How Much Does a Satellite Phone Cost? 2026 Prices, Plans & Rentals
Quick answer
Owning a satellite phone costs the handset plus airtime. With Global Satellite, monthly plans start at $12 a month (Thuraya Maritime Entry) and $72 a month for Iridium, prepaid airtime starts at $180 with no monthly bill, and renting starts at $210 for the first week. Handset prices depend on the model and bundle, so we quote them on request.
The total cost of owning a satellite phone has three parts: the handset, the airtime (a prepaid card or a monthly plan) and a few one-off fees such as activation. The network you choose, Iridium, Inmarsat or Thuraya, changes all three. Below are the real prices from our own plan pages, so you can budget before you call us.
Satellite phone cost at a glance
| Cost item | Typical price | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Satellite phone (handset) | Quote on request | Depends on model, network and bundle |
| Monthly (postpaid) plan | $12–$170 / month | Iridium handheld plans $72–$120; Iridium GO! up to $170 |
| Prepaid airtime | $180–$4,610 | Valid 30 days to 2 years, no monthly bill |
| Cost per minute | $0.65–$3.02 | Depends on plan; Iridium overage is $0.99/min |
| Text message (SMS) | $0.10–$0.50 | Iridium postpaid SMS is $0.10 |
| Activation fee | $60 | One-off, most plans |
| Rental | $210 first week / $540 first month | Plus $180 initial airtime charge and a $1,000 refundable deposit |
How much is a satellite phone to buy?
Handset prices depend mainly on the network, how rugged the phone is and what you bundle with it (airtime, spare batteries, car kits or docking stations). Prices change with manufacturer pricing, so we quote each phone individually. These are the three most popular models we supply.
Iridium · 100% globalIridium Extreme 9575Request a price →Rugged, GPS and SOS button. Works everywhere, including the poles and oceans.
Inmarsat · near-globalInmarsat IsatPhone 2Request a price →Long battery life and clear voice. Covers the world except the polar regions.
Thuraya · regionalThuraya XT-LITERequest a price →A light, budget-friendly choice for Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.
Other models such as the Iridium 9555, Iridium GO! (turns your smartphone into a satellite phone) and Iridium Extreme PTT for push-to-talk teams are quoted individually. See all models in our satellite phone shop.
Satellite phone plans: monthly cost by network
A monthly (postpaid) plan gives you a phone number that is always active, a monthly allowance and a single bill. It suits people who use the phone every month or must be reachable at all times.
Iridium postpaid plans (global coverage)
| Plan | Monthly fee | Allowance (min/SMS) | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonal 10 | $72 | 10 | 3 months, $24 early termination |
| Starter 25 | $80 | 25 | Monthly, no early termination fee |
| Advanced 100 | $96 | 100 | 6 months |
| Power 250 | $120 | 250 | 6 months |
Calls beyond your allowance cost $0.99 per minute and texts cost $0.10. Activation is $60. Compare all options on the Iridium postpaid plans page.
Inmarsat IsatPhone postpaid plans
| Plan | Price | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Monthly | $82.80 | Per month |
| Allowance Monthly (60 minutes included) | $98.80 | Per month |
| Standard Bi-Annual | $488.68 | Every 6 months |
| Standard Annual | $912.88 | Per year |
See the Inmarsat GSPS postpaid plans for full details.
Thuraya postpaid plans (Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia)
| Plan | Monthly fee | Usage included | Calls to Thuraya / Band 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maritime Entry | $12 | None | $0.84 / min |
| Maritime Access | $30 | $30 | $0.75 / min |
| Maritime Value | $99 | None | $0.65 / min |
| Land Postpay Plus | $58 | $15 | $0.94 / $1.44 per min |
| Land Postpay Allowance | $68 | $50 | $0.75 / min |
| Land Postpay Free On-net | $88 | None | $0.65 / min |
All Thuraya postpaid plans have a $60 activation fee. Details on the Thuraya postpaid page.
