Is Tesla Premium Connectivity Worth It?

Wondering why Tesla charges that extra $9.99 every month? The answer is Premium Connectivity.

But is Premium Connectivity really worth it for all Tesla owners? 

Let's find out whether you should pay $9.99/month to get the Premium Connectivity subscription. 

 

What is Tesla Premium Connectivity?

According to how Tesla markets it, Premium connectivity is a feature-packed subscription that enhances the driving experience with a variety of services beyond the standard vehicle capabilities. For this, Tesla charges you $9.99/month.

In short, Premium Connectivity is the built-in cellular network in your Tesla. 

So should you get it?

Short Answer:

We asked the Tesla community on X through a poll and at a glance, it was a clear Yes!

But when we went through the comments, we found out that while it augments your Tesla's already-advanced technology with additional infotainment, convenience, and safety features. it is not worth it for all Tesla owners!

So here we are, analyzing Premium Connectivity's worth to you.

How Much Does Premium Connectivity Cost?

Tesla's Standard Connectivity vs Premium Connectivity

When you buy a Tesla, it comes equipped with the Standard Connectivity. But very few Tesla owners read the fine print that says - Standard Connectivity has an expiry of 8 years beginning on the first day your vehicle was delivered as new by Tesla or the first day it is put into service (for example, used as a demonstrator or service vehicle), whichever comes first. 

This means that if you are buying a used car, you must always check whether it comes with Standard Connectivity or not. 

Standard Connectivity gives you access to most connectivity and infotainment features over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, including basic maps, navigation features, and streaming services.

Here's what you get in Standard Connectivity as of 2nd February, 2025. 

Image Source: Tesla

Here are the footnotes for the above screenshot: 

1. Currently available over Wi-Fi for Standard Connectivity

2. A paid subscription to streaming services is required to access music and media streaming.

3. A paid subscription to third-party streaming services may be required to access music and media streaming for both Standard and Premium Connectivity.

Future Expectations:

Elon Musk also announced that Grok-enabled voice commands could come to all Teslas in the near future.

There are speculations that Grok may be bundled into the Premium Connectivity Package, but nothing is officially announced by Tesla yet.  

Why Do You Even Need Premium Connectivity?

Unlike Standard Connectivity, with Premium Connectivity, you get unlimited access to the internet, movie and music streaming, and Caraoke, even while you are away in the woods, or at a Supercharger, where there is no Wi-Fi. 

On top of that, you receive enhanced navigation aids like live traffic visualization and satellite-view maps.

But the most important offering is the enhanced Sentry Mode which can be helpful in 2 scenarios: 

Keep a check on your car's safety:

Let's say, you leave your car in a public parking for an extended period of time.

For example, if you go on an international trip, you might need to leave your car in the airport parking of your home country.

With Premium Connectivity, you can use your Tesla's external cameras to get updates on your car in real-time on your Tesla phone app. This way you can travel carefree.

Enahanced Dog Mode: 

Let's say you go to a place where you can't take your dog with you and you can't leave him alone at home.

You can leave your dog in the car and put the car in Dog Mode.

Although Dog Mode is available in all Teslas without the Premium Connectivity, with Premium Connectivity you can access the Tesla's inside cameras that show you whether your dog is safe inside the car or not.

As a petowner, that's of utmost importance. 

7 Reasons To Buy Premium Connectivity

Now that you know what Premium Connectivity offers, the big question still remains, should you get it. The answer is yes and no.

The value of Premium Connectivity largely depends on how you use your Tesla.

Before subscribing for Premium Connectivity, you should ask the following questions to yourself:

1. Do you consume a lot of content in your car?

Yes - You can consider Premium Connectivity, but you will still need the streaming subscription in addition to Premium Connectivity.

No - Premium Connectivity is not for you

Community Opinion:

2. Do you really need the live traffic visualization?

Yes - Premium Connectivity is a must for you.

However, you must know, live-traffic visualization, just displays the traffic on your screen.

Your Tesla still reroutes without Premium Connectivity. You just won't get to know why it rerouted.

No - Premium Connectivity is not for you

Community Opinion:

3. Does your cell phone plan offer enough data to use its hotspot instead? 

Yes - Premium Connectivity is not for you. You can use any in-car charger to keep your phone battery levels to the optimum while you are connected to Hotspot. Jowua offers several such solutions, you can check them out here. 

No - You should compare the cost of getting additional cell phone data to the cost of Premium Connectivity before buying it.

However, certain features are limited on hotspot and Wi-Fi.

You can try the app you want to use over hotspot. If it works, Premium Connectivity is not for you.

Community Opinion:

4. Will you leave your car parked in a public parking unattended for a long period of time?

Yes - You must get the Premium Connectivity subscription just for the time period you will leave your car unattended in a public parking. 

No -  Premium Connectivity is not for you. 

5. Are you going on a long off-the-grid camping trip where Wi-Fi will not be available?

Yes - You can get the Premium Connectivity subscription just for the time period you will be on the off-the-grid camping trip.

You should not overuse your phone's hotspot and run out of battery, and it's better to have an extra cellular connection handy for emergencies.

No -  Premium Connectivity is not for you. 

Community Opinion:

6. Is the convenience of not setting up a hotspot or being tied to the Wi-fi worth paying for the Premium Connectivity subscription?

Yes - You can get the Premium Connectivity subscription 

No -  Premium Connectivity is not for you. 

Community Opinion:

7. Has your Tesla's Standard Connectivity Expired?

The Final Verdict

If you are one of those Tesla owners who don't mind paying those extra $9.99 per month for the added convenience, Premium Connectivity can be indispensable. 

You can subscribe to it from your Tesla screen and from the Tesla App, find out complete instructions on our Premium Connectivity FAQ page.

However, for most Tesla owners, alternative solutions, such as setting up a mobile hotspot, are sufficient.

Community Opinion:

That's because as a driver, you might not even use the streaming services, and as a passenger, you can easily use your phone, iPad, or other devices. 

But if you still can't decide, you do get free trials on purchase of a new Tesla, or you can try it for a few months and then cancel it any time, just like any other OTT subscription. 

To cancel your Premium Connectivity subscription Open the Tesla app >Tