Viasat provides better speeds for satellite internet customers, but Hughesnet is more of a budget-friendly internet provider.
Viasat vs. HughesNet: Compare Satellite Internet Plans and Prices
Speed and reliability
2.25 / 5
Dollar value
3.5 / 5
Customer experience
3.4 / 5
Speed and reliability
1.5 / 5
Dollar value
3.0 / 5
Customer experience
2.0 / 5
6 min readBetween these two satellite internet providers, Viasat is clearly the better pick. Viasat delivers better download speeds with greater consistency than Hughesnet. Viasat does come with a steep monthly price tag, making it harder to afford for some customers. But Viasat’s primary service package gives you faster download speeds with unlimited data.
Hughesnet’s monthly prices are more budget-friendly, delivering decent speeds at lower prices. But you have to deal with limited data caps and you don't get the same speeds or flexibility as Viasat. You can likely find better options for rural internet.
“I appreciate Viasat for its reliable satellite coverage—integral for maintaining operations in remote areas where other services aren't available.” — Eugene Klimaszewski, Viasat customer in Connecticut
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Want to know if Viasat or Hughesnet are available where you live? Run a search with your zip code below to find out.
Viasat vs. Hughesnet: Plans, pricing, and speed
| Provider |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Price per month | $69.99–$149.99* | $49.99–$94.99 |
| Download speeds | 12-150 Mbps | 50-100 Mbps |
| Upload speeds | 4-7 Mbps | 5-5 Mbps |
| Details | View Plans | View Plans |
Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change. Data verified as of the article's publication date.
*
Offer available to new qualifying customers. One-time standard installation fee may be due at checkout. Minimum 24-month service term required. Equipment lease fee is $12.99/mo. Taxes apply. Service is not available in all areas. Offer may be changed or withdrawn at any time.
The vast majority of Viasat customers have the company’s Viasat Unleashed plan, which costs either $99.99 or $119.99 per month and has no contracts or data limits—all while giving customers speeds up to 150Mbps. Viasat also requires customers to rent or lease equipment, as well as fees for service calls.
Hughesnet customers can pick between plans with two speeds—up to 50Mbps or up to 100Mbps—each with data caps of 100GB and 200GB, respectively. Those plans cost $49.99 per month for the lower speed plan and $64.99 a month for the higher speed plan. Hughesnet’s highest-end package still gets you up to 100Mbps and a 200GB data cap, but it cuts latency down to 100ms—which is much lower than the other packages.
“There’s no reason why they’d be charging $120, $150 a month for service that is essentially from 1994.” —Joseph Talbot, former Hughesnet customer in North Carolina
Viasat vs. Hughesnet: Fees for modem and installation
What makes this review legit?
Our fact-based research process centers on interviews with internet customers across the country, helping us understand how internet services hold up against diverse needs and challenges.
To put together this review, we looked at results from our speed test, pulled data from customer satisfaction surveys, and pored over the fine print to compare prices and speeds between the two providers. To flesh out our analysis, we also interviewed Viasat and Hughesnet customers to get their firsthand insights. We let their experiences guide our research and shape our conclusions. We also speak with ISP spokespeople and industry experts to get insights into connection types, speed capabilities, and other technical issues related to internet service.
The matchup: How we rate Viasat vs. Hughesnet
For all our internet reviews, we give a rating based on three main criteria—speed and reliability, dollar value, and customer experience—which we then average to make an overall score.
Here, we compare those ratings face to face. We then offer some analysis and context for important factors to keep in mind.
Want to know more? Read our full-length Viasat review and Hughesnet review.
Speed and reliability
Viasat: 2.25/5.0 | Hughesnet: 1.5/5.0
Both of these satellite internet providers have room for improvement, but Viasat is the better choice in terms of speed and reliability.
Viasat’s typical speeds are higher than those of Hughesnet, which can get laggy with its 650ms latency or ping in its lower-level plans — making it difficult to do things as simple as a Zoom call. If you upgrade to Hughesnet’s Fusion plan, that latency goes down to 100ms, but it costs you an extra $30 a month.
Satellite internet providers typically have slower and less reliable connections compared to cable or fiber, but between these two, Viasat is the better pick.
Dollar value
Viasat: 3.5/5.0 | Hughesnet: 3.0/5.0
Viasat is a better value than Hughesnet, though both are more expensive than cable or other types of internet providers.
Viasat’s unlimited data gives it a leg up on Hughesnet. Even though the latter says it has unlimited data, once you pass Hughesnet’s priority data threshold, your speeds drop during times of the day when more people are online—or you can pay for extra “data tokens” to remedy that issue.
Satellite internet companies are more expensive than other types of providers because of the technology’s startup costs and the equipment needed to access the satellite connection. Both of these providers cost a pretty penny, but Viasat is a better way to get more bandwidth for your buck.
