RNP BUSINESS GUIDES / Plans, costs & data
Which Starlink plan should my business choose?
THE SHORT ANSWER
Start with where and how the business will use the connection, then choose an eligible service and data allowance. A fixed US premises should assess Local Priority against its workload; cross-border, ocean or other mobile operations need a specific review of the current terms. Confirm the kit, territory and account offer before ordering.
01 / Plans, costs & data
In what order should the decisions be made?
- Describe the operating locations and whether the equipment will move.
- Confirm that the proposed subscription permits that commercial use.
- Decide whether the connection is primary, emergency backup or temporary service.
- Estimate essential traffic and compare it with observed monthly usage where available.
- Identify hardware, addressing and service-level requirements.
- Review the actual order and account terms, including any ongoing data charges.
02 / Plans, costs & data
How do Local and Global Priority differ?
Starlink’s current plan descriptions distinguish Local Priority’s geographic scope from Global Priority, including ocean use. The exact territory, travel duration and motion conditions matter. Treat the plan document and account eligibility as the authority for the proposed route; a product label is not enough to approve an international deployment.
For a single premises, provide the service address and a clear description of the job. For moving operations, provide the countries or regions, dates and whether connectivity is required in motion. If any of those details are unsettled, keep them as procurement conditions rather than assuming the broadest permission.
03 / Plans, costs & data
How does the operating role change the allowance?
| Operating role | Useful input | Decision to make |
|---|---|---|
| Primary office connection | Normal monthly WAN usage and concurrent work | Allowance and traffic policy for a full operating month |
| Backup for critical systems | Essential workload multiplied by expected outage hours | What continues and what is deferred during failover |
| Temporary project site | Mobilization dates, team size and project applications | Activation, ownership and demobilization responsibilities |
| Multiple premises | Site classes and measured exceptions | A repeatable standard with a process for unusual sites |
04 / Plans, costs & data
Why should hardware be checked separately?
The terminal determines physical installation, power and network connection requirements. The subscription determines the service you are buying. Ask the supplier to identify both on the proposal, with the actual kit revision and intended plan. A compact terminal can be convenient without meeting every requirement in a business specification.
For example, Starlink’s Priority SLA excludes Mini kits. If the procurement brief requires that SLA, the buyer must check hardware eligibility as well as the plan name. The SLA’s other conditions still need review; selecting Priority alone does not establish end-to-end application availability.
05 / Plans, costs & data
What belongs in the purchase approval?
Keep the plan name, service address, hardware, allowance and dated price together. Add the billing owner, who can approve extra data and the point at which usage will be reviewed. Save the current offer or confirmation in the company’s own records because a later website price may be different.
A good approval also identifies the unresolved items: site permission, mounting position, firewall compatibility or a customer application test. RNP can help turn those into an installation scope. Completing the purchase does not by itself resolve the physical and network design.
About this guide
RNP’s planning recommendations are separate from vendor specifications. Sources were checked on October 15, 2026; current plan terms, availability and account-specific offers can change. Illustrative calculations are not installation measurements. RNP confirms project scope, price and local delivery availability after assessment.
PLAN THE INSTALLATION
Turn the question
into a clear brief.
Describe the service locations, operating role and any required network or SLA features.
Request a project review ↗Scope, location, price and availability are reviewed before work is accepted.