Reviews Report
- HughesNet has a starting price of $59.99, higher than most of its competitors.
- HughesNet has relatively low customer service scores from J.D. Power and the Better Business Bureau but has an A+ BBB rating.
- HughesNet promises 25 Mbps download speeds but consistently surpasses them, according to an FCC report.
HughesNet is a leading satellite internet provider available across all 50 states. To determine if HughesNet is a good option for internet service, we considered factors such as customer satisfaction, download speeds, number of plans, data caps, and customer support.
HughesNet excels by exceeding its promised download speeds, but it doesn’t offer the speeds that its competitors do, and its pricing and customer satisfaction leave room for improvement.
HughesNet Internet 3
HughesNet is one of just a couple of satellite internet providers, but the internet provider’s crucial standout feature is its download speeds. While HughesNet advertises a download speed of 25 Mbps, an FCC Fixed Broadband report found that customers often experience anywhere from 125% to 223% faster speeds.
Unfortunately, HughesNet also has some downsides. The company has less than stellar customer ratings on J.D. Power and the Better Business Bureau. And if you’re shopping purely based on price, HughesNet probably won’t be your first choice. Its starting price of $59.99 is higher than most of the other best internet providers.
*J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study average rating across all regions. Based on a 1,000-point scale.
PROS
CONS
HughesNet Internet Highlights
HughesNet vs. The Competition
| Provider | Reviews.com Score | J.D. Power* | Starting Price | Download Speed | Data Caps |
| HughesNet | 3 | 620 | $59.99/mo. | 25 Mbps | 10 GB–50 GB |
| AT&T | 4.2 | 751 | $35/mo. | 10 Mbps–1,000 Mbps | 1 TB |
| Verizon Fios | 4.2 | 769 | $39.99/mo. | 200Mbps–940 Mbps | Unlimited |
| Xfinity | 3.6 | 723 | $19.99/mo. | 25 Mbps–1,000 Mbps | 1.2 TB |
Information accurate as of March 2021.
*J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study average rating across all regions. Based on a 1,000-point scale.
HughesNet vs. AT&T
AT&T is one of the leading internet providers in the nation, providing both DSL and fiber optic internet service, depending on your location. AT&T has lower starting prices than HughesNet, and most of its plans offer equal or faster download speeds.
AT&T also shines when it comes to customer service. The company has consistently high customer satisfaction ratings across the country, according to J.D. Power.
| Provider Plan | Download Speed / Price |
| AT&T Internet 10 | 10 Mbps: $45/mo. |
| AT&T Internet 18 | 18 Mbps: $45/mo. |
| AT&T Internet 25 | 25 Mbps: $45/mo. |
| AT&T Internet 50 | 50 Mbps: $45/mo. |
| AT&T Internet 100 | 100 Mbps: $35/mo. |
| AT&T Internet 300 | 300 Mbps: $45/mo. |
| AT&T Internet 1,000 | 1,000 Mbps: $60/mo |
| AT&T Internet Basic 768 | 0.8 Mbps: $45/mo. |
| AT&T Internet Basic 1.5 | 1.5 Mbps: $45/mo. |
| AT&T Internet Basic 5 | 5 Mbps: $45/mo. |
HughesNet vs. Verizon Fios
Verizon Fios is only available in a handful of states in the Northeast, but it’s a favorite for those who have it. It has consistently high customer satisfaction ratings, according to J.D. Power. Verizon is also the most highly-rated internet provider by the American Customer Satisfaction Index, while HughesNet is not rated by ACSI.
Verizon Fios has low starting costs, especially when you consider what you get for your money. The most affordable internet plan is just $39.99 per month and comes with considerably higher download speeds when compared to HughesNet, and no data caps at all.
| Provider Plan | Download Speed / Price |
| Verizon Fios 200 | 200 Mbps: $39.99/mo. |
| Verizon Fios 400 | 400 Mbps: $59.99/mo. |
| Verizon Fios Gigabit Connection | 940/880 Mbps: $79.99/mo. |
HughesNet vs. Xfinity
Xfinity, formerly known as Comcast, is a leading internet provider for customers across most of the nation. The company has overall high customer satisfaction ratings from J.D. Power and is the second most highly-rated internet provider according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
Xfinity offers a variety of internet plans to fit every all budgets and needs. Prices start as low as $19.99 per month for the same download speed that HughesNet boasts.
| Provider Plan | Download Speed / Price |
| Xfinity 25 | 25 Mbps: $19.99/mo. |
| Xfinity 100 | 100 Mbps: $34.99/mo. |
| Xfinity 200 | 200 Mbps: $49.99/mo. |
| Xfinity 400 | 400 Mbps / $64.99/mo. |
| Xfinity 600 | 600 Mbps: $60/mo. |
| Xfinity 1,000 | 1,000 Mbps: $70/mo. |
HughesNet FAQ
Methodology
We evaluated HughesNet based on customer satisfaction, data caps, download speed, plans, and customer support to determine Reviews.com scores and create our best internet service provider reviews. To compare internet service providers with other brands across the board, we calculate each Reviews.com score based on the following:
- Customer Satisfaction: Reviews.com used J.D. Power’s 2020 Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study to calculate an average rating of internet providers across all applicable regions.
- Top Download Speeds: We awarded higher scores to internet providers with higher download speeds.
- Number of Plans: Internet providers with more plan options to choose from scored higher in our methodology.
- Data Caps: No one wants to be left without internet for the rest of the month, so we awarded internet providers with higher scores if they had high or no data caps.
- Customer Support: We reviewed and compared the number of channels that customers could reach each provider’s customer support representatives. The more channels of contact available, the higher the score.
