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Choose Residential if Starlink will stay at one household address and you want unlimited data. Choose Roam if the terminal must travel with you. Residential is tied to a fixed, land-based service address and does not support roaming or in-motion use. Roam is built for portable connectivity, with travel and in-motion capabilities that depend on the plan, hardware, country, and local regulations.
Starlink changes plan names, allowances, prices, and eligibility by market. Treat the offer displayed for your actual service address and account as authoritative, rather than applying a price or feature list from another country.
Residential and Roam at a glance
| Decision point | Residential | Roam |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Personal or household internet at one fixed, land-based address | Portable internet while traveling, including eligible in-motion use |
| Use away from the registered address | Roaming is unsupported | Designed for travel, subject to plan and local rules |
| In-motion service | Unsupported | Available only with compatible hardware, plans, countries, and permissions |
| Data model | Unlimited data on Residential plans; speed tiers and availability vary by region | Allowance and post-allowance speeds vary by tier and market |
| International travel | Not a travel feature | Depends on the tier; Roam Unlimited has a stated international allowance, while other tiers can be region-restricted |
| Ocean or coastal use | Not included as a travel capability | Ocean Mode is described for Roam Unlimited |
| Pausing | Standby Mode may be available, with country and account exceptions | Standby Mode may be available, with country and account exceptions |
| Price and eligibility | Address and account specific | Country, address, and plan specific |
The practical rule is simple: decide where the dish will operate most of the time, then check the live offer for that location. A portable terminal does not turn a Residential subscription into a roaming subscription, and a Roam subscription does not guarantee identical international or in-motion service everywhere.
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What a Residential plan is designed to do
One household, one registered service address
Starlink describes Residential plans as intended for personal or household use at a fixed, land-based location. The account is associated with a service address, and the plan is optimized for normal home internet rather than repeated relocation. A house, apartment, workshop, or permanently occupied rural property is the typical use case.
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If you move the terminal to a second home, campsite, job site, or another town, that is roaming from the service plan’s perspective. Residential does not support that use. The fact that the dish can physically acquire satellites somewhere else does not change the subscription’s terms.
Unlimited data, with regional speed differences
Starlink says all Residential plans include unlimited data. “Unlimited” describes the amount of data included; it does not promise the same speed, latency, congestion behavior, or availability in every market. Residential plan names, speed tiers, and network performance vary by region, so compare the specific offer shown for your address.
For a household that streams, works remotely, backs up photos, runs security cameras, or has several simultaneous users, unlimited data removes the need to monitor a monthly high-speed bucket. You still need to consider local capacity, equipment placement, weather, and the performance tier offered at the address.
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What Residential cannot provide
- It does not include roaming to another address.
- It does not support in-motion use.
- It is not a substitute for a travel plan merely because the hardware is portable.
Those restrictions make Residential a poor fit for an RV, boat, mobile work crew, or anyone who expects to use the same connection in multiple countries or regions.
What a Roam plan changes
Connectivity intended to move
Starlink markets Roam for connectivity on the go, including travel, remote work, and eligible use in a car, boat, or RV. Roam is the category to investigate when the terminal will regularly leave its registered location. Service remains subject to the plan’s geographic rules, compatible hardware, network availability, and regulations in the place where you operate.
Allowances differ by country and tier
Roam is not one universal product with one global allowance. The available tiers and included data depend on the market. On January 13, 2026, Starlink announced that the former 50GB Roam allowance became 100GB at no additional cost in most markets. That change should not be read as a promise that every Roam plan in every country now has the same 100GB allowance.
For the 100GB offer described by Starlink’s help material, use above the high-speed allowance continues as unlimited low-speed data for the rest of the billing period. Calls and texts can remain possible, while streaming, large downloads, and video calls may be constrained by the reduced speed. The post-allowance behavior belongs to that offer; confirm the terms of the exact tier on your account before relying on it.
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Roam can support in-motion connectivity, but “Roam supports in-motion” is not a blanket approval for every setup. The terminal must be compatible, the plan must permit the use, and the country or jurisdiction must allow it. Vehicle type, installation, obstruction clearance, power delivery, and local rules can all affect whether the service works safely and lawfully.
Check the rules for the countries and waters where you will travel. A plan that permits movement in one jurisdiction may be restricted in another. Do not assume that a stationary Roam setup automatically qualifies for use while driving or underway.
