SpaceX's satellite internet service has shifted to a rental model for new residential customers, mirroring long-standing practices of cable and telecom providers.
Starlink has abandoned its longtime practice of selling hardware outright to new customers, replacing it with a $10 monthly rental fee for the satellite terminal and home router required to use its service. [1]
Residential ordering pages on Starlink.com now list an upfront hardware cost of $0 alongside the new monthly kit charge, a structure that echoes the equipment rental fees historically levied by cable and telecom companies. [1] PCMag reported that the fee “appears to be rolling out globally, popping up on Starlink.com for new customers in the US, Canada, the UK, France, Australia, and Mexico.” [1]
The rental charge comes on top of Starlink’s monthly service prices, which the company recently raised by $5 to $10. [1] Current tiers are priced at $55 per month for 100Mbps speeds, $85 for 200Mbps, and $130 for the “Max” tier offering speeds up to 400Mbps. [1]
A Starlink support article confirmed that hardware rental is available “in select countries” and is limited to residential service plans. [1] Customers who rent rather than own their equipment will not be permitted to pause their service. [1] Existing customers who already own a Starlink kit can avoid the fee by entering a device identifier number during checkout when ordering new service. [1]
While no purchase option was visible on the Starlink sign-up page at the time of reporting, the company’s support documentation indicated that renters can switch to ownership by submitting a support ticket, and that Starlink kits remain available for purchase through third-party retailers. [1]
The shift marks a significant departure from Starlink’s original pricing model. When the service launched in 2020, hardware carried a one-time cost of $499, a price that was later raised to $599 in 2022 before being replaced in 2024 with regional pricing of either $499 or $299 depending on local network congestion. [1]
Over the past year, Starlink has experimented with several alternative hardware arrangements, including a promotion offering free hardware in parts of the US and other countries to customers committing to a 12-month plan — though that plan cost $120 per month, compared to $90 per month for customers who purchased hardware for $349. [1]
For customers weighing the long-term economics, PCMag noted that the rental model may prove costly over time: “the $10 monthly fee isn’t a great deal, either, since it means forking over $360 during a three-year subscription,” while the standard dish has retailed for as low as $89 through outlets such as Best Buy and Walmart. [1]
The pricing change arrives as SpaceX prepares for a public offering. The Starlink division generated $3.26 billion of SpaceX’s total company-wide revenue of $4.69 billion in the first quarter of 2026. [1]
Sources
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