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Roam 300GB covers about three hours of HD streaming a night for a full 30-day month, using Netflix’s own figure of up to 3 GB an hour plus 1 GB a day for everything else. If you stream four or more hours of HD a night, or watch in 4K, and you’re on the road all month, you’ll need Unlimited ($175/mo), lower video quality, or a second network. Unlimited costs $95 a month more, so it’s worth checking the cheaper fixes first.
Hours of TV per night, turned into GB
Streaming rates come from the services themselves, via our data-use reference. Every row adds 1 GB a day for email, maps and updates (our planning assumption), over a 30-day month on the road.
| Nightly streaming | GB per day | GB per 30 days | Fits 300GB? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour HD | 4 | 120 | Yes |
| 2 hours HD | 7 | 210 | Yes |
| 3 hours HD | 10 | 300 | Right at the line |
| 4 hours HD | 13 | 390 | No |
| 6 hours HD | 19 | 570 | No |
| 2 hours 4K | 15 | 450 | No |
| 4 hours SD | 5 | 150 | Yes |
Starlink’s own data page lines up: it puts HD at about 3 GB an hour and 4K at about 7 GB an hour “if not more”.
300GB days vs Unlimited
Another way to see it: how many days of your pattern does 300GB cover?
| Nightly streaming | Days 300GB lasts | Full month on the road? |
|---|---|---|
| 2 hours HD | 43 | Covered |
| 3 hours HD | 30 | Just |
| 4 hours HD | 23 | Short by about a week |
| 6 hours HD | 16 | Short by about two weeks |
| 2 hours 4K | 20 | Short by about 10 days |
If you’re only on the road part of the month, 300GB stretches further. Four hours of HD a night for 20 days is 260 GB: fits. For 25 days it’s 325 GB: too much.
The cheaper fixes to try first
| Fix | What it does to 4 hours a night |
|---|---|
| Watch in SD instead of HD | 390 GB → 150 GB a month |
| Two hours HD, two hours SD | 270 GB a month |
| Download the next day’s shows on campground Wi-Fi | Saves whatever you download |
| Stream over cellular on good-signal nights | Saves those nights entirely |
| Turn off autoplay and 4K on the TV | Stops the biggest accidental use |
On a big TV, SD looks soft. If quality matters more than $95 a month, Unlimited is the honest answer. If it doesn’t, SD on Roam 300GB is a perfectly good evening.
A cellular plan can carry the overflow too. Our cellular-first setup shows combinations near the price of Unlimited that also add a second network.
Rules attached to Unlimited
Unlimited isn’t just “more data”. It has rules and extras that 300GB doesn’t, as we last read Starlink’s pages:
| Roam 300GB | Roam Unlimited | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $80/mo | $175/mo |
| Data | 300GB, then low-speed | unlimited high-speed data on land |
| After the allowance | after the 100GB or 300GB runs out, service drops to unlimited low-speed data that handles email, calls and texts; streaming, big downloads and video calls are limited | Not applicable on land |
| Outside the US | US, Canada and US territories only | Roam Unlimited works outside your home country for up to 30 days at a time; going home resets the count |
| Ocean Mode (beyond 12 nm) | Not available | Available, billed per GB: $6/GB |
| In-motion | Yes, 100 mph | Yes, same |
Two things to know about Unlimited:
- Travel abroad needs registration. Travel Registration with a passport or other government photo ID is required before use outside your home country. The rules changed in July and August 2026; see the rules changelog.
- Ocean Mode bills on land too, if it’s on. Starlink says it gives higher network priority than standard Roam data anywhere, and it’s billed per GB until you turn it off. Don’t flip it on to “speed up” evenings without doing the math. See Ocean Mode explained.
Who should pick which
Pick Roam 300GB if:
- You stream three hours of HD a night or less, or you’re willing to watch some of it in SD.
- You’re on the road two to three weeks a month.
- You have a cellular plan for overflow nights.
Pick Unlimited if:
- You stream four hours or more of HD every night, or watch in 4K, and you’re on the road all month.
- Someone also works on video calls every day.
- You cross into Mexico or travel abroad (300GB doesn’t work there).
- You take a boat beyond 12 nautical miles.