International, regional, and ocean travel
Roam Unlimited and the 30-day country rule
Starlink’s cited help information says Roam Unlimited allows up to 30 days outside the registered home country at a time. That is a plan-specific rule, not a general guarantee for all Roam tiers. If you expect to cross borders, verify the current international terms for your account and destination before departure.
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Other Roam tiers may be geographically restricted
Other listed Roam plans can be limited to the registered home country or a designated region. International use may require an upgrade. A regional plan can therefore be cheaper and entirely adequate for domestic travel while being unsuitable for a cross-border itinerary.
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Ocean Mode
Starlink describes an Ocean Mode option for Roam Unlimited. Coastal and ocean operation involves additional regulatory, coverage, installation, and power considerations, so confirm that Ocean Mode is offered for your account and intended route. “Roam” alone does not establish that offshore service is included.
A practical pre-trip check
- Open the Starlink account or offer page for the registered address.
- Record the exact Roam tier, high-speed allowance, and post-allowance behavior shown there.
- List every country or region on the itinerary, including waters where the terminal will operate.
- Check whether the tier permits international use, how long it permits it, and whether an upgrade is required.
- Confirm in-motion and ocean permissions for the hardware and jurisdiction.
- Verify that your power system can run the terminal for the planned travel period.
Data: how to compare the plans honestly
Start with your monthly usage pattern
Residential is straightforward for a fixed household because its plans include unlimited data. Roam requires a usage estimate. Count the activities that consume the most data: high-resolution video, operating-system updates, cloud backups, camera uploads, gaming downloads, and video meetings. A traveler who mainly sends messages and checks maps may stay below a high-speed allowance; a family streaming every evening may exhaust it quickly.
Understand the difference between high-speed and unlimited low-speed data
After the 100GB high-speed allowance described for most markets in the January 2026 change, service continues at low speed for the remainder of the billing period. That preserves basic connectivity but can change what is practical. Messaging, email, lightweight web pages, and some voice services may continue, while video calls, streaming, and large file transfers can become unreliable or unusable.
Do not compare “100GB plus unlimited low-speed data” with Residential’s unlimited data as if they were equivalent. The quantity and quality of usable high-speed service are different, and the Roam allowance may not apply to every market or tier.
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Why a global price table is misleading
Starlink says Residential availability depends on region and address, and that prices, promotions, and plan offers may vary. Roam availability and data tiers also differ by country. Taxes, currency, regulatory charges, capacity, and promotional periods can change the amount shown at checkout.
Use the live offer for the actual service address and account. A price quoted for the United States cannot be presented as a worldwide monthly price, and a promotion visible on one date may not be available when you sign up.
What to record before choosing
- The monthly price and billing currency displayed for your address
- The exact plan name and whether it is Residential or a specific Roam tier
- The included high-speed data and the post-allowance behavior
- Whether international, in-motion, or ocean use is included
- Any activation, hardware, tax, or regional charges shown at checkout
- Whether Standby Mode is available on that account
Save a copy of the offer or terms if the decision depends on a promotion or a particular allowance. Plan details are volatile, and support pages can be updated after you subscribe.
Hardware: when Starlink Mini matters
Mini is a hardware choice, not a plan
Starlink describes Mini as a portable kit for internet on the go. The kit and the service subscription are separate decisions. Buying a portable terminal does not grant Roam benefits, and selecting Roam does not require Mini; other compatible hardware may be available.
Starlink’s support information says Mini is compatible with Roam plans in most countries but with Residential plans only in limited regions. Check both local hardware availability and the plan compatibility shown for your account. Do not assume that a Mini purchased in one market can be activated under the same Residential rules in another.
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US hardware price reference
The official US product page showed a starting price of $199 for the Starlink Mini kit when it was retrieved in 2026. That is a US-market hardware price, not a monthly service price or a global quotation. Recheck the current product page before budgeting.
Power requirements for portable use
Starlink says a USB Power Delivery source rated at 100W (20V/5A) is needed for optimal Mini operation. Battery operation is possible when the power source meets those requirements. A USB-C power bank or portable power station that cannot sustain the required voltage and wattage may cause shutdowns, reduced performance, or failure to start.
