Engadget's comparison highlights a sharp trade-off in Starlink's entry-level pricing. The Residential and Roam plans both start at $55 per month, yet they are aimed at very different customers. Residential is for people who need internet at a fixed home address, and its base tier includes unlimited data at 100 Mbps. Higher Residential tiers cost $85 for 200 Mbps and $130 for up to 400 Mbps, with free professional installation included.
Roam, by contrast, is positioned for RV owners, nomads, campers, and international travelers, especially those using the portable Starlink Mini dish. The $55 Roam tier provides faster speeds of up to 300 Mbps, but it comes with a 100GB monthly data cap. After that cap is reached, the connection slows to a level suitable only for basic browsing and email. Roam also offers a 300GB tier for $80 and an unlimited option for $175.
The source notes that neither plan guarantees advertised speeds, since Starlink's fair use policy allows temporary slowdowns during high congestion or peak usage hours. Both plans also include a 30-day trial with a full refund within the first month. The key difference, as Engadget frames it, is a choice between unlimited but slower home internet and faster mobile internet with a hard data limit.