Does Starlink have a contract or cancellation fee? How to leave

The labels say no contract and link the Terms of Service

Starlink's Broadband Labels document links five US label files, one per plan or plan family. Read in October 2026, each file gives "No" for a contract and $0 for an early termination fee, written "None" in the Global Priority file, and each gives Starlink's US Terms of Service as its contract terms. The labels describe the plans. The terms add a Service Commitment for an order where one was chosen at checkout (below), and Starlink's Retail Installment Agreement covers a Starlink Mini bought in installments (further down).

Starlink's help page on whether you need to sign a contract, checked October 2026, says "Starlink offers options for flexible month-to-month service plans without long term commitments. However, in select markets, certain offers may require long term commitments." It names no market.

Without a commitment or an installment plan, the terms let you "cancel Services and withdraw at any time via your Starlink account", in a sentence that opens "Subject to any applicable Service Commitment and Change Fee" (section 6.2, Service Cancellation, in the version published August 2026). The same section says "To avoid being billed for the following month of Services you must cancel Services prior to your invoice statement being generated."

Section 6.1 has Starlink give "notice at least one month prior before materially adverse changes come into effect", in "an email notice summarizing the changes and your right to cancel this Agreement". For a new price, Starlink's help page Service Plan Price Adjustments says "The new monthly price takes effect with your first billing cycle on or after the effective date listed in your email." (checked October 2026).

The Service Commitment runs 12 or 24 months, with a Change Fee

Section 1 of the Terms of Service, in the US version published August 2026, applies "if you selected a service commitment at checkout at starlink.com or through an authorized retail channel, or have otherwise selected a service commitment" (section 1.1). By selecting one, "you agree to continuously subscribe to the Services specified in your Order for a minimum of 12 or 24 months, as applicable", and the period "begins at the Payment Due Date" (section 1.2). Section 1 stops applying at the end of that period or once you pay the Change Fee (section 1.5).

During the period, "if you take any action to change the Services specified in the Order, a $249 or $325, as applicable, change fee will be immediately applied to your current payment method" (section 1.3). Those actions "include but are not limited to cancelling a service plan, changing to a different service plan, changing your service address, and transferring the Services or Kit to another person". The fee also applies if you miss a payment's due date during the period, or if Starlink ends the agreement for a breach of it. The terms don't say which amount goes with 12 months and which with 24. If you return the kit "during the initial trial period specified in Section 6.3, or any applicable statutory right of withdrawal", no Change Fee applies (section 1.4). For a breach of the commitment, Starlink's remedies "may include the referral of your account to a collection agency or the filing of a report with a credit reporting agency, consistent with applicable law" (section 1.6).

Section 1.2 also says "You will receive a free Kit in connection with the Service Commitment." That kit comes with the minimum term and the Change Fee above, and Starlink's help page on the 12-month option, checked October 2026, says "This service plan is discontinued for new activations." If a statutory right lets you end the agreement, for example after Starlink changes it, no Change Fee applies, but "Starlink is entitled to require that you return a Starlink Kit that you received free of charge or at a reduced price in connection with a Service Commitment", and it may charge the Change Fee if you don't (section 1.7).

Starlink's help pages disagree with these terms, and with each other, in three places. Each side below carries its page, and all were read in October 2026. None of the help pages names a country.

• Whether the 12-month option is offered: the help page Additional FAQs - Service Plans says the "$0 Starlink Kit with 12-Month Commitment" option "is only available to new customers in select locations at this time", while the help page What is the 12-Month Residential Service Option? says "This service plan is discontinued for new activations." That second page opens with "The 12-month Residential service plan was previously called 12-month commitment." and also says "This promotion is no longer available to new customers or existing users who open a new service line."
• When the term starts: section 1.2 of the terms says the period "begins at the Payment Due Date", and the help page on the 12-month option says "The 12-month term begins on the activation date, following the trial period."
• The fee: section 1.3 of the terms sets "a $249 or $325, as applicable, change fee", and the help page on the 12-month option says "A Change Fee will apply, which may be either pro-rated or a flat rate depending on the market, and will be charged in the month the change takes effect."

