In 2026 there are six ways to have internet on a boat: Starlink and Amazon Leo (high-capacity low-earth orbit), geostationary VSAT, Iridium (voice and slow data with polar coverage), OneWeb (professional low-earth orbit) and marine 4G, which is not satellite but is on almost every boat. They do not all compete for the same thing. This guide compares them on the same variables — speed, latency, coverage, hardware and relative cost — so that the decision comes out of your boat and your route, not out of a brochure.
If you already know Starlink is the answer and want to know what to order, the Starlink for boats guide is the next step.
The six technologies
1. Starlink Maritime (low-earth orbit, SpaceX)
The one that has changed the marine market since 2023. More than 6,000 active satellites at roughly 550 km (September 2026), latency of 25 to 60 ms and download speeds of 50 to 220 Mbps, with a flat terminal without moving parts that is installed in a day.
- Strengths: latency comparable to a fixed connection; global coverage without roaming; compact terminal; an open and mature sales channel; pausing in whole months on recurring plans.
- Weaknesses: the marine terminal is a four-figure initial outlay that is not recovered; plans come in priority-data tiers; in saturated harbours in high season speed drops.
2. Amazon Leo (low-earth orbit, Amazon)
The challenger. Formerly Project Kuiper, it is Amazon’s constellation: 3,232 satellites planned for the first generation, of which close to 400 were in orbit as of July 2026. It opened a beta with selected companies on 8 April 2026 and has pushed the commercial service back from mid to late 2026, limited to businesses, governments and mobility in specific geographies. In Spain it has held a frequency authorisation for customer terminals since May 2026 (valid to 2031) and does not sell: launch date unannounced (press estimates: 2027–2028) and prices unannounced.
- Strengths: a gigabit-class Leo Ultra terminal announced (up to 1 Gbps down); a maritime channel defined through specialised integrators; Amazon’s financial backing.
- Weaknesses: cannot be ordered; incomplete constellation; zero operational track record at sea.
We follow it closely in Amazon Leo: what it is and what it means for sailors.
3. VSAT (geostationary)
The industry standard for decades. Satellites at 36,000 km, a motorised dish under a radome, and bandwidth that can be contracted as guaranteed.
- Strengths: maturity and reliability; dedicated bandwidth by contract on business plans; highly experienced support; ideal for large ships with critical operations.
- Weaknesses: latency of 600 to 800 ms, which makes video calls almost unusable; a large, heavy antenna with moving parts; hardware and subscriptions far above low-earth orbit for competitive bandwidth.
4. Iridium (low-earth orbit, voice and slow data)
The original low-earth-orbit constellation, with full polar coverage. It is the emergency and expedition channel, not a working connection.
- Strengths: total polar coverage, unique in its class; very reliable for emergencies; portable devices (Iridium GO!, satellite phones); low power draw.
- Weaknesses: kilobits per second on the standard service and up to 1.4 Mbps with Certus; unsuitable for general web use or video; high cost per minute or per megabyte.
5. OneWeb (low-earth orbit, Eutelsat)
Starlink’s competitor in the professional segment, focused on specific markets and geographies.
- Strengths: speeds of 50 to 200 Mbps; latency of 70 to 100 ms; professional and maritime focus.
- Weaknesses: ocean coverage still partial; smaller footprint in the marine market; higher price than Starlink for similar performance.
6. Marine 4G/LTE
Not satellite, but it is on almost every boat and is the natural second route. With an external antenna and a good router it reaches 10 or 15 miles offshore in areas with a good network; beyond that, nothing.
- Strengths: the cheapest link; speeds of 30 to 150 Mbps near the coast; usually already contracted.
- Weaknesses: useless offshore; saturated cells in harbours in high season; patchy coverage on sparsely populated coasts.
The Starlink vs 4G comparison goes into where each one holds up.
Comparison table
| Technology | Download speed | Latency | Ocean coverage | Hardware | Relative fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starlink Maritime | 50–220 Mbps | 25–60 ms | Global | Compact, no moving parts | Medium |
| Amazon Leo | up to 1 Gbps announced | low (low-earth orbit) | Being deployed | No public price | Unannounced |
| Geostationary VSAT | 5–50 Mbps | 600–800 ms | Global | Large, motorised | The highest |
| Iridium Certus | up to ~1.4 Mbps | 100–200 ms | Global and polar | Medium | High for what it delivers |
| Standard Iridium | very low | ~200 ms | Global and polar | Portable | Low |
| OneWeb | 50–200 Mbps | 70–100 ms | Partial | High | High |
| Marine 4G | 30–150 Mbps | 30–80 ms | Coast only | Low | The lowest |
Indicative figures published by the operators in 2026. The relative fee compares positions in the price list, not figures, because they change often and depend on the plan.
The combination that fits each boat
Sailboat or motor yacht. Starlink Maritime on a regional plan as the main link and the 4G you already pay for as a second route in port. For ocean passages, an Iridium GO! as the emergency channel. It is the combination on most of the leisure boats we advise, and MaritLink’s yacht guide develops it for that segment.
