SpaceX just rolled out one of its most useful hardware perks to a lot more people than before. The company has reportedly opened up its Starlink Mini rental program beyond the rather expensive Residential Max tier.
Subscribers on cheaper plans, including those on the standard Residential 100Mbps option, are seeing invitation emails in their inbox.
So what’s actually included, and what does it cost?
The Starlink Mini kit normally costs $199 (down from its launch price of $499). However, under the new offer, SpaceX is offering the kit for free.
The catch, however, is that the dish only works if you also sign up for a separate Starlink Roam plan, billed on top of your home internet subscription. For those catching up, the Standard Roam plan costs $55 per month (100 GB), $80 per month (300 GB), and $175 per month for unlimited data.
Residential Max customers get that Roam add-on at half off, while everyone else on a Standard Residential plan gets a 20% discount toward the Roam plan. Whether you switch your home plan up or down later, Starlink says your Roam discount adjusts automatically.
Why is SpaceX suddenly being so generous?
Rumors about a second-generation Mini, one with a thinner body and a built-in battery, are already circulating online. It only makes sense for SpaceX to clear out existing inventory ahead of the refresh. However, SpaceX hasn’t confirmed a Mini 2 launch date or price yet, so this is just speculation.
Also, this doesn’t look like a company-wide rollout. The change shows up in an updated support document, along with emails some lower-tier subscribers are receiving. Starlink’s own marketing pages still describe the offer as a Residential Max exclusive.
If you’re already paying for Starlink at home, it costs nothing to check your account under the Optional Mini Kit for Travel section. You could also search your inbox for an invite. Whether it’s worth activating depends on how often you actually travel.