Starlink adds 12-month Mini payments for Roam and puts the Standard dish back in Roam orders

What changed

Mobile Internet Resource Center reported on 2026-07-28 two changes to what you can buy with a Roam plan from Starlink. First, the Mini can be paid off at $16 a month for 12 months, $192 in all. It cites Starlink’s Truth in Lending disclosure for 0% APR and no finance charge. Second, the Standard dish (the 4 X version) came back as a $349 Roam option less than a month after it was removed.

The report says you can switch Roam plans or use Standby Mode during the 12 months without owing the rest. Canceling service before the end makes the remaining balance due right away.

Who it affects

People who want to own a portable dish on Roam: land shoppers, seasonal users and anyone who wants a second dish for a far part of the property. The payment option lowers the upfront cost. It doesn’t lower the total, which is about the same as paying upfront.

What it means for your setup

For a short land test, the payment plan is a poor fit. If you cancel, the rest is due at once. A test-then-return plan works better with the 30-day return window on a purchase. The payment plan suits someone who means to keep the dish.

The Standard dish’s return matters if you want more antenna than the Mini, for example a fixed install at a shop or a second home on Roam. The Standard draws more power than the Mini, which matters on solar. Note that this report gives the Mini’s upfront price as $199. Starlink later listed it lower (see our October post).

Mobile Internet Resource Center also pointed out that this is a purchase, not a rental: Starlink calls it a Retail Installment Agreement, and once paid off there is no ongoing hardware charge. That is different from the $10 a month Residential rental Starlink began in June, where the kit stays Starlink’s.

What to do now

• If you’re buying to test land and may return it, pay upfront and note the 30-day return date. Don’t use the payment plan for a test.
• If you’re buying to keep, read the Retail Installment Agreement before you sign, especially the cancel terms.
• Check the current prices on starlink.com on the day. They changed again in October.

What stays the same

• Roam plan prices: $55 for 100GB, $80 for 300GB, $175 Unlimited, per the report.
• Standby Mode is still allowed on owned hardware.

What we don’t know yet

• Whether the payment option still applies at the October price. We found no report on that.
• Whether the Standard will stay in Roam orders. It was pulled and returned within a month.