For a household, the Starlink Standard dish covers more house, more devices and more snow, while the Starlink Mini uses a fraction of the power and fits on a windowsill, according to Starlink’s published specifications. Starlink rates the Standard kit’s Router 3 for up to 3,200 square feet and 235 devices and the Mini’s built-in router for up to 1,200 square feet and 128 devices. Average power is 75–100W for the Standard and 25–40W for the Mini. This guide looks at both dishes strictly as home internet: Wi-Fi coverage, speed, electricity cost, installation, outage backup and which plan options you’ll see at activation.
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Sources: hardware figures come from Starlink’s official specification sheets for the Starlink Mini and the Standard kit. Speed readings are from my own Starlink Mini videos and reviews. Electricity costs and runtimes are labelled estimates.
Quick answer for homeowners
- Choose the Standard for a whole house, a family with many devices, a snowy climate or a permanent roof or pole mount.
- Choose the Mini for a small home, apartment, cabin or second residence, for one or two people, or if you want internet that runs on a small battery during power outages.
Home-relevant specs
| What matters at home | Starlink Mini | Starlink Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi coverage | Up to 1,200 ft² (112 m²) | Up to 3,200 ft² (297 m²) |
| Connected devices | Up to 128 | Up to 235 |
| Router | Built into the dish, Wi-Fi 5, dual band, 3×3 MU-MIMO | Separate Router 3, Wi-Fi 6, tri band, 4×4 MU-MIMO |
| Mesh | Compatible with all Starlink mesh systems | Up to 3 Starlink mesh nodes (no third-party mesh) |
| Wired ports | 1 latching Ethernet port (needs Starlink plug) | 2 LAN ports on the router |
| Average power | 25–40W | 75–100W |
| Power input | 12–48V DC (60W) or 100W USB-C PD | 100–240V AC power supply |
| Snow melt | Up to 1 in/hour | Up to 1.5 in/hour |
| Weather rating | IP67 Type 4 (with cable and plug installed) | IP67 Type 4 dish; router IP56 for indoor use |
Wi-Fi coverage: the biggest difference indoors
The dish only gets internet to your house; the router decides how well it reaches each room. The Standard’s Router 3 sits indoors where you put it, uses Wi-Fi 6 and covers up to 3,200 square feet by Starlink’s rating. The Mini’s router is inside the dish itself, so if the dish is on the roof or out in the yard, the Wi-Fi signal starts outside your walls and has to push through them. Starlink rates it for 1,200 square feet.
That has practical consequences:
- In a small home with the Mini near a window or on a low mount close to the house, its built-in Wi-Fi may be all you need.
- In a larger or multi-story home, a Mini will almost always need a mesh node or a wired access point inside. Starlink says the Mini works with all Starlink mesh systems.
- With the Standard, you can run the Starlink cable inside and place Router 3 centrally, then add up to three Starlink mesh nodes.
| Home size | Mini | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1-bedroom (under 900 ft²) | Built-in Wi-Fi usually enough | More than you need |
| 2–3 bedroom single level (1,000–1,800 ft²) | Add a mesh node or wired access point | Router 3 alone covers most layouts |
| Two-story or 2,500 ft²+ | Mesh needed indoors | Router 3 plus 1–2 mesh nodes |
Suggestions based on Starlink’s coverage ratings; walls, floors and layout change real coverage.
Speed at home
Starlink sells speed by plan and network capacity, not strictly by dish, and both dishes have the same 110° field of view. What changes in practice is the antenna size: the Standard has a much larger phased array than the Mini, which generally helps it hold a connection when the sky view is partly blocked.
In my own testing, the Mini has been plenty quick for a home office: about 230 Mbps down and 24 Mbps up running from a power station, about 190 Mbps in my car, and more than 150 Mbps on the BLUETTI Elite 30 V2 setup. I haven’t run the Standard side by side at the same spot, so I won’t claim a head-to-head speed winner. What you get at your address depends far more on local network load and your plan.
