Our rating — Excellent urban wireless internet with honest pricing and strong uploads—if your building has it, which it probably doesn’t.
Starry Inc Review 2026: Transparent Urban Wireless, If You Can Get It
Starry delivers honest pricing, no contracts, and solid speeds using millimeter-wave wireless technology—but only to select apartment buildings in six cities. Availability is the deal-breaker for 99% of Americans.
Starry Fixed Wireless
200-1000 Mbps plans
Near-symmetrical upload speeds
No contracts or data caps
Best for: Urban renters in Boston, NYC, DC, LA, Denver, or Columbus who can get service
Starry Connect (Low-Income)
30 Mbps speeds
$15/mo for eligible households
Same no-cap, no-contract terms
Best for: Qualifying low-income residents bridging the digital divide affordably
Which Starry Inc Service Can You Get?
Starry operates in exactly six metropolitan areas: Boston, New York City, Los Angeles, Denver, Washington DC, and Columbus. That's it. If you live anywhere else in America, stop reading now. Even within these cities, coverage is building-by-building, not citywide. Starry targets multi-dwelling units—apartment complexes and condominiums—with their millimeter-wave transmitters mounted on rooftops and towers.The company covers 15,243 census blocks across six states, with heaviest concentration in Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, Washington DC, and Boston proper. But "coverage" doesn't mean every address works. Starry's fixed wireless technology requires line-of-sight or near-line-of-sight to their transmitters, and your specific apartment building needs either existing Starry infrastructure or management willing to approve installation.You'll need to check Starry's address availability tool to know if you qualify. The checker tells you not just whether service reaches your building, but which speed tiers work at your location—signal strength varies by floor, building orientation, and distance from transmitters. This hyper-local availability makes Starry an excellent option for the small percentage who can get it, and irrelevant for everyone else.
Starry's millimeter-wave wireless eliminates the need for cable or fiber to your building, but replaces it with strict line-of-sight requirements. The result: innovative technology that works brilliantly for a tiny fraction of urban residents.
Plans and Pricing
Starry's pricing is refreshingly simple: the advertised rate is what you pay every month, forever (or until they announce a rate change with notice). No promotional pricing that expires after 12 months, no surprise fees.
| Plan | Download Speed | Upload Speed | Monthly Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starry Connect | 30 Mbps | 15-30 Mbps | $15/mo | Low-income households (eligibility required) |
| Starry InternetEditor's Pick | 200 Mbps | 100-200 Mbps | $50/mo | 1-3 person households with moderate streaming and work-from-home needs |
| Starry Pro | 500 Mbps | 250-500 Mbps | $80/mo | Families with heavy streaming, gaming, and multiple simultaneous users |
| Starry Gigabit | 1000 Mbps | 500-1000 Mbps | $90-100/mo | Power users uploading large files, content creators, tech enthusiasts |
Customer Experience
Starry built its brand on being the anti-cable-company: transparent pricing, responsive support, and customer-friendly policies. The company's smaller scale allows more personalized service than Comcast or Spectrum, though the limited customer base means less public feedback data exists compared to national giants. Reviews skew positive for both service quality and support interactions, with most complaints centered on availability frustrations rather than actual service problems.
What Customers Praise
The consistent theme in positive reviews is "they actually mean what they say." Customers appreciate that the $50/mo rate stays $50/mo without promotional expiration tricks. Upload speeds match or nearly match download speeds—a 200 Mbps plan delivers 100-200 Mbps up, versus cable's typical 10-20 Mbps. The included router works well for most apartments without additional rental fees. Support responses come from humans who solve problems rather than reading scripts. The mobile app makes speed testing, troubleshooting, and account management straightforward. For urban renters tired of Comcast's billing games, Starry feels like internet service designed by actual humans.
Common Complaints
The biggest complaint isn't really about service—it's that people can't get it. Frustrated city dwellers in served areas frequently find their specific building isn't covered. Some users report occasional brief outages or connectivity drops, though not more frequently than cable alternatives. A few customers experienced issues where building infrastructure or signal interference affected speeds, requiring technician visits to optimize. The 2023 bankruptcy filing and subsequent acquisition created uncertainty about long-term viability, though service continued uninterrupted. The inability to use your own router as the primary gateway bothers networking enthusiasts who prefer their own equipment.
