T-Mobile vs. Starlink: Comparing Speeds, Pricing, Deals, and More

Is T-Mobile or Starlink better?

If you’re stuck between having satellite internet and no internet at all on the road, we’d recommend Starlink thanks to its unlimited data caps, excellent availability, great performance, and high download speeds.

But if you’re deciding between T-Mobile 5G Home Internet’s AWAY plan or Starlink, we’d recommend T-Mobile overall. T-Mobile’s no-cost installation and equally fast internet speeds make it the clear winner over Starlink (psst—T-Mobile’s our winner for the country’s best value internet provider).

If you’re going by our annual customer satisfaction survey ratings, both Starlink and T-Mobile rank highly across the board in categories like reliability, internet speeds, and customer support. And in overall satisfaction, Starlink and T-Mobile both made the top three out of 25 internet service providers, with Starlink coming in first. You’ll get great internet service on both providers.

Compare T-Mobile 5G Home Internet to Starlink head-to-head

*$35.00/mo. with Autopay and a T-Mobile voice line. 5 year price guarantee. w/AutoPay. Guarantee exclusions like taxes and fees apply.
**Plus hardware, shipping & handling fees, and tax. Fully refundable. Depending on location, some orders may take 2 weeks or more to fulfill.
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Traveling on the road and need remote internet? T-Mobile and Starlink can fit your car’s internet needs depending on your budget and local internet options. Let’s break down what you need to know about each ISP.

T-Mobile vs. Starlink plans and prices

T-Mobile plans and prices

*$35.00/mo. with Autopay and a T-Mobile voice line. 5 year price guarantee. w/AutoPay. Guarantee exclusions like taxes and fees apply.
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

T-Mobile’s internet service is a little different from your standard cable ISP. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is a 5G home internet service, meaning that it uses T-Mobile’s existing 5G mobile data network to bring internet service to your home. T-Mobile AWAY is a separate plan designed for RV travelers or remote internet users.

But different tech aside, you likely won’t notice much difference between a normal cable internet plan and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. With maximum download speeds of up to 498 Mbps, T-Mobile will be fast enough to cover most homes’ basic internet needs. You might run into problems if you regularly download large PlayStation or Steam games, but T-Mobile will be more than enough for emails or Netflix streaming. Plus, T-Mobile doesn’t have restrictions like data caps or low upload speeds if you upgrade to the Unlimited plan.

Starlink plans and prices

**Plus hardware, shipping & handling fees, and tax. Fully refundable. Depending on location, some orders may take 2 weeks or more to fulfill.
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Starlink’s prices are right in line with T-Mobile for remote internet shoppers. Satellite ISPs provide internet access via physical satellites that are launched into orbit, and they’ve traditionally been last-resort options for rural households that don’t have access to cable or DSL internet.

By satellite ISP standards, Starlink beats the competition by a considerable margin. With speeds up to 400 Mbps, Starlink provides comparable performance to T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, and you won’t have to settle for low-quality video streams and slow page loading.

T-Mobile vs. Starlink fees and extra charges

Starlink fees and extra charges

Starlink’s biggest downside is its sizable equipment costs. Most residential users will be fine with Starlink’s standard kit—the high-performance kit is mainly designed for businesses, power users, and residents who live in polar areas.

But at the same time, Starlink’s $349 equipment charge will likely be a tough ask for most households. Starlink’s not alone here, as most satellite ISPs offload their satellite costs onto subscribers: HughesNet’s satellite internet costs $449.99, while Viasat’s equipment costs $299.99. But if you’re coming from a cable or fiber ISP, Starlink’s equipment costs will likely induce some sticker shock.

T-Mobile fees and extra charges

You won’t have to worry about fine-print fees with T-Mobile. The provider includes internet equipment with your monthly bill, and its contract-free service means you won’t get hit with a surprise annual price hike. But if you don’t want to enroll in AutoPay, you’ll have to pay an additional $5 monthly.

T-Mobile vs. Starlink specs and features

T-Mobile and Starlink aren’t traditional internet providers, so they have their share of quirks and unique features. Here’s what you need to know before you sign with either ISP.

Equipment

T-Mobile customers just have to place T-Mobile’s high-performance gateway device (which is a combo modem/Wi-Fi router) near a high point or window to get the best internet signal. By comparison, Starlink customers must physically mount the Starlink satellite outside to connect to the internet. Oh, and Starlink customers must pay $349 for their equipment, versus $0 for T-Mobile’s. Bummer.

Understanding download speeds

With a traditional cable or fiber ISP, your internet plan has one maximum download speed listed, and you’ll typically expect internet performance around that benchmark. However, T-Mobile and Starlink’s wider download and upload speed ranges are a byproduct of the tech behind each ISP.

Day-to-day 5G and satellite internet speeds heavily depend on variables like the amount of coverage and network traffic in your area. If you’re close to a 5G tower or have a clear sky view, you’ll likely hit the high end of each provider’s speed range. But if your area has minimal coverage, your internet performance may be inconsistent.

No contracts or data caps

If there are two things we at CableTV.com hate more than anything, it’s contracts and data caps. No one likes getting roped into an internet plan for two years (What if you move? What if Google Fiber comes to town?). And stopping a Netflix binge mid-season due to data overages? No, thank you.

Thankfully, you won’t have to worry about either of these things if you sign up for T-Mobile or Starlink’s plans. Both providers provide the flexibility of no contracts, allowing you to switch or drop the service anytime you need. And by upgrading to an unlimited data plan, you’ll also dodge any pesky overage fees. Starlink does reserve the right to throttle data, but you won’t need to budget in any extra data fees.

Both plans have virtually nationwide coverage thanks to T-Mobile’s 5G tower network and Starlink’s in-orbit satellites. While exact performance can vary depending on factors like tree coverage and location, you’ll likely be set wherever you’re traveling to in the U.S.