Free Mini rental returns for Residential Max customers

What changed

Tesla North reported on Aug 7, 2026 that new subscribers to Residential Max can again add a Starlink Mini kit as a rental at no additional monthly hardware cost, plus 50% off Roam service for it. Other outlets dated the change between Aug 9 and Aug 11, so we keep the start as "early August" in the log.

The perk had been removed in June 2026, around the time Starlink moved new Residential customers onto rented home kits. Its return means a Max order once again comes with a second, portable dish.

Residential Max costs $130 a month in the US since the May 2026 price change. Tesla North also reported that the $10 monthly kit-rental fee on the primary home hardware was waived during this promotion.

"New subscribers to the Starlink Residential Max tier can once again receive an optional Starlink Mini kit rental"
Tesla North, Aug 7, 2026

Who it affects

New Residential Max orders in the US and Canada. Existing Max customers weren't clearly covered by the report.

Anyone weighing Max against the cheaper Residential plans. The Mini is only "free" if you wanted Max anyway; Max is $130 a month against $85 for the 200 Mbps plan.

What you can do now

If you're ordering Max, check that the Mini add-on shows at checkout for your address before you pay.

Remember it's a rental: it goes back when Max ends. If you mainly want a travel dish to keep, compare against buying a Mini outright on our Mini deals page.

If you already have Max from before August, ask Starlink support whether the add-on is available on your account; the report covered new subscribers, and we couldn't confirm what existing customers are offered.

What hasn't changed

The Mini still needs its own service to work away from home (Standby or a Roam plan). Residential 100 Mbps and 200 Mbps plans didn't get the perk in this change.

Context

The perk sits inside a busy summer for Starlink pricing. In May 2026 US plan prices rose, Max going from $120 to $130. In June new Residential customers moved to rented home kits at $10 a month. In July that rental fee fell to $0 in select areas, and the Mini picked up a $16-a-month payment plan. Restoring the Mini with Max fits a pattern of using hardware perks rather than lower monthly prices to win new orders.

What we don't know yet

The exact start date: sources range from Aug 7 to Aug 11, 2026.
Whether the perk has an end date. None was stated.
Whether it later spread to all Residential plans in the US (a Sep 22 report says it did in "select countries"; see our separate item).

In the deals log

Aug 7, 2026No end date stated
Mini at no charge with Residential Max (rental)
starlink.comMiniNeeds: Keep Residential Max active
The catch: The Mini is a rental you return, not a kit you keep, and it comes with the most expensive Residential plan.
Source: SpaceX restores free Starlink Mini perk in Canada and the U.S. (Tesla North) (Aug 7, 2026) · checked Oct 5, 2026
$0$0 Mini rental with Max
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US addresses only. It works only if you have never had Starlink, and only for a kit and plan ordered on starlink.com. A store kit never qualifies.

What you'll still pay: the kit ($349 to buy) or a rental activation fee shown at checkout, the monthly plan (from $55/mo), tax, and possibly a one-time demand surcharge in busy areas.