Starlink is still the most competitive option for rural Canada
Even after the May 16, 2026 price increase, the speed/price/availability ratio remains unbeatable outside fibre zones. If your address isn’t covered by Bell, Telus, Rogers or a local cable provider, Starlink is the default choice.
Check availability + 1 month free →
Starlink raised prices on most plans: Residential 100 to $75 (+5), 200 to $115 (+5), Max to $150 (+10); Roam 100GB to $75 (+5), Roam Unlimited to $200 (+11). Roam 300GB unchanged at $110. Standby mode tripled to $15/month. New Global Roam at $540/month. Effective immediately for new customers, and on June 18, 2026 for existing customers.
How much does Starlink cost in Canada? Plans, hardware and taxes in 2026
It’s probably the number one question before deciding: how much will Starlink actually cost me, taxes included? Here’s the full breakdown for 2026, no surprises and no jargon.
Our interactive calculator recommends the optimal Starlink plan in 5 questions (location, number of people, activities, speed, sky view).
The 4 main plans at a glance
Residential 100
- 50-200 Mbps typical
- Unlimited data
- Dish often free in rural areas
- For a primary home in a rural zone
Residential 200
- 150-300 Mbps typical
- Unlimited data
- Network priority
- Families + heavy work from home
Roam 100GB
- 50-100 Mbps
- 100 GB of mobile data
- Portable across Canada + USA
- Occasional cottage, camping
Roam 300GB
- 50-100 Mbps
- 300 GB — sweet spot for a regular cottage
- Portable across Canada + USA
- Launched May 14, 2026
Full 2026 plan table
| Plan | Monthly price | Typical speed | Data | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential 100 | $75 | 50-200 Mbps | Unlimited | Primary home in a rural area |
| Residential 200 | $115 | 150-300 Mbps | Unlimited | Families + work from home |
| Residential Max | $150 | 250-400 Mbps | Unlimited | 4K streaming, heavy simultaneous use |
| Roam 100 GB | $75 | 50-100 Mbps | 100 GB | Occasional cottage, camping |
| Roam 300 GB 🆕 | $110 | 50-100 Mbps | 300 GB | Cottage used regularly |
| Roam Unlimited | $200 | 100-200 Mbps | Unlimited | Nomad workers, full-time RV |
| Global Roam ⭐ | $540 | 50-200 Mbps (de-prioritized) | Unlimited | International multi-continent travellers |
| Standby Mode | $15 | very slow (~1 Mbps) | Minimal | Keeping your dish off-season |
| Business / Priority | from $200 | Guaranteed | By plan | Businesses, critical services |
Which plan for you? 3 typical profiles
Rural home
Family of 2-4, Netflix, work from home, occasional gaming.
If heavy simultaneous use: Residential 200 ($115/month)
Year-1 cost: ~$990 (dish often free)
Seasonal cottage
Used 4-6 months/year, paused in winter.
Regular (full weeks): Roam 300GB ($110/month)
Off-season: Standby Mode $15/month
Year-1 cost: ~$700-900
RV / Nomad
Remote work + frequent travel across Canada/USA.
Dish: Mini ($399) or Standard
Year-1 cost: ~$2,800 all in
Still unsure? Our calculator gives you a personalized recommendation in 2 minutes.
Hardware cost
Standard 4 / 4X dish (residential): official price $599, but offered free to new customers in many Canadian areas in 2026. Check at your address.
Mini dish: $399 at Starlink, sometimes on promotion at $299 at Best Buy or $249 with activation for new customers. Some seasonal promotions drop as low as $199.
High Performance dish (for business or farm): $2,500.
Additional fees to budget for
- Shipping: $15-19 for standard delivery in Canada.
- Taxes: GST and provincial sales tax (or HST) added to the base price and subscription. The rate depends on your province (5% in Alberta, up to 15% in the Atlantic provinces).
- Accessories: roof mount ($40-100), pole mount ($50-150), longer cable ($40-130), Ethernet adapter ($40) if you need a wired port.