Equipment and Setup
Starry provides their proprietary router (Starry Station or newer models) included with service—no monthly rental fee, no purchase requirement. The router must be returned if you cancel. Professional installation is standard and free, taking 1-2 hours. Technicians set up the indoor router and ensure the building's Starry Point receiver has optimal signal. You can connect your own mesh systems or additional routers downstream if needed. The external Starry Point receiver (installed on the building exterior or common area) is maintained by Starry as infrastructure, not customer equipment.
Real-world performance: Real-world speeds closely match advertised rates. Unlike cable networks that slow during evening peak hours, Starry's wireless architecture maintains consistent performance. The 200 Mbps plan delivers 180-200 Mbps in practice, with uploads between 100-200 Mbps. Latency stays in the 15-30ms range, suitable for gaming and video calls.
How Starry Inc Compares to Competitors
Head-to-head comparison for 1 Gbps-tier plans. The data speaks for itself.
Key insight: Starry's killer advantage is honest pricing and near-symmetrical upload speeds. While Verizon Fios offers similar transparency in overlapping markets, cable competitors like Spectrum and Xfinity trap customers with promotional rates that double after year one. Starry's upload speeds (100-1000 Mbps) demolish cable's typical 10-35 Mbps, making it superior for video calls, cloud backups, and content creation. The catch: Verizon Fios covers more addresses, and cable reaches far more buildings. Starry wins on terms and upload performance, but loses on availability by a landslide.
Starry Inc Internet Pros and Cons
- ✓Transparent flat-rate pricing with no promotional gimmicks—$50/mo means $50/mo forever (until announced rate changes)
- ✓Near-symmetrical upload speeds (100-200 Mbps up on 200 Mbps plan) crush cable's typical 10-20 Mbps
- ✓No contracts, no data caps, no equipment fees, no installation charges, no hidden surprises
- ✓Month-to-month service lets renters cancel anytime without early termination penalties
- ✓Included router (no $15/mo rental fee) and professional installation at no charge
- ✓Consistent speeds without cable's evening congestion slowdowns—200 Mbps stays 200 Mbps
- ✓Low latency (15-30ms) suitable for gaming, video conferencing, and real-time applications
- ✓Customer service that actually solves problems instead of reading scripts
- ✓Starry Connect program offers $15/mo service for qualifying low-income households
- ✗Available in only six cities (Boston, NYC, LA, Denver, DC, Columbus)—99% of Americans can't get it
- ✗Building-by-building deployment means even residents in served cities often can't access service
- ✗Requires building management approval for multi-dwelling units—individual renters can't always choose it
- ✗Maximum 1 Gbps speeds lag behind fiber providers offering 2-5 Gbps for power users
- ✗Must use Starry's router as primary gateway—can't replace it with your own equipment
- ✗2023 bankruptcy filing raised long-term viability questions, though service continued after acquisition
- ✗Smaller company with shorter track record than established providers—less historical reliability data
- ✗No TV or phone bundles for customers wanting all-in-one service packages
- ✗Signal quality can vary by floor, building orientation, and distance from transmitters
- ✗Slow expansion pace means waiting lists rarely convert to actual service
Who Should Choose Starry Inc Internet?
- →Urban apartment dwellers in served buildings who want internet without the cable company runaround and billing tricks
- →Remote workers who need strong upload speeds (100-1000 Mbps) for video calls, cloud storage, and file transfers
- →Renters and temporary residents who value month-to-month flexibility without contracts or early termination fees
- →Content creators and streamers uploading videos to YouTube, streaming to Twitch, or backing up large files to the cloud
- →Price-conscious customers who want to know exactly what they'll pay without calculating promotional rate expirations
- →Cord-cutters who only need internet (no TV bundle) and stream everything
- →Tech workers and gamers who need low latency (15-30ms) and consistent speeds without evening slowdowns
- →Outside the six served cities—Starry simply isn't an option—check T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon 5G, or local fiber
- →Single-family homeowners—Starry focuses on multi-dwelling units; fiber or cable will likely be more accessible
- →Multi-gigabit speed seekers—providers like Verizon Fios, Google Fiber, or AT&T Fiber offer 2-5 Gbps plans
- →Rural or suburban areas—Starry only serves dense urban neighborhoods—try Starlink or fixed wireless ISPs
- →Bundle shoppers—wanting TV/phone/internet packages—cable companies still dominate bundled services
- →Risk-averse customers—concerned about newer company stability—stick with established providers like Verizon or Spectrum
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Starry have data caps?+
No. All Starry plans include unlimited data with no caps, overage fees, or throttling. Stream, download, and upload as much as you want without worrying about hitting limits or paying extra charges.
