Subaru Starlink: How Much Does It Cost & What's The Difference Between The Packages?

Most major carmakers have their own in-house, internet-connected infotainment systems, and Subaru's is known as Starlink. The technology is available across Subaru's range, and it offers a variety of safety and convenience features alongside its core media and navigation controls. In order to get the best out of Starlink, Subaru owners will need to pay for a monthly subscription that unlocks its full suite of features, and there are multiple packages available to choose from. If you buy a new Subaru, you'll get a three-year trial to the Starlink Safety Plus package and a six-month trial to the Starlink Security Plus package for free. To work out whether it's worth paying for these services after the trial periods end, it's worth breaking down what each one does and how much it will cost.

Safety Plus — the one that's included free for three years with all new Subarus — is Starlink's most basic connectivity package. Once the trial period ends, it costs $99.95 per year, or $9.95 monthly. Arguably, the biggest benefit of the package is that it enables the car's infotainment system to receive over-the-air updates, so it can download the latest security updates and features. It also enables the car to generate a health report, send an automatic request for assistance in an emergency, and notify the driver about car maintenance schedules, among other things. In addition to the basic Safety Plus package, though, Subaru owners can also opt to pay for additional subscription tiers to unlock extra security and convenience features.

Subaru offers two more Starlink packages that are only available on top of the Safety Plus subscription. The first is Security Plus, which costs an additional $4.95 per month. It unlocks a remote locking and unlocking function, a speed alert, and remote start with climate control if your car has automatic climate control equipped. The package also includes a feature to immobilize the vehicle if it's stolen, and to send a notification to the owner if the car's alarm goes off. Moreover, drivers can keep tabs on their vehicle's whereabouts thanks to the remote vehicle location feature.

For another $4.95 monthly on top of Safety Plus and Security Plus, drivers can also subscribe to Starlink's Concierge package, which lets them make reservations at hotels and restaurants. It also allows drivers to find points of interest on their phone and send them to the car. Owners can also book a service at a Subaru dealer directly from their vehicle, and can ask questions about the car via the built-in chat function.

To benefit from all the features that Starlink has to offer, you'll end up paying around $20 per month with a monthly Safety Plus subscription. Whether that's worth it is a matter of personal preference, but you should be realistic about how much you'll use the features in each tier before committing to a subscription. It's also worth noting that we noticed several flaws with Starlink's features in our review of the 2025 Subaru Outback, including issues with phone connectivity and unintuitive menus that make accessing the infotainment system's features more of a hassle than in rival cars.

If you're buying a new Subaru, the free trials for Safety Plus and Security Plus should give you more than enough time to decide whether it's worth paying for the features they offer. If you're buying a used car and those trials have expired, it might be worth spending some time getting familiar with Starlink's basic features before signing up for a monthly subscription package.