The internet has become so important that many ways have come up to stay connected. The latest is the option to rent a Starlink dish from the players in the Facebook Marketplace. As Business Insider reports, the going rate can be as high as $30 per day, with some savvy investors cashing out $5,000 per month.
Facebook Marketplace is a different thing for different people. Some people buy their cars through it, while others rent apartments. For vacationers and remote workers, it is a place to rent Starlink dishes and remain tethered to the internet. Belonging to the former group is startup CEO Austen Allred, who rented out satellite internet equipment for a vacation. He was astonished to stumble upon a Facebook user renting seven of the dishes, allowing them to smile to the bank with $5,000 a month.
Allred shared on Twitter, now known as X, “Tried to grab a Starlink for a family camping trip but was too short notice to have it shipped on time. Look on Facebook marketplace and people are *renting them out* for $25-30/day.”
Tried to grab a Starlink for a family camping trip but was too short notice to have it shipped on time.
Look on Facebook marketplace and people are *renting them out* for $25-30/day.
Guy has 7 of them, all fully rented.
He’s clearing almost $5k/month by renting out Starlinks.
— Austen (@Austen) July 16, 2023
A cursory look through Facebook Marketplace confirms the thriving business of Starlink dish rental, with prices ranging from $20 to $50 per day.
At $599 per dish, entrepreneurs can realistically recoup their investment in less than a month.
Sellers that spoke with Business Insider reveal how the business works. Some sellers offer to ship the equipment to the renter, while others request a $500 deposit to ensure its safe return. Another seller claimed his dish had been booked out, and had another on the way.
Starlink allows users to connect nearly anywhere, thanks to thousands of SpaceX’s satellites in orbit. The company now offers the service in Mongolia, Australia, etc.