For an RV, boat, or off-grid setup, calculate the available watt-hours, account for conversion losses, and leave reserve capacity for weather and other loads. Test the complete cable, power supply, and battery arrangement before traveling rather than discovering a power limitation at the destination.
Standby Mode: pausing without keeping normal service
Eligible customers may be able to use Standby Mode, subject to country and account exceptions. Standby is not ordinary service held at full capability. It provides low-speed data intended for emergency messaging and easy reactivation.
Standby can make sense when a seasonal property or travel setup is unused for part of the year. It is not a way to preserve normal Residential speeds or a full Roam allowance while paying less. Check the exact standby terms, eligibility, and reactivation process in the account before changing plans.
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Permanent home in a rural area
Choose Residential when the terminal will remain at that home and the household needs predictable, unlimited data. Confirm the address is eligible and compare the available speed tiers. If you occasionally take the terminal elsewhere, that occasional move conflicts with Residential’s no-roaming design; investigate Roam instead of assuming the Residential account will follow you.
RV or camper used across one country
Start with the Roam tiers offered in your home country. Compare the high-speed allowance with your expected streaming and work use, and verify that in-motion operation is permitted for your hardware and route. If the terminal will usually stay parked at one property, Residential may be simpler for that property, but it will not cover the travel use.
International travel
Look specifically for a Roam tier that permits international service. Roam Unlimited is described as allowing up to 30 days outside the registered home country at a time; other tiers may be restricted to a country or region and require an upgrade. Confirm every destination and the return or re-registration requirements before leaving.
Boat or offshore work
Investigate Roam Unlimited and whether Ocean Mode is available for your account. Confirm maritime permissions, coverage expectations, mounting, power, and in-motion rules. A coastal trip and an offshore voyage are not interchangeable use cases.
Seasonal cabin
If the terminal remains at the cabin, Residential is the natural starting point because the use is fixed. If the cabin is only one stop in a mobile setup, compare Roam and its allowance instead. Standby Mode may reduce service while the cabin is empty, but it provides low-speed emergency connectivity rather than normal performance.
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Remote worker who moves frequently
Roam is the better starting point, but budget around the high-speed allowance. Video meetings and cloud synchronization can consume data quickly, so identify locations with alternative connectivity before the allowance is reached. Verify that each country permits the intended operation and that your power system can support the terminal.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Choosing by hardware size alone
A smaller or portable dish does not determine the subscription’s geographic rights. Select the plan according to where and how you will use the service, then confirm that the hardware is compatible in that market.
Assuming every Roam plan is international
International access is tier-specific. Read the country and region restrictions attached to the exact plan, and check whether an upgrade is required for the itinerary.
Treating low-speed data as unlimited broadband
Post-allowance low-speed data can preserve messaging while making streaming, downloads, and video calls difficult. Size the plan around the high-speed allowance, not merely the word “unlimited.”
Ignoring local regulation
In-motion and maritime operation can be regulated differently from stationary land use. Verify the rules for each jurisdiction and do not operate in motion where the service or authorities prohibit it.
Using an unsuitable battery
For Mini, check for USB Power Delivery at 100W and 20V/5A. A battery with a large capacity but insufficient output may still fail to run the kit reliably.
Reusing an old price or promotion
Prices, plan names, allowances, and eligibility change. Recheck the live offer at the address and account immediately before ordering.
A final selection checklist
- Mark the place where the terminal will operate most often.
- Decide whether it must work away from that registered address.
- List any in-motion, international, coastal, or ocean use.
- Compare the exact Residential and Roam offers available for your country and address.
- For Roam, record the high-speed allowance and what happens afterward.
- Confirm compatibility, power, and local permissions for the selected hardware.
- Check Standby Mode only if you need seasonal or temporary low-speed connectivity.
- Recheck prices and terms immediately before purchase because the offer can change.
What is established—and what is not
Starlink’s published material establishes the plan distinctions, the January 2026 100GB Roam change in most markets, the stated 30-day international period for Roam Unlimited, Mini’s US starting-price reference, and Mini’s 100W USB-PD requirement. It does not provide a universal price list, a single worldwide Roam allowance, or an independent comparison of speeds and reliability between Residential and Roam.
Actual performance depends on location, congestion, obstructions, weather, equipment, network conditions, and the local offer. Choose on service rules and your travel pattern, then verify the live account terms rather than relying on a generalized global comparison.
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