Viasat Internet Review: Plans, Prices, and Deals

Overall, Viasat Unleased is a bit more expensive than Hughesnet’s plans, but for unlimited data, no contract, and the potential for faster service, Viasat is a better value. It also doesn’t require the high startup costs Starlink has with its equipment purchases.

Viasat still offers unlimited plans in rural locations that can’t access their Unleashed plans. However, given the pricing, Unleashed is almost certainly the better option. Plus, even though these plans are called unlimited, they still have a priority data cap.

If you’re in an area where you can only get the Viasat plans listed above, we suggest looking at Hughesnet, Starlink, or a satellite internet alternative.

Viasat leases its equipment, adding $15 to your monthly bill, and the installation costs depend on a soft credit check. You can’t install Viasat on your own. If you decide to cancel, you must return the equipment in a provided box and shipping label.

While Viasat advertises download speeds up to 150Mbps, these are not guaranteed and depend on your location. Still, this should be enough for streaming, web surfing, email, and voice chat. I entered dozens of zip codes around the country into Viasat’s site and found that 100Mbps was the most common top speed, with 150Mbps rarely found. My own speed when purchasing was said to be up to 100Mbps, but my actual speed, according to multiple speed tests, ranged from 40Mbps to 50Mbps. 

So, while download speed sometimes surpasses Hughesnet, it’s pretty middle-of-the-road in the best-case scenario, and it will rarely outmatch Starlink. The metric that’s also important to consider is average latency. Unfortunately, this is a common weakness among satellite providers. While download speeds are decent, your internet will still appear slow because the signal has traveled so far.

Average latency from providers like Viasat has been measured in the hundreds of milliseconds. Customers I spoke with reported latency between 600 and 800 milliseconds (for comparison, the average cable latency is 15 to 35 milliseconds). They told me multitasking on the internet is difficult and incredibly frustrating when multiple people use it. 

I got some firsthand experience of Viasat’s performance, and contrary to other customers’ frustration, I was surprised by how decent my speeds were. I could stream live TV and movies, browse the web, and hold video calls with coworkers. However, high latency was noticeable in that it would take a few more seconds than usual for a web page to load or for a movie on Netflix to begin. Unfortunately, interruptions in the signal are also a common issue with satellite internet, so if my connection were suddenly interrupted, it would take several seconds for my movie to buffer and resume. These interruptions weren’t that long, but they were more frequent and somewhat annoying during peak hours in the evening and when multiple devices were connected.

Customers I’ve spoken with say that while speed can be an issue, it’s rare that it stops working—although, some customers told me their service can be spotty. Weather will significantly affect the speed of your Viasat service, but that’s also true with any satellite provider. While using it, I never experienced a complete outage of service. Even when it was overcast, I could still get a signal.

Customer support left a positive impression on me. Both my purchase, install, and proceeding support calls were responsive and painless. Getting signed up was fast, and my installation took place just a few days later when it was most convenient for me. My installer was knowledgeable, polite, and willing to answer all my questions. At a certain point, I decided to put my service in “hibernation mode,” which temporarily deactivates the service without canceling your account—useful for customers who only use it part-time of the year. This process was quick to initiate, and the customer rep I spoke to was able to answer my questions.

Viasat outshines its competitors in the area of unlimited data. With its updated Unleashed plan, Viasat is the only satellite internet provider that offers its fastest speeds with unlimited high-speed data. While Viasat’s new plan is virtually unlimited, it does warn customers that if they exceed the monthly normal data usage limit, which they claim is 850GB, they will likely slow speeds down to save bandwidth.

Hughesnet manages its network's traffic with a 200GB cap on priority data, so your speeds will slow to around 1 to 3Mbps once you go over. Starlink’s priority plans give customers the full speed of up to 220Mbps, depending on their location, but the Standard Starlink plan offers customers unlimited data with speeds around 150Mbps. Viasat will be better for heavy-data households, but it's tough to say how consistent speeds will be with every customer being given free rein with unlimited high-speed data.

Viasat’s Unleashed plan offers unlimited data, ideal for customers who stream a lot. Streaming can drain allotted high-speed data, but since Viasat virtually eliminated its cap, you shouldn’t have to worry about running out even when you watch HD or 4K TV. Use our How Much Internet Data Do I Need? guide to help you pick a plan.

Viasat is in the middle of the pack price-wise. Its Unleashed plan is usually more affordable than Starlink’s standard plan but slightly more expensive than Hughesnet’s Elite plan ($89.99 per month plus a one-year discount of $25 per month). However, moving away from mandatory contracts and providing virtually unlimited data makes the higher cost worth it, as it allows you to be more flexible. Hughesnet users need to be ready to have the service for at least two years.

For a deeper dive into these internet services, check out our full Hughesnet vs. Viasat breakdown. Viasat Internet and Starlink Internet are on more even footing when it comes to pricing. Starlink wins out because its technology allows for faster, lower latency internet.

However, Starlink’s plans are costly—particularly the mobile options. You’ll need to pay Starlink’s high upfront costs of $349. You’re also on your own when installing Starlink, but you’ll at least own the equipment and can resell it.

Check out our Viasat vs. Starlink review for a deeper breakdown of these data-heavy satellite providers.

Satellite internet is available nearly everywhere in the U.S., but its speeds and prices make it impossible to recommend to anyone with other internet options such as cable or wireless 5G internet. T-Mobile and Verizon offer wireless home internet solutions with high speeds and lower latency than satellite for a much better price. Another popular provider for wireless is Rise Broadband. The only caveat is that it’s not as widespread or available everywhere as satellite. You need to be in the range of a provider’s 5G cell tower and in a spot where you can receive a clear signal.

While I recommend Viasat or other satellite internet providers when there’s no alternative, I always recommend checking to see if there’s a viable provider other than satellite. Enter your zip code to see what providers are available in your area.

Customers I got in touch with often struggled to find anything overly optimistic to say about their Viasat service.

“Viasat speeds were good, but the latency was bad—800ms plus,” former Viasat customer Jason Astel told me in a recent interview. “It was not an ISP to stream anything.”

Astel, who lives in rural Missouri, originally got it for home entertainment and his children’s school. Since streaming wasn’t a viable option, he told me he had to supplement with a satellite TV plan, which increased his bill even more. Astel left the service for Starlink, which he says has been a much better experience.

“The actual service has been reliable enough to not have to contact customer service,” said Michael David, a network engineer who uses Viasat at work. In rural locations around the country, David’s work uses Viasat as a backup in case its primary internet connection suffers an outage.

“During typical times it’s not so bad, but when there’s a lot of volume on the network, the congestion can cause packet loss and errors with multiple devices,” he said.

Not everyone had a consistent signal. The online discourse surrounding Viasat often includes comments about dropped service and slower-than-advertised speeds. One customer I interviewed said his service was constantly spotty, even on clear days.

“Zoom works relatively well, although the resolution is not great and it sometimes has to buffer,” said Viasat customer Sal Salamone, in rural upstate New York. “My work requires I use a VPN, and it’s impossible with Viasat. It slows it down too much.”

Salamone said that when he upgraded his plan a few years ago, the service improved nominally, but it was not worth the higher monthly payment.

“There’s just no comparison,” Salamone said when comparing Viasat to traditional broadband internet.

For more Viasat internet details, check out our full Viasat FAQ. If you’re specifically interested in moving your Viasat Internet service to a new address, check out the Viasat Internet section of our Transferring Internet Service guide.

Viasat customer service can be reached by phone (866-945-3258). If you have Viasat Easy Shield Premium, you can access Viasat’s dedicated phone line for a shorter, more streamlined experience.