Iridium GO! plans (smartphone hotspot)
| Plan | Monthly fee | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Iridium GO 5 | $69.25 | 5 voice minutes |
| Iridium GO 75 | $100 | 75 voice minutes |
| Iridium GO 150 | $136.58 | 150 voice minutes |
| Iridium GO UL | $170 | 150 minutes, unlimited data and SMS |
Incoming calls and texts are free on Iridium GO! postpaid. See Iridium GO! postpaid and Iridium GO! prepaid.
Prepaid satellite phone airtime prices
Prepaid airtime means no monthly bill: you buy minutes or units up front and use them before they expire. It is the most popular choice for emergency kits, seasonal trips and backup phones.
Iridium prepaid minutes
| Minutes | Price | Validity | Cost per minute |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | $197 | 30 days | $1.97 |
| 200 | $604 | 6 months | $3.02 |
| 300 | $796 | 12 months, no rollover | $2.65 |
| 600 | $980 | 12 months | $1.63 |
| 3,000 | $3,680 | 24 months | $1.23 |
Regional bundles are cheaper if you stay in one region: Latin America 500 minutes for $648 (12 months) and Africa-MENA 500 minutes for $488 (12 months). Iridium-to-Iridium calls are charged at 50%. See Iridium prepaid plans.
Inmarsat IsatPhone prepaid units
| Units | Price | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $180 | 90 days |
| 250 | $359.99 | 180 days |
| 500 | $650 | 365 days |
| 1,000 | $1,150 | 365 days |
| 2,500 | $2,700 | 365 days |
| 5,000 | $4,610 | 365 days |
Units are deducted by call type and destination. Sub-Saharan Africa bundles start at $22 for 30 units. See IsatPhone prepaid plans.
Thuraya prepaid units
Thuraya prepaid cards cost $81.07 for 39 units or $291.85 for 160 units. See Thuraya prepaid.
Prepaid or monthly plan: which is cheaper?
Choose prepaid if…
- The phone is for emergencies or backup
- You use it a few months a year
- You don’t want a contract or monthly bill
Example: 500 Inmarsat units for $650 covers a full year of standby, about $54 a month.
Choose a monthly plan if…
- You call every month and must be reachable
- Your team needs one bill and pooled minutes
- You want a lower per-minute rate
Example: Iridium Starter 25 is $80 a month with 25 minutes included and no early termination fee.
Rule of thumb: at around 50 minutes a month, Iridium prepaid 600 minutes ($980 a year, about $81.67 a month) is cheaper than Starter 25 plus overage ($80 + 25 × $0.99 = $104.75 a month). Below 10 minutes a month, prepaid almost always wins. If you need the line active and reachable all year, a monthly plan is simpler.
How much does it cost to rent a satellite phone?
For a trip of a few weeks, renting is usually cheaper than buying. Our satellite phone rental prices are:
| Rental period | Price |
|---|---|
| First week | $210 |
| Second week | $180 |
| Each additional week | $150 |
| First month | $540 |
| Initial airtime charge | $180 (includes 100 units, about 1 unit per minute to North America and Europe) |
| Refundable deposit | $1,000 |
The rental includes the phone, battery, mains and car chargers and a waterproof, shockproof case. If you decide to keep the phone, 50% of the rental charges you have paid are deducted from the purchase price. We ship worldwide with DHL, UPS and FedEx.
Fees and hidden costs to budget for
- Activation: $60 for most plans.
- Reactivation: $300 to reactivate an expired Iridium SIM (after the 9-month grace period for prepaid).
- Early termination: $24 on Iridium Seasonal 10; some 6-month plans vary. Iridium postpaid lines need 30 days’ notice to cancel.
- Calls to other satellite networks: $14.40 per minute from Iridium postpaid. Iridium-to-Iridium is much cheaper.
- Two-stage dialing and local numbers: $1.92 and $1.49 per minute on Iridium postpaid.
- Accessories: external antennas, car kits and docking stations for vehicles, vessels and buildings.
First-year airtime cost examples
Here is what a full year of airtime costs with our current prices, not counting the handset. Extra calls beyond the allowance are not included.
Inmarsat 500 prepaid units ($650) + activation ($60). Valid 365 days, no monthly bill.
Iridium Starter 25 for 12 months ($960) + activation ($60). 25 minutes included each month.
