites exceeding 3,000. This puts it in future competition with Starlink, but the project hasn't come to fruition yet.

In December 2023, the project introduced an optical inter-satellite link network. It uses infrared lasers to enable communication between satellites. This potentially could result in better latency compared to current providers. But, if Starlink is any indication, this satellite internet provider might take a few years to come out.

Wrap Up – Which is the Best Satellite Provider?

Out of the three satellite providers, Starlink provides the best potential online gaming experience. It's technically not the fastest provider, but it provides 100 Mbps of unlimited data. Despite the high upfront cost, it's cheaper than Viasat.

HughesNet is a good combination of cost-effectiveness and speed. The main drawback of the platform is the data caps. But if you keep an eye on those data caps, you can play offline and online throughout the month.

Viasat is technically better for gaming thanks to its higher data caps and faster speeds. If you don't want to pay a few hundred dollars per month, you can't access these benefits.

Despite this, each satellite provider specializes in different areas. Thankfully, the three providers complement each other nicely, supplementing a few weaknesses. So, pick the one that works for you, and we hope this article helps in your decision.