Does Starry require contracts?+
No. Starry operates on month-to-month service with no minimum commitment. You can cancel anytime without early termination fees, making it ideal for renters or anyone uncertain about long-term housing plans.
What's the cheapest Starry plan?+
Starry Connect costs $15/mo for 30 Mbps speeds, but requires eligibility verification for low-income households. For general customers, Starry Internet starts at $50/mo for 200 Mbps with 100-200 Mbps upload speeds.
Is Starry faster than cable internet?+
Download speeds are comparable (200-1000 Mbps), but Starry's upload speeds destroy cable. A 200 Mbps Starry plan delivers 100-200 Mbps up versus cable's typical 10-20 Mbps. For video calls, cloud uploads, and content creation, Starry is significantly faster where it matters.
Can I use my own router with Starry?+
Not as the primary gateway. Starry requires their proprietary router (included free, no rental fee) to connect to their wireless network. However, you can connect your own mesh system or additional routers downstream for extended coverage or advanced features.
How long does Starry installation take?+
Professional installation typically takes 1-2 hours and is included free with new service. Technicians set up the indoor router and ensure optimal signal from the building's Starry Point receiver. No drilling or wiring inside your apartment—just router placement and configuration.
Is Starry good for gaming?+
Yes. Latency runs 15-30ms for most customers, competitive with cable and fiber. The consistent speeds without evening congestion mean stable ping times during peak hours. Upload speeds help with streaming gameplay to Twitch or uploading clips. It's not quite fiber's 8-15ms, but perfectly playable.
Does Starry include equipment?+
Yes. The router (Starry Station or newer model) is included with service at no monthly rental fee and no purchase requirement. Professional installation is also free. If you cancel service, you return the router to Starry. No modem needed—the wireless technology connects directly to their transmitters.
Why can't I get Starry at my address?+
Starry's millimeter-wave technology requires line-of-sight to transmitters and building-specific infrastructure. Even in served cities, coverage is building-by-building. Your building may lack the necessary Starry Point receiver, or your unit may not have adequate signal strength. Expansion happens slowly as they add buildings and transmitters.
What happened with Starry's bankruptcy in 2023?+
Starry filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2023 due to capital constraints, then was acquired and restructured. Service continued uninterrupted for existing customers throughout the process. The company emerged with new ownership and continued operations, though the event raised questions about long-term stability for some potential customers.
Where is Starry Inc Available?
Starry Inc serves 6 states with coverage across 15,243 census blocks.
Browse by State
Click a state to see cities where Starry Inc is available.
Top 8 Cities by Coverage
Ranked by number of census blocks served.
Strong local matches
Top cities for Starry Inc availability
These city links are ordered by observed coverage in the FCC data and limited to pages already published on FindBetterInternet.
The Bottom Line
Starry Inc delivers on its promise: honest internet service without the cable industry's predatory billing practices. The pricing is transparent, the upload speeds embarrass cable competitors, and the month-to-month flexibility respects customers as adults who might need to move. For urban apartment dwellers within Starry's footprint, it's often the best internet option available—better upload performance than cable, simpler pricing than everyone, and no contracts locking you in.
The technology works. Millimeter-wave fixed wireless delivers consistent speeds without weather interference or evening congestion slowdowns. The 200 Mbps plan gives you 100-200 Mbps upload, making video calls and cloud backups actually pleasant. The $50/mo rate stays $50/mo, not $50 for 12 months then $80 forever. The included router saves $15/mo compared to cable rental fees. When Starry works, it's excellent.
Excellent urban wireless internet with honest pricing and strong uploads—if your building has it, which it probably doesn't.
But "when Starry works" means "if you live in the right apartment building in Boston, NYC, LA, Denver, DC, or Columbus." That's the brutal reality. Starry covers 15,243 census blocks in six states—a rounding error compared to cable's nationwide reach. Even in served cities, most addresses can't get it. The company expands building-by-building at a pace measured in months per neighborhood, not weeks. If you're outside these six metros, Starry is irrelevant. If you're inside them, there's maybe a 10-20% chance your specific building qualifies.
Check Starry's availability tool with your exact address. If it's available, seriously consider switching—the transparent pricing and strong uploads make it a better deal than cable for most users. If it's not available, don't wait around hoping. Check Verizon Fios for fiber, T-Mobile or Verizon for 5G home internet, or negotiate hard with your cable company knowing you'd switch to Starry in a heartbeat if you could.