Buying a Starlink Mini in installments requires 12 months of service

Starlink's Retail Installment Agreement, in the US version published July 2026, finances "one (1) Starlink Mini Kit" with an Amount Financed of $192.00 (section 1.1), paid "in twelve (12) equal monthly installments of Sixteen Dollars ($16.00) each" (section 1.2). Its disclosure table gives an annual percentage rate of 0% and a finance charge of $0, and a line below it reads "Late Charge: None. However, failure to make payments when due may result in default and acceleration of the remaining balance."

The agreement's box marked Important says "This installment plan is based on your agreement to remain continuously subscribed to a Starlink service subscription for 12 months." On a Residential plan, its "Contract Termination triggers include Service cancellation, Kit transfers, registered country changes, service plan changes, and standby mode activation"; on a Roam plan, "the same restrictions apply except that you may change to any Roam service plan or change to standby mode". Taking one of those actions is a default under section 3.1, and then "the entire remaining unpaid balance of the Amount Financed shall become immediately due and payable in full ("Kit Termination Fee")" (section 3.2), with Starlink's remedies "including referral to collections and reporting to credit bureaus".

The agreement adds "You may prepay the outstanding balance in whole or in part at any time without penalty." (section 3.3).

Returns within 30 days of the Payment Due Date, shipping not refunded

Section 6.3 of the Terms of Service, Kit Return and Full Refund, says "You may return an undamaged, untampered and unmodified Starlink Kit and any accessories purchased on starlink.com within 30 days of the Payment Due Date for a full refund for any reason, including the inability to receive Services due to field-of-view issues", and the terms' Shipping & Handling clause says "Shipping and handling charges will apply and are non-refundable."

The Payment Due Date is the date of the first monthly charge, which the terms set on "the earlier of (i) the date you activate the Starlink Kit; (ii) 7 days after Starlink delivers your Starlink Kit, or (iii) if no delivery date is available, 30 days from the date your Starlink Kit was shipped" (Payments for Monthly Service Subscription). Starlink's help page How does the monthly service billing cycle work? says "If you do not activate within 7 days after delivery, service is activated automatically." It also says that if a kit hasn't been delivered within 30 days of shipping, "your 30-day trial period is extended by another 30 days, and a one-month service credit is applied to your account" (checked October 2026).

A purchased kit or accessory is refunded at "the price of the equipment", and for a rented kit the refund is "your Activation Price only". On a timely return, "you will also be refunded for the first month’s service fee or rental fee, as applicable, the Monthly Kit Access Fee and the Demand Surcharge" (section 6.3), and an order under a Service Commitment pays no Change Fee (section 1.4). Two of Starlink's help pages add refund lines of their own. The one on the activation charge says "If you're not satisfied with Starlink and return it within the 30-day return window, the charge will be refunded.", and the one on the demand surcharge says "If you are not satisfied with Starlink and return your hardware within the 30-day return window, any eligible demand surcharge will be refunded." (both checked October 2026). What the demand surcharge is and when it can apply again are on the sold-out page.

Starlink's help page What is a Roam activation charge? describes a one-time charge on the Standard kit for Roam plans in applicable markets, and says "This charge is fully refundable if you return Starlink within 30 days of purchase." Its 30 days run from the purchase; section 6.3's run from the Payment Due Date (checked October 2026).

Outside the window, Starlink's help page on returns after 30 days says "for all mounts, accessories, and Starlink kits, if you are outside the 30-day return window, you will not be eligible for any refund". A kit bought from a retailer goes back to that seller: Starlink's help page on returning a kit says "If you purchased your Starlink from an authorized retailer or reseller, contact them directly to return your Starlink." (both checked October 2026). The other differences between sellers are on the where-to-buy page.

A separate page covers what a 30-day try costs and returns, from the order to the end of the window.

Is there a cancellation fee? What the labels and terms say

The US label files, read in October 2026, give an early termination fee of $0, and section 6.2 of the terms, in the version published August 2026, lets you "cancel Services and withdraw at any time via your Starlink account", in a sentence that opens "Subject to any applicable Service Commitment and Change Fee". The fees for cancelling that the documents on this page describe each come with something beyond the plan itself: under a Service Commitment, "a $249 or $325, as applicable, change fee" (the commitment); for a Starlink Mini bought in installments, the unpaid balance of the Amount Financed, due at once as the "Kit Termination Fee" (installments); for a rented kit not returned "in good condition within 30 days of Service cancellation", "the full retail price of the Kit" (section 6.2; the terms' Rented Kit Returns and Fees clause gives the details); and for a bundle, section 5.2 of the Service Plan Descriptions, in its October 2026 version, says "If you violate the terms of the bundle, e.g. by cancelling or changing an associated Service plan, you may lose the discount and/or be charged a one time or monthly fee, up to the amount of the benefit you received or the maximum amount allowable by law."

Starlink's help page on cancelling service has you cancel from your account on Starlink's website, and says "Your service will remain active up until the date paid for, and will be removed from future billing cycles." (checked October 2026).

Section 6.2 of the terms says "You are not entitled to any refunds, except as set forth under Sections 2.3 (Refundable Deposit) and 6.3 (Kit Return and Full Refund)." Starlink's help page Billing - Credits says "Credits are non-refundable, non-transferable, and will not be reimbursed if you discontinue service." (checked October 2026).

Before a kit ships, Starlink's help page on cancelling a shop order says "An order can be cancelled or updated only while the status shows Pending." and "The status can change to Preparing Shipment within one to three hours after the order is placed."; it adds "Cancel and refund applies only while the order is Pending." For an order past that point, the help page Additional FAQs - Service Plans says "If you are unable to cancel it, you will have to wait for your order to be delivered, at which time you will be able to return it." Both pages were checked in October 2026.

What each order status lets you change is on the after-you-order page.

To pause instead of cancelling, Starlink has Standby Mode, which the Standby Mode page covers. For a Starlink Mini bought in installments on a Residential plan, turning Standby Mode on is one of the agreement's Contract Termination triggers (above).

A 12-month Limited Warranty on Standard and Mini kits outside the EU and UK

Starlink's Limited Warranty, in the version published October 2026, says "The Starlink Kit will be free from defects in material and workmanship and generally meet performance goals set forth in the Starlink Specifications, as amended by Starlink from time-to-time based on experience and innovation". For a Standard Kit, Enterprise Kit or Mini Kit in "All countries, excluding EU and UK", its period is "12 months from the date of the original purchase on starlink.com; or 12 months from the date purchased from an authorized retailer." Starlink's help page on warranty coverage says "The Limited Warranty is dependent on the Kit model, Service location and the equipment seller." (checked October 2026).

A claim goes in with "a detailed description of the failures via the Starlink Customer Support Portal", and "In the event a warranty claim is approved by Starlink, you must return the defective device." Starlink "will cure confirmed failures within 30 days of receiving your claim by replacing the defective device", and the replacement is covered "for the greater of 3 months or the remainder of the original Warranty Period". The warranty calls these "your sole and exclusive remedies for breaches of the Limited Warranty, Service deficiencies or unavailability and other breaches by Starlink", and its opening says the Limited Warranty "operates alongside any rights you may have under your local consumer protection laws and in no way restricts those rights". Starlink's help page on damaged hardware has you take photos of the damage and submit a support ticket (checked October 2026).

The warranty lists 15 exclusions, among them "covering the antenna with a radome", "problems with customer’s electrical power or network equipment", and repair, modification or disassembly "by anyone other than Starlink or an approved affiliate". The Terms of Service add, under Kit Install Guidelines, that if Starlink determines "your installation or modification of a Starlink Kit has resulted in a material degradation of the Service or equipment, the equipment Limited Warranty may be voided" (what installation can do to the warranty); they also say that in-motion use on an aircraft, vehicle or vessel through a kit or in a country not authorized for it voids the Limited Warranty.

What this page doesn't cover

Other countries' terms.

Retailers' and resellers' own return policies, beyond the line above that a kit bought from one goes back to that seller.

Business, maritime and aviation plans.

Deposits for areas where service isn't available yet (section 2 of the terms, Deposit).

How a return within the 30-day window works for a Starlink Mini bought in installments.

Plan prices and other charges, which the plans and prices page lists.

Offers and the referral credit, which the offers and credits page covers. Starlink's referral help page lists eight eligible plans, each a Residential or Roam plan, and no Priority plan (October 2026).