By route: Mediterranean–Canaries–Caribbean. The whole leg sits inside low-earth-orbit coverage as of September 2026 — the Balearics and the mainland coast, the Strait, Morocco’s Atlantic coast and the Canaries; what changes from leg to leg is the plan, decided by the point furthest from the coast with the operator’s coverage map in front of you, not by the home port. For the Atlantic crossing, an Iridium GO! as the emergency channel; the Starlink in the Canary Islands guide covers ports and fleets.
Superyacht and charter. Starlink on a high priority-data tier, often with two terminals, and 4G in harbours to offload priority usage. Zone management in the panel is what stops guests starving the bridge of bandwidth.
Fishing fleet. Starlink as the communications and weather link, with the mandatory VMS integrated into the onboard network and a data plan sized for crews that spend weeks aboard. PescaSat’s fishing vessels guide is the reference for that segment.
Commercial and critical offshore vessel. VSAT with guaranteed bandwidth for the operations that require it by contract, and Starlink for crew and everything else. Once Amazon Leo is operational, two independent low-earth-orbit constellations will be a serious redundancy option.
Polar expedition. Iridium Certus for basic communications above 70° north and below 70° south, and Starlink for the rest of the voyage.
One warning across every combination: today our panel splits traffic between links and configures it remotely, but automatic failover when one drops is not in production. Which systems go over each link is decided in advance, and we would rather say so here than at the first fault.
Why low-earth orbit is winning
Since 2023 Starlink’s share of the marine market has grown for three reasons that repeat at every installation:
- Latency changes the use. With VSAT a video call carries a delay of more than half a second that makes it awkward; with low-earth orbit it is indistinguishable from a call ashore. It is what people who work aboard value most.
- Price per megabit. Low-earth orbit delivers 10 to 20 times more speed than VSAT at the same position in the price list, or the same speed for a fraction.
- Installation. A flat terminal of about 3.5 kg is installed in a day. A stabilised VSAT antenna can weigh 80 kg and take a week of work.
Amazon Leo’s arrival confirms that low-earth orbit is the winning category in maritime connectivity. For now, Starlink is the only one of the two with a mature, orderable marine service; once Leo publishes prices, the competition will benefit whoever sails.
When satellite is not worth it
- If your boat never leaves the harbour and the harbour has stable 4G, you do not need a marine terminal.
- If your use is email and basic weather on short passages, an Iridium GO! and coastal 4G cover it for far less.
- If your operation requires bandwidth guaranteed by contract with penalties, today VSAT signs that, not low-earth orbit.
- If you are going to sail above 70° north, low-earth-orbit satellite is not your main link.
The preliminary analysis, which is free, exists to tell you this with your route in front of us, not in the abstract.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best internet option for a boat in 2026?
For most leisure boats, fishing vessels and workboats, the best option in 2026 is a Starlink low-earth-orbit terminal as the main link — 50–220 Mbps and 25–60 ms as of September 2026 — with the 4G you already have as a second route in port and near the coast. VSAT still makes sense for critical operations that require contractually guaranteed bandwidth, and Iridium as an emergency channel and at polar latitudes. Amazon Leo cannot be ordered yet.
Is VSAT still relevant?
Yes, in a niche: large commercial ships, expedition vessels and operations where contractually guaranteed reliability matters more than speed. For yachts, sailboats and fishing fleets, low-earth orbit has overtaken it on speed, latency, cost and ease of installation.
Is it worth waiting for Amazon Leo?
If you need a connection now, no. As of September 2026 Amazon Leo is still in a beta with selected companies, the commercial service has been pushed back to late 2026 and will be limited; in Spain it has held a frequency authorisation since May 2026 (to 2031) and does not sell: launch date unannounced (press estimates: 2027–2028) and prices unannounced. If your purchase can wait more than a year, it will be a serious second option, above all as redundancy.
Can I have two systems at once?
It is usual and advisable. Low-earth-orbit satellite as the main link and 4G as a second route is the most common combination on leisure boats; for critical operations, low-earth orbit plus VSAT or plus a second constellation. What has to be decided in advance is which systems go over each link, because automatic failover between the two is not in production in our panel today.
What latency do I need for video calls and remote work?
Below 100 ms a video call is smooth and a remote desktop works normally. Starlink and OneWeb sit between 25 and 100 ms; geostationary VSAT between 600 and 800 ms, which is where video calls stop working well. Iridium is in the 100 to 200 ms range, but with bandwidth that cannot carry video.
Related guides
- Starlink for boats: plans, coverage and installation in 2026: the reference guide once the decision is made.
- Internet offshore: all the options compared: the article this page grew out of, with the extended table.
- Starlink vs 4G on a boat: where each one holds up and why you end up with both.
- Starlink in bad weather: what happens to the link in rain, wind and heavy seas.
- Communication regulations for commercial vessels: what you must carry, and what it does not replace.