Starlink has announced a price increase: SpaceX will raise the cost of its residential and Roam plans by $5 to $10, and has doubled the fee for Standby Mode to $10.
TL;DR SpaceX has increased prices for all consumer Starlink plans by $5 to $10 per month and raised the cost of Standby Mode from $5 to $10. This change is effective immediately for new customers and will start on June 18 for existing subscribers. The price hikes coincide with Starlink reaching 10 million users and SpaceX gearing up for its IPO.
SpaceX has adjusted the prices of all consumer Starlink plans in the U.S., adding an extra $5 to $10 per month to both the residential and mobile tiers, while also increasing the cost of its budget Standby Mode from $5 to $10. These changes took effect immediately for new subscribers and will apply to existing users starting with their next billing cycle on or after June 18. The increase comes at a time when SpaceX is preparing for what is expected to be the largest IPO in history, alongside growing competition from Amazon's satellite internet service, which is nearing its commercial launch.
What changed
The new pricing affects nearly all consumer tiers, excluding the newly introduced Roam 300GB plan, which remains priced at $80 per month. Residential plans, intended for fixed-location use, have seen price increases: the 100 Mbps tier went from $50 to $55, the 200 Mbps tier from $80 to $85, and the MAX tier (offering the fastest speeds) from $120 to $130. Roam plans, which facilitate mobile use at speeds up to 100 mph and function across borders, also increased: Roam 100GB from $50 to $55 and Roam Unlimited from $165 to $175.
A significant change is the price hike for Standby Mode, introduced in 2025, which allows subscribers to pause their service while maintaining a basic 500 Kbps connection for emergencies, firmware updates, and minimal connectivity. Previously appealing at $5 per month for seasonal users and RV owners, the price increase to $10 diminishes its attractiveness, particularly given recent limits on its use and the removal of a demand surcharge shield.
SpaceX’s rationale was succinct; the company informed customers that the adjustments "support ongoing improvements and investment in affordable, high-performance products and services as global operating costs rise."
The business context
The price hikes arrive as SpaceX’s satellite internet service is at an all-time high. Starlink reached over 10 million worldwide subscribers in February 2026, nearly doubling its user base within a year. The satellite constellation features over 10,000 satellites in low Earth orbit, accounting for approximately 65% of all active satellites and spanning 125 to 155 countries and territories. In 2025, revenue hit $11.4 billion, with EBITDA margins of 63%.
SpaceX’s IPO filing aims for a valuation around $1.75 trillion and a capital raise of $75 billion, positioning it to become the largest public offering ever. A merger with Elon Musk’s AI venture, xAI, valued the combined entity at $1.25 trillion in February 2026, though it also introduced xAI’s cash burn to SpaceX's financials, resulting in a net loss of $4.94 billion in 2025 despite combined revenue of $18.67 billion.
The price adjustments across over 10 million accounts could lead to hundreds of millions in additional annual revenue, significantly contributing to the revenue narrative SpaceX needs to present to potential investors. Interestingly, SpaceX reduced prices for its business-focused Local Priority plans earlier this month, implying a strategic approach to testing consumer price sensitivity while keeping enterprise rates competitive.
The competition question
Historically, Starlink has faced little competition in the consumer satellite broadband arena, but this is changing. Amazon’s satellite internet service, now named Amazon Leo, commenced enterprise beta testing in April 2026 with a commercial launch expected mid-2026. Amazon has approval to deploy over 3,000 broadband satellites and has established beta partnerships with major companies like Verizon, AT&T, Vodafone, JetBlue, and NASA.
European competitors like Eutelsat are also developing rival satellite constellations, although none currently match Starlink's scale or coverage. The timing of SpaceX’s price increases—shortly before Amazon Leo's commercial rollout—suggests either a belief in the durability of its first-mover advantage or a strategy to maximize revenue before facing competitive pressures.
Early analyses indicated that low-earth-orbit internet could potentially save American consumers $30 billion annually by introducing competition in a market often dominated by a single terrestrial provider, though this assumption hinges on competitive pricing among satellite operators. If Starlink raises its prices and Amazon adopts the same when it launches, anticipated savings for consumers could evaporate.
What it means for users
While the increases of $5 to $10 per month may seem modest, they reflect a broader trend. In 2026 alone, SpaceX has altered Starlink’s pricing, plan structure, or feature availability at least five times:
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Starlink has announced a price increase: SpaceX will raise the cost of its residential and Roam plans by $5 to $10, and has doubled the fee for Standby Mode to $10.
Every consumer Starlink tier, with the exception of the new Roam 300GB plan, is impacted. The price hikes come as SpaceX prepares for the largest IPO ever and as Amazon Leo nears its commercial launch.