- Pro installation: $200-500 if you don’t want to self-install.
Total cost the first year (example)
Here’s a realistic scenario for a rural Canadian on the Residential 100 plan with a free dish:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Standard dish | $0 (new-customer promo) |
| Shipping | $19 |
| 12-month plan × $75 | $900 |
| Sales tax on everything (~13% avg) | $119 |
| Year-1 total | $1,038 |
For a cottage used 5 months on Roam 100 GB with a pause:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Mini dish at Best Buy | $299 |
| Plan 5 × $75 (May to September) | $375 |
| Standby mode 7 × $15 (October to April) | $105 |
| Taxes (~13% avg on everything) | $101 |
| Year-1 total | $880 |
Quick comparison with other Canadian ISPs
| ISP | Typical 2026 price | Speed | Rural availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starlink | $75-150 | 100-300 Mbps | Everywhere |
| Bell rural internet / 5G Home | $65-105 | 50-300 Mbps | Limited to tower zones |
| Telus Smart Hub 5G | $65-115 | 50-300 Mbps | Limited to tower zones |
| Rogers Wireless Home Internet | $65-110 | 50-250 Mbps | Select rural/suburban zones |
| Xplore 5G Ultra | $50-100 | 100-500 Mbps | Where the tower is deployed |
| Xplore Satellite (Jupiter 3) | $90-150 | 25-100 Mbps | Everywhere, high latency |
Full Starlink vs rural ISPs comparison →
Payment methods
- Credit card (all major ones: Visa, MasterCard, AMEX)
- PayPal in some cases
- No cheque, bank transfer or in-person payment options (strictly online payment)
- In-store purchase (Best Buy, Costco, Home Depot, Walmart) with online activation afterward
Standby mode: your ally for saving
If your dish is only used a few months a year (cottage, seasonal work), Standby mode at $15/month is a game changer. You keep your dish linked to your account without paying for a full subscription.
Activation and deactivation happen in the Starlink app, in a few clicks. Many Canadian users pause from October to April, saving $700+ per year.
Note: Standby mode went from $5 to $15/month on May 16, 2026 (effective June 18 for existing customers). It’s still the cheapest way to keep an account active off-season.
Heads-up: if you received your dish through a free promotion, you sometimes have to keep an active plan for a minimum of 12 months before you can pause. Check the conditions at purchase.
Save with the referral program
Starlink offers a referral program that gives 30 days of free subscription to the new customer (and to the referrer). It’s the simplest way to pay a little less the first month.
Frequently asked questions about pricing
Can the price still go up?
Yes, Starlink adjusts its prices based on regional demand and inflation. The last increase was May 16, 2026. Increases are generally 5-10% and announced 1-2 months in advance by email.
Is there a student or senior discount?
No, Starlink has no preferential pricing for these groups in 2026.
Can I get a credit for a long outage?
Yes, for an outage longer than 24h, contact support via the app and a prorated credit is generally applied.
Does Standby mode really block all usage?
No. You have ultra-slow internet (about 1 Mbps) enough for texts, alerts and notifications. You can even send low-quality photos.
How much does Starlink really cost, taxes included, in 2026 in Canada?
For a Residential 100 plan at $75/month, the real cost taxes included is about $85/month (assuming a ~13% provincial rate). Over a year, expect about $1,020 in subscription + $22 shipping = ~$1,042 if the dish is free, or ~$1,725 if you pay $599 for the dish.
Are there rural internet subsidies to help pay for Starlink?
Yes. The federal Universal Broadband Fund and several provincial programs offer one-time support in certain areas. See our subsidies guide →
Ready to order?
Check availability at your address in 30 seconds — then enjoy your first month free thanks to the referral link.
Last updated: June 12, 2026.
*1 free month of Starlink service (equal to your plan) automatically credited 30 days after activation of your service, when you order through our official referral link RC-DF-7650727-61403-46. Official SpaceX program. No extra cost to you: same price as starlink.com. FastSat.ca also receives a free month, which funds the site.