Starlink on a boat: which plan to choose?

To choose the appropriate Starlink antenna and plan for a boat, you need to consider several factors:

1- Antenna:

Two options are available for antenna selection:

- Standard Starlink Kit

- High Performance Starlink Kit

                  High Performance Mobile Starlink Antenna

The Standard Starlink Kit works for most applications (boats, sailboats, RVs), while the High-Performance Kit is recommended for businesses, harsh weather conditions, and boats with a cruising speed exceeding 8 knots.

For more information on choosing between the Standard and High-Performance Starlink kits, refer to our article "Which Starlink Antenna to Choose: Standard or High-Performance?"

• Power consumption
  
  The High-Performance Starlink Kit has an average power consumption of 120W, compared to 50 - 60W for the Standard Starlink Kit.
  
  To reduce power consumption, it is recommended to convert to 12V (or 24V) using one of our 12V/24V Plug & Play kits for the standard V2 Starlink antenna and the 12V/24V Maritime kits for the High Performance Starlink antenna.
  
  Additionally, using our Starlink compatible low-power Wi-Fi 6 router (12V or 24V) is recommended.

2- Choice of Plan and Service Coverage

For roaming usage (boat or camper-van or RV), two recommended plans are: Starlink Roam and Starlink Maritime/Boats.

• Starlink Roam
  
  Designed for travelers, Starlink Roam allows you to use Starlink anywhere within covered areas.
  
  Equipment is the same as the residential kit (Standard Starlink Kit), with the ability to use the antenna outside of your registered address.
  
  Offers unlimited mobile data for coastal use, starting at €59 per month for the Mobile - Regional plan.
  
  Roam can be paused and resumed at any time without a contract.
  
  

• Starlink Maritime/Boats
  
  Starlink Boats is intended for use in motion (speed exceeding 8 knots) and high-demand scenarios.
  
  Starlink boats utilizes the High-Performance Kit for use in motion, even at highway speeds or during sea navigation (coastal and offshore).
  
  Starlink Boats offers Mobile Priority Plans with options for 50 GB, 1 TB, or 5 TB of data for offshore navigation.
  
  Monthly cost starts at €239 for the 50 GB plan, and there are no contracts.
  
  - Coastal Navigation (less than 5-10 nautical miles from the coast):
  
  For coastal navigation with standard internet speed, the recommended plan is Starlink Roam - Mobile Regional at €59 per month (on promotion, usually €100 per month).
  
  If you have the High-Performance Kit, consider Starlink Boats - Mobile Priority plans starting at €239 for unlimited coastal internet and 50 GB offshore.
  
  - Offshore Navigation:
  
  If you have the High-Performance Kit and the Priority Mobile plan, you can use Starlink offshore with 50 GB, 1 TB, or 5 TB of priority data based on your selection. Additional priority data can be purchased on starlink.com.
  
  If you have the Standard Kit and the Roam - Mobile Regional plan, you can only use Starlink offshore by purchasing additional mobile priority data (€2.29/GB consumed) in addition to the Mobile - Regional plan.
  
  - Continent Change:
  
  Continents are defined by Starlink as:
  - North America,
  - Europe,
  - Latin America and the Caribbean,
  - Africa,
  - Asia and the Pacific.
  
  If you change continents, you'll need to switch to the Global Mobile plan (€230/month) as the Regional Mobile plan covers only one continent.
  
  After changing continents, you can update your Starlink address to a new one in the new continent and subscribe to the local Regional Mobile plan, which may be more cost-effective than your previous plan.