Starlink on the road: internet everywhere – our experience

Starlink on the road solved an old problem for us: video calls that keep dropping on the apartment Wi-Fi.

If you work while travelling, you know it: the apartment has “Wi-Fi”, but a video call drops every two minutes. Since we started taking Starlink with us, that problem is gone.

How we came to Starlink

The idea didn’t come from a brochure but from Atins, a village in north-east Brazil with exactly one mobile mast. When it fails – and it did fail, sometimes for hours, sometimes for days – it’s not just the router in the house that’s dead, but the whole area: Holafly eSIM, local SIM, whichever network, nothing works anywhere in the village. No navigation, no online banking, no work. Since then the Starlink dish has lived in the boot: plug it in (or into the power bank) – and you have internet, regardless of what the mast is doing.

What it is

Satellite internet from SpaceX. A small antenna, a router, power – and within minutes 100–250 Mbit/s, even where there’s no mobile signal.

When it’s worth it

• Longer stays on the coast, in the countryside, on islands.
• Road trips: the mobile version runs in the car while you drive.
• Anyone who really has to work – not just post on Instagram.

When an eSIM is enough

Cities, short trips, phone only: an eSIM (e.g. Airalo) is cheaper and lighter. We have both.

Costs

A one-off hardware cost, then a monthly subscription that you can pause – so you only pay when you’re travelling. With our referral link you get a bonus (service credit) when you start, and so do we.

Tips

• A clear view of the sky – a balcony with a roof often isn’t enough.
• Power: 50–75 W, and with a power station it’s fully self-sufficient.
• No problem as hand luggage on a plane (standard antenna).

Starlink on the road: plans, power and rules

For travelling, Starlink offers the Roam plans: a cheaper one with a data cap and an unlimited one. Both can be changed monthly or switched to standby mode, where you only pay a small fee and the connection is heavily throttled. Prices change regularly and differ by country – the current figures are always on starlink.com. Important: Starlink may only be used in countries where the service is licensed; the availability map on the Starlink website shows where that is.

Power is a big difference between the devices. The standard dish draws 50–75 watts for us, while the smaller Starlink Mini averages only about 20–40 watts and can run via USB-C from a power bank with Power Delivery. For road trips and days without a socket the Mini is the more practical choice; for longer stays with many devices, the standard dish.

Starlink on the road: frequently asked questions

Facts as of 25.10.2026 – prices and rules can change, so check the official sources named above before you travel.

Our photos

Starlink on the road: our verdict

Our verdict on Starlink on the road: if you work while travelling or stay somewhere remote, it gives you reliable internet. For short city trips an eSIM is usually enough, which is why we mainly take Starlink on longer stays. How we pay and organise ourselves on the road is in money abroad; technical background on the system is on Wikipedia.