You can switch either way any time. Starlink says upgrades take effect right away with the new plan’s full allowance; downgrades with the DATE option apply from your next cycle. A common pattern: 300GB most months, Unlimited for the months you’re out the whole time.
The yearly view: mixing plans by month
You don’t have to pick one plan for the whole year. A full-timer who streams heavily in summer (long evenings at camp, kids home) and less in winter might run:
| Pattern | Months on Unlimited | Months on 300GB | Service per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited all year | 12 | 0 | $2,100 |
| Unlimited in summer only | 4 | 8 | $1,340 |
| Unlimited for two peak months | 2 | 10 | $1,150 |
| 300GB all year, SD in heavy months | 0 | 12 | $960 |
The difference between the top and bottom rows is $1,140 a year. That’s the price of never thinking about the counter. Some people find that worth it; many find that a reminder to switch plans twice a year does the job.
To make a mixed year work, use the DATE option for every change so each one lands on a billing date, and put the switch dates in your calendar.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the TV on Auto. On a fast connection, Auto often picks the highest quality.
- Paying for Unlimited all year when only summer is heavy.
- Forgetting other users. Calls, kids’ tablets and updates come on top of the TV. Our family guide adds them up.
- Assuming Unlimited means fastest. Starlink says Roam plans are deprioritized at busy times, whichever allowance you have.
What we don’t know
- What your TV streams at. Netflix’s rates are “up to”; real use is often lower. Our own measured test is planned.
- Your other apps. Live TV and sports apps don’t all publish rates.
What to do next
Check your nightly hours against the data-use reference, then let the travel plan picker compare the yearly cost of 300GB, Unlimited and the mixes. To see how a whole family fits in 300GB, read how long 300GB lasts.
Questions people ask
Is Roam 300GB enough for streaming every night?
Up to about 3 hours of HD a night for a whole month, yes, by Netflix’s figure of up to 3 GB an hour plus 1 GB a day for basics. More than that, or 4K, and you’ll run short before the month ends.
How much more is Roam Unlimited than 300GB?
$95 a month at our last check: $175/mo versus $80/mo.
Is Roam Unlimited really unlimited?
Starlink describes it as unlimited high-speed data on land. On water beyond 12 nautical miles, you need Ocean Mode, which is billed per GB. Starlink also says Roam plans are deprioritized compared with other plans when the network is busy.
Can I switch between 300GB and Unlimited month to month?
Yes. Starlink says Roam plans can be changed any time. Upgrades with NOW apply right away with the new plan’s full allowance; downgrades with DATE apply from your next cycle.
What does Unlimited include that 300GB doesn’t?
Use abroad: Roam Unlimited works outside your home country for up to 30 days at a time; going home resets the count. Roam 300GB works only in the US, Canada and US territories. And Ocean Mode for boats offshore.
How many hours of 4K does 300GB give?
About 43 hours, by Netflix’s figure of up to 7 GB an hour. That’s about 1.4 hours a night over 30 days, with nothing else.
Sources
- What are the Roam service plans? (Starlink help center), retrieved Oct 6, 2026
- Service Plan Changes (Starlink help center), retrieved Oct 6, 2026
- Data Usage Best Practices (Starlink help center), retrieved Oct 6, 2026
- Slow Speeds: Troubleshooting (Starlink help center), retrieved Oct 6, 2026
- Roam plans and kits for US addresses (starlink.com public order data), retrieved Oct 5, 2026
- How to control how much data Netflix uses (Netflix Help Center), retrieved Oct 5, 2026
- Traveling with Starlink Roam (Starlink help center), retrieved Oct 5, 2026
- What is Ocean Mode? (Starlink help center), retrieved Oct 5, 2026
- Can I use Starlink in-motion? (Starlink help center), retrieved Oct 5, 2026
- What is Travel Registration? (Starlink help center), retrieved Oct 5, 2026
Prices and plan rules on this page are filled in from our dated data files when the site is built; hover a number to see when we checked it.
Research and spec-based analysis. We haven’t used Starlink in an RV, van or boat; this post is built from Starlink’s own documents, carrier pages and dated reports, cited above. Links to Starlink’s plan pages here use the site owner’s own referral link: the owner may get a referral reward if you order, and your price is the same. There are no affiliate links. Starlink and Roam are trademarks of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Starlink RV USA is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by SpaceX or Starlink. Spotted an error? Tell us.
