Starlink vs. Spectrum: Is Satellite or Cable Better?

Starlink offers four primary internet services for different use cases: Starlink Residential, Starlink Roam, Starlink Priority, and Starlink Mobile Priority.

The choice is simple: Residential is for home use, and Roam is for taking the road. Starlink Mobile Priority now includes what used to be Starlink Maritime. Like all Starlink Mobile Priority data tiers and plans, the boat plan can be used in motion, which accounts for the frankly exorbitant equipment cost. Starlink Priority uses this same dish but is intended for fixed-location use. All the other plans use the standard Starlink dish.

The speeds for each plan are fixed, so you can’t choose a faster or slower plan to match your needs and budget. The actual speeds you see can vary depending on where you are and how much stress the network is under.

Finally, it’s also worth noting that Starlink likes to change its plan names rather frequently. Don’t be surprised if these get tweaked slightly. However, the plans’ offerings tend to stay reasonably consistent.

Spectrum's speeds start at 500Mbps, which is already faster than anything Starlink offers (and probably enough for most households). You can jump up to 1,000Mbps from there, which should be enough for even the most strenuous use cases.

All Spectrum plans include Wi-Fi equipment at no additional charge. You can also pay $10.00 monthly to add Advanced Wi-Fi to the Premier plan, increasing security and network performance. All plans also feature unlimited data at no additional cost.

Spectrum is a little more expensive than other cable providers—you can find 1,000Mbps plans for less than $70.00 per month. However, the low equipment costs and unlimited data go a long way toward justifying the higher price.

Starlink has many of the same pros and cons as other satellite internet providers like Viasat and Hughesnet. Generally, satellite internet is more expensive than hard-line internet types like DSL, cable, or fiber. But it’s also more widely available, so it’s perfect for people in remote or sparsely populated areas that traditional internet providers ignore.

Cable providers avoid these areas because the cost of laying copper lines doesn’t make sense for the few people living there. Starlink circumvents that issue by shipping you a satellite dish and instructions that walk you through self-installation. You can even choose between stationary equipment for your home and an in-motion Starlink Roam plan. And, of course, you get unlimited data like Spectrum nowadays.

But even Starlink comes with downsides. In addition to its hefty upfront equipment costs, you also have a monthly internet bill in the hundreds. Starlink has latency issues, even if it’s not nearly as much as satellite internet providers like Viasat.  

Spectrum is one of the best cable internet providers for populated and rural areas. It gives you an excellent bang for your buck in any city and is more likely to be available in rural areas than any other cable internet provider. More than any other cable provider, Spectrum has purposefully built out its availability in these areas, connecting rural users nationwide.

So when you compare cable to satellite internet, cable comes out ahead in price, speed, and stability—it’s a better choice. But no internet service is perfect. Because Spectrum, like any cable provider, can’t match Starlink in portability or availability. Spectrum offers some of the best rural availability of its type, but it’s nothing compared to satellite internet’s full nationwide availability.

Starlink and Spectrum’s internet types make them apples to oranges, so the real question comes down to what you need. Check out their features detailed below to see which provider best fits your lifestyle.

Starlink offers perhaps the best performance of any satellite provider currently available. Thanks to its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite setup, it has fast speeds and lower latency.

However, even Starlink can’t match cable performance. Spectrum’s most affordable plan offers speeds up to three times faster than Starlink Standard, and it only gets faster from there. Cable also doesn’t suffer from the same high latency as satellite, making video calls and gaming smoother.

Starlink and Spectrum both feature unlimited data at no additional cost, which is a big win. No data cap means you can watch all your favorite shows worry-free. In Starlink’s case, it also eliminates one of the biggest issues with satellite internet—typically data caps are prohibitively low and you have to pay through the roof for extra.

Starlink’s monthly service prices are more or less average for satellite internet. But while you may find plans from Viasat or Hughesnet for less, they also come with less speed and data.

Where Starlink’s price really stings is the equipment—the upfront costs are pretty steep, either $499.00 or $2,500.00, depending on which satellite and plan you choose.

Spectrum, while a bit pricey for a cable provider, is much more affordable than Starlink. The most you’ll pay for a new Spectrum plan starts at $70.00 per month, and that’s with equipment fees included—and for a plan that provides much faster speeds than Starlink Standard.

Both Starlink and Spectrum provide all the gear you need to get up and running. In Starlink’s case, that means a satellite dish and a wireless router. The dish type varies depending on the plan you choose—Standard and Roam can be used with the Standard Starlink dish for $499.00, while Starlink for Boats and top speeds require the Flat High-Performance Starlink dish for $2,500.00.

Spectrum’s equipment consists of either a basic wireless router (no additional cost) or the Spectrum Advanced Wi-Fi router (an extra $5.00 per month). These costs are a lot easier to stomach, but in terms of functionality, neither provider has a leg up on the other.

Starlink is available everywhere in the U.S., typical for satellite internet. There have been some issues in the past with waitlists, but at the time of writing, the Starlink availability map doesn’t show any, and we’re hopeful it stays that way. Starlink also has the distinct advantage of being available globally—you can get Starlink service in many countries worldwide.

Spectrum is a cable provider with excellent availability in rural areas, but realistically, no cable provider can match satellite for coverage. There are also large gaps in the central and western states.

The easiest way to see whether Spectrum (or any other provider) is available in your area is to use our zip-check tool. Just enter your zip code below to get a list of all your internet options.

When it comes down to it, Spectrum gives you a lot more for a lot less, but is only available to small percentage of the country, and mostly populated areas. Starlink, while more expensive and at times not as reliable, is still great for rural customers.

If you have access, Spectrum is definitely the way to go. You get faster internet service for a lot less money than you’d pay for Starlink. The only exception would be if you wanted internet for boating, RV use, or another mobile application, in which case Starlink is the way to go.

That said, not everyone has Spectrum availability. In fact, many people can’t get cable internet at all. In these cases, Starlink is a very strong choice, particularly because of its unlimited data. You may also want to consider alternatives like Viasat or Hughesnet if you need something a little more affordable. You might get less data with them, but that may be worth it if you only want some internet access and more money in your wallet.

No. Since Spectrum is cable, it’s generally less likely to experience issues than a satellite service like Starlink. That’s not to say Starlink is unreliable—we don’t think you’d have major problems with either service. However, if reliability is a top concern for you, go with Spectrum.

This really depends on your needs. Cable internet is generally faster and more affordable than satellite internet like Starlink. For many, that means cable is better. However, if you need internet in a remote spot, need to take your connection on the road, or want to put internet on an RV, boat, or other vehicle, Starlink is the better choice.

Starlink Standard, the company’s basic residential plan, starts at $120 monthly, with a one-time charge of $499 for equipment. Prices for priority data plans are higher, starting at $140 monthly.

Spectrum’s most affordable plan is $50.00 per month. For that price, you get 500Mbps internet and a wireless router included at no additional cost.