Customer experience
Viasat: 3.4/5.0 | Hughesnet: 2.0/5.0
Again, Viasat is the winner when pitted against Hughesnet. Viasat’s customer service experience is solid, but it’s pretty middle-of-the-road in the grand picture of internet service providers.
Hughesnet, on the other hand, is consistently rated near the bottom among internet providers, not just for satellite internet. Hughesnet placed last in HighSpeedInternet.com’s Customer Satisfaction Survey. Viasat ranked just ahead of Hughesnet.
Overall quality: Which internet provider should you pick?
Viasat: 3.1/5.0 | Hughesnet: 2.2/5.0
Overall, Viasat is the better pick here. Though Hughesnet is a more budget-friendly pick among satellite internet providers, Viasat gives you better, more consistent internet speeds while keeping its pricing relatively straightforward and without contracts.
Despite availability nearly everywhere in the United States, Hughesnet gets poor marks for customer satisfaction, and its variety of fees can add up over time, which can make it just as expensive as its competitors that offer higher speeds and lower latency. Because of this, Viasat is the clear winner over Hughesnet.
Viasat vs. Hughesnet: What deals and promotions can you get?
For $9.99 a month, Viasat offers its EasyCare plan for customers, which includes free service calls, priority customer service calls, and a free annual dish relocation—something that typically costs $200.
Hughesnet is offering new residential customers a $100 prepaid Mastercard via rebate and free professional installation to qualifying customers.
Sign up for Viasat and get its EasyCare for just $9.99/month
Get priority customer service care and free service calls.
Sign up for Hughesnet and get a $100 prepaid Mastercard.
New customers can get a prepaid card and free installation for qualifying plans.
Viasat add-ons and perks
For $9.99/month, EasyCare gives you free service calls, priority customer care, and an annual dish relocation for free
Hughesnet add-ons and perks
Sign up for a qualifying Hughesnet plan.
Sign up for a qualifying Hughesnet plan.
Sign up for Express Repair with a new Hughesnet plan.
Viasat vs. Hughesnet: What do customers think?
Viasat customers say the provider has good coverage but also has some issues
Viasat customers offer mixed responses on what they think about the satellite provider. Customers tell Reviews.org that Viasat is one of the only providers to cover many rural areas of the country, but the download and upload speeds are often far less than advertised.
Some rural customers, like Aapt Dubey in Laurel, Maryland, say Viasat’s coverage is exactly what was needed.
"Despite living in a rural area where other ISPs struggle to provide consistent coverage, Viasat has been dependable in delivering internet access when I need it most," Dubey tells Reviews.org.
James Mizer, a former Viasat customer in Coshocton, Ohio, says the service was good, but it still had some issues. "It was available anywhere you had a clear view of the southern sky," Mizer says. “(It was) pretty reliable except for rain fade."
But Mizer also adds, “Speeds were bad at times, and the data plans were ridiculous. Was hoping to get on the new satellite, but when it failed to deploy at maximum capacity, I dropped it.”
Silas Horst, a construction worker who lives near Buffalo, Missouri, was also displeased with his service with Viasat. "It was advertised as 25Mbps down and five up. It was actually more like zero to five down and zero up," says Horst, who is no longer a Viasat customer. "I was getting screwed, and I knew it."
“It was better than nothing, I suppose.” —Silas Horst, former Viasat customer
Hughesnet customers say they were frustrated with high latency and sluggish speeds.
Hughesnet customers have largely had negative experiences with the service, according to interviews conducted by Reviews.org.
One Reddit user, Jezra, says Hughesnet was often unreliable, and its high amount of latency, or ping, made it hard to do basic functions online. “The latency on GEO Sat service makes video conferencing difficult at best, and downright unusable is the norm,” the Reddit user tells Reviews.org. “That means no work from home, telehealth, or online school.”
Another Reddit user, Frntwe, says Hughesnet had regularly sluggish Wi-Fi, but it was the only choice they had in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where they live. “I had it for years, there were no alternatives,” the Reddit user tells Reviews.org.
Joseph Talbot, a former Hughesnet customer who lives in Kittrell, North Carolina, also had a poor experience with the company’s internet connection as well its customer service lines. “I would frequently get forwarded to a call center to someone who barely understood me,” Talbot tells Reviews.org.
Talbot, who moved from New York City to a rural area of North Carolina, laments the lack of internet providers in the area, and he adds he had poor experiences with both Hughesnet and Viasat. “Just because you don’t live in New York City or California, doesn’t mean you deserve to be left out of the modern world,” Talbot says.
“There’s no reason why they’d be charging $120, $150 a month for service that is essentially from 1994.” —Joseph Talbot, former Hughesnet customer
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