| Household use | Typical bandwidth need | Mini (based on my readings) |
|---|---|---|
| Two 4K streams | About 30–50 Mbps | Comfortable |
| Video calls for two remote workers | About 10 Mbps up combined | Comfortable (24 Mbps up measured) |
| Large game downloads | As much as possible | Fine, though the plan sets priority |
| Many simultaneous users and cameras | Depends on uploads | Consider the Standard and its bigger router |
Electricity cost of running 24/7
Home internet runs all day, every day, so the power difference shows up on your bill. Using Starlink’s average ranges and an assumed $0.17 per kWh electricity rate:
| Mini (25–40W) | Standard (75–100W) | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy per day | 0.6–0.96kWh | 1.8–2.4kWh |
| Energy per month | 18–29kWh | 54–72kWh |
| Cost per month at $0.17/kWh (estimate) | About $3–$5 | About $9–$12 |
| Cost per year (estimate) | About $37–$60 | About $110–$147 |
Snow melt raises the draw on both. The Mini’s running costs are roughly a third of the Standard’s, a small but steady saving over years of use.
Keeping internet up during a power outage
This is where the Mini shines for home use. Because it takes 12–48V DC or 100W USB-C directly, a modest power bank or power station can run it without an inverter. The Standard needs 100–240V AC, so a battery has to run its power supply through an AC outlet.
| Backup battery | Mini at about 30W (estimate) | Standard at about 90W + inverter loss (estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Small power station, 288Wh | About 8 hours | About 2.5 hours |
| Mid-size power station, 1,000Wh | About 28 hours | About 9 hours |
| 2kWh home battery | About 2.5 days | About 18 hours |
Assumes about 85% of rated capacity is usable. In my BLUETTI Elite 30 V2 review, the Mini settled at about 22W, the low end of Starlink’s range. For specific picks, see the best power stations for Starlink Mini and our guide to powering Starlink Mini off grid. If you already have Standard, the Standard Starlink inverter or DC guide covers your options.
Installation at a house
Both dishes need a clear view of the sky, ideally on the roof, a pole or a high point in the yard. A few home-specific points:
- Cable routing: the Standard kit includes a 15 m Starlink cable to the indoor power supply and router. The Mini’s spec sheet weight includes a kickstand and 15 m DC cable; the router is in the dish, so only power has to reach it.
- Wired backhaul: the Mini’s single Ethernet port requires the Starlink plug, and Starlink notes the Mini is no longer rated IP67 with a standard RJ45 cable.
- Snow: the Standard melts up to 1.5 inches per hour versus 1 inch for the Mini, which matters in heavy-snow regions.
- Mounts: the Standard has a wide range of roof, pole and wall mounts. Mini mounts are smaller and often aimed at vehicles, so check that a Mini mount is rated for permanent outdoor use.
Plans you’ll see
Starlink assigns plans at activation, and options depend on your address and country. Residential plans are designed for a fixed home address. Whether you can put a Mini on a residential plan varies by market; if a residential option isn’t offered for the Mini at your address during activation, it isn’t available there. Check current pricing and options on Starlink’s site, since they change often.
Which one fits your home?
| Household | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Family of four, two-story house | Standard |
| Snow country with frequent storms | Standard |
| Couple in a small home or apartment | Mini |
| Cabin or vacation home used part time | Mini |
| Frequent outages, want battery-run internet | Mini |
| Home plus RV trips with one dish | Mini |
If you also travel, our Starlink Mini vs Standard for RV and camping comparison covers the road side. For wiring the Mini at 12V, see Starlink Mini 12V setup.
FAQ
Is the Starlink Mini good enough for home internet?
For a small household, yes. I’ve measured about 230 Mbps down and 24 Mbps up on a Mini, and Starlink rates its built-in Wi-Fi for 1,200 ft² and 128 devices. Larger homes need mesh or the Standard.
Does the Standard use more electricity?
Yes. Starlink lists 75–100W average for the Standard versus 25–40W for the Mini, roughly $9–$12 versus $3–$5 a month at $0.17/kWh (estimate).
Can I add mesh Wi-Fi to the Mini?
Starlink’s Mini spec sheet says it’s compatible with all Starlink mesh systems.
Which handles snow better?
The Standard, rated to melt up to 1.5 inches per hour versus 1 inch for the Mini.
Can I use my own router?
Router 3 has two LAN ports for wired devices or your own router. The Mini has one latching Ethernet port that needs the Starlink plug.
Which is better during power outages?
The Mini, because it runs on 12–48V DC or USB-C PD at about a third of the Standard’s power.