Thuraya Postpay Plus for 12 months ($696) + activation ($60), plus calls from $0.94/min.
Rental: first week ($210) + second week ($180) + initial airtime charge ($180). $1,000 deposit refunded on return.
Why are satellite phones so expensive?
A satellite phone talks directly to satellites instead of a cell tower, so the network itself is the expensive part. Iridium runs a constellation of 66 cross-linked low-Earth-orbit satellites to cover every point on the planet, while Inmarsat and Thuraya use large geostationary satellites. Building, launching and replacing those satellites, plus the ground stations behind them, is built into both handset and airtime prices. Small production volumes and rugged, waterproof designs add to the handset cost.
Which network gives the best value where you operate?
| Network | Coverage | Best value for |
|---|---|---|
| Iridium | 100% global, including oceans and poles | Global travel, maritime, aviation, polar and government users |
| Inmarsat | Near-global, except the polar regions | Long battery life and low prepaid cost per year |
| Thuraya | Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia (not the Americas) | Lower call rates inside its coverage |
Not sure which network covers your area? Read which satellite phone has the best coverage, or ask our team.
How to lower your satellite phone costs
- Pick the network for your region. If you never travel to the Americas or polar areas, Thuraya is often the cheapest option.
- Rent for short trips. For less than a month, renting avoids buying a handset.
- Use prepaid for standby phones. Pay once a year instead of every month.
- Text instead of calling. An Iridium SMS costs $0.10, compared with $0.99 for a minute of overage.
- Call Iridium to Iridium. On Iridium prepaid these calls are charged at 50%.
- Keep prepaid SIMs active. Recharge before expiry to avoid the $300 reactivation fee.
- Pool minutes across a team. Iridium voice pooling is available for fleets and organizations.
Get an exact price
Get an exact satellite phone quote
Tell us where you will use the phone, how many units you need and whether you prefer to buy or rent. We will recommend the right network and plan with clear, all-in pricing.
- Since 1974, with offices in the USA, France, Gibraltar, Morocco and the Cayman Islands
- Fast worldwide shipping with DHL, UPS and FedEx
- Volume pricing and pooled airtime for teams and fleets
Request your quote
Satellite phone cost FAQ
How much does a satellite phone cost per month?
Monthly satellite phone plans start at $12 (Thuraya Maritime Entry, plus per-minute charges). Iridium handheld plans cost $72 to $120 a month, Inmarsat IsatPhone plans $82.80 to $98.80, and Iridium GO! plans $69.25 to $170.
How much is a satellite phone to buy?
Handset prices depend on the model, the network and any bundle with airtime and accessories. Thuraya phones are usually the most budget-friendly, while Iridium phones are the most rugged and work worldwide. Contact Global Satellite for a current quote.
Do satellite phones need a plan?
Yes. Every satellite phone needs a SIM card with airtime from its network. You can choose a monthly postpaid plan or prepaid airtime with no monthly bill.
How much does a satellite phone cost per minute?
With Global Satellite, Iridium postpaid calls beyond the allowance cost $0.99 a minute and Iridium prepaid works out at $1.23 to $3.02 a minute. Thuraya calls start at $0.65 a minute on its own network.
What is the cheapest satellite phone plan?
The lowest monthly fee is the Thuraya Maritime Entry plan at $12 a month plus usage. For no monthly bill, Inmarsat prepaid starts at $180 for 100 units valid 90 days. The cheapest Iridium monthly plan is Seasonal 10 at $72.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy a satellite phone?
For trips under about a month, renting is usually cheaper: a two-week rental costs $570 including the phone and the initial airtime charge. If you need a phone every year, buying usually works out cheaper, and 50% of rental charges paid can be deducted if you decide to buy the rented phone.
Can I use a satellite phone without a monthly fee?
Yes. Prepaid airtime lets you pay up front with no monthly bill. Iridium prepaid is valid from 30 days to 2 years and Inmarsat prepaid from 90 days to 1 year.
Are incoming calls free on a satellite phone?
Incoming calls are usually free for the satellite phone user, while the caller pays their own carrier's rate to the satellite number. Incoming calls and texts are free on Iridium GO! postpaid plans.
