How to get Starlink for free: what costs $0, and on what terms

What Starlink's US documents put at $0

Each row is one cost line: what Starlink's own US document says about it, who gets it and on what terms. The last two rows are the lines those documents don't put at $0. None of it is a price for your address: Starlink shows that on starlink.com, once you enter the address.

Is the service ever free?

Starlink's US help pages and legal documents, as read in October 2026, describe no free service, free month or free trial for a new customer. Starlink's help page Additional FAQs - Account, checked November 2026, says it of the trial: "The 30-day trial mentioned on the Starlink website does not indicate that the first month of service is free, as it is not a 30-day free trial but rather a trial of the Starlink hardware." The same answer goes on: "Please note, your first month's bill is not included in your initial hardware purchase. Instead, it is billed upon activation (or 7 days after your Starlink is delivered)." The 30-day trial page has what trying a kit costs.

A search of Starlink's US help center in November 2026 for "free", "$0", "no cost" and "offer" returned only a page on its API's data-usage fields and a page of customer testimonials.

The one month of service credit in the pages read is a remedy for a late kit. Starlink's help page on the billing cycle, checked November 2026, says "If you have received a notice that your billing cycle will begin soon and your Starlink Kit has not yet been delivered, your 30-day trial period is extended by another 30 days, and a one-month service credit is applied to your account." The promo code page sets a month of credit beside a $100 credit, in Starlink's own example.

The kit at $0: by address, or with a commitment

Starlink's help page for one of its area discounts (this one, checked November 2026) gives "a 50% discount to Starlink Residential service plans" for service addresses in its eligible zone, and says "For new customers, there is no upfront hardware cost for Residential service." It also says "Eligibility is based only on your service address." and "Starlink may stop offering this discount to new customers at any time." This page names no zone and enters no address.

To see what your address is charged, Starlink's help page on cost, checked November 2026, says: "To check prices in your area, go to starlink.com, enter your address, and click "Order Now" to preview the price breakdown in your area for the Starlink Kit cost and the monthly service price."

The other route to a kit at $0 in Starlink's pages is a commitment, and two of its help pages, both checked November 2026, disagree on whether it is still offered. 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". What is the 12-Month Residential Service Option? says "This service plan is discontinued for new activations." and "This promotion is no longer available to new customers or existing users who open a new service line." Starlink's US Special Offers document doesn't list it. Whether your address is offered it shows only on the order page for that address.

Where a commitment does apply, the kit isn't the whole price. Section 1.2 of Starlink's US Terms of Service, in the version published August 2026, says "You will receive a free Kit in connection with the Service Commitment.", and 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". Changing or cancelling the service during that period brings "a $249 or $325, as applicable, change fee" (section 1.3). The contract page has the commitment's terms, and the offers page has the area discounts' conditions.

A Mini rental for no monthly fee

The one offer in Starlink's US Special Offers document, in the version published November 2026, is for "Residential Max Subscribers Only": "Receive a Starlink Mini rental for no monthly fee and 50% off the monthly cost of eligible Roam service plans.", and the Mini goes back when Residential Max or the service plan on the Mini ends. The Mini rental page has how it's claimed, what it costs to keep and the return.

Fees that are $0, and the ones that aren't

Starlink's five US broadband label files, read in November 2026, each give $0 for a monthly provider fee and for an early termination fee, both written "None" in the Global Priority file, and "No" for a contract. Those are the labels' own fields. A Service Commitment, where you select one, carries the Change Fee in the kit section.

The same files list an equipment cost, and give shipping and handling as "Varies By Location". The terms' "Shipping & Handling" clause says "Shipping and handling charges will apply and are non-refundable." Starlink's US help center, searched in November 2026 for "free shipping", returned three pages, and none of them says shipping is free.

Starlink's help page on its activation charge, checked November 2026, says "There is an additional one-time charge to purchase Starlink services. The additional charge depends on the service plan you choose and/or the Starlink kit you select." It gives no amount. Pausing has a price too: Starlink's help page on pausing, checked November 2026, describes Standby Mode as coming "for a small monthly fee". The activation fee page lists what an order is charged.

Sending it back within 30 days

Under section 6.3 of the Terms of Service, in the version published August 2026, "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", and with a timely return "you will also be refunded for the first month’s service fee or rental fee, as applicable". The terms' Shipping & Handling clause keeps one cost: "Shipping and handling charges will apply and are non-refundable." That is a refund on conditions, not a month at $0, and the trial page's refund section has what comes back and what doesn't.

Is installation free? Starlink's page names no terms

Starlink's page Does Starlink provide installers?, checked November 2026, speaks of "a free third-party installation as part of your order bundle" and says "For paid third-party installations, use the list below." That page doesn't say which orders include one. The installation page has what Starlink's pages say a professional installation includes and costs.

What my referral link adds: a $100 credit, which is not free service

Starlink's referral help page, checked November 2026, gives the reward as "(for example, $100 in the US)", the same amount for the new customer and for the existing customer whose link they order through. It adds: "Amounts may vary for referrals outside your country."

Who qualifies is in Starlink's US Referral Program Terms, in the version published October 2026. The new customer "is not, and has never been, a Starlink subscriber" and orders through the link: "No other referral mechanism shall qualify". The kit and the plan are bought directly from starlink.com. The help page adds "Existing or returning customers are not eligible." and "Kits from resellers, retailers, or account transfers are not eligible.", and it lists the Residential and Roam plans that count. The terms also say "Referred Subscribers may not be permitted to activate on all Starlink service plans."

Starlink states the timing two ways. The terms say "Upon activation, the Referred Subscriber will receive the same Reward, applied on their second monthly subscription invoice." (section 4.1). The help page says "You and the person you refer receive the same amount after they have subscribed for two months." Its list of key details ends with "Amounts may vary for referrals outside your country." Under section 5.1.4 of the terms, SpaceX may "limit, change, cancel, delay, or revoke a Reward (including after issuance)".

The credit is $100 on a bill, not a month of service. The help page tells a referred customer "Sign up with the referral link on starlink.com, pay for the first month, and activate your kit." Starlink's help page on how a service credit is applied, checked October 2026, gives the arithmetic: "if your invoice is $120 USD when a $100 USD credit is applied to your account, the new balance due for the invoice will be $20 USD". So you pay for the first month, and the second bill comes with a $100 credit on it. The offers and credits page has the full conditions.

My referral link is in the promo after this page's answer and again at its end, with these conditions. When an order through it qualifies, Starlink gives me a reward too.

What this page doesn't cover

Retailers' bundles, other countries, in-flight Wi-Fi and phone carriers' satellite service.

Government, income-based or disaster-relief programs.

What starlink.com shows for one address: every source here is a public Starlink help page, label file or legal document, and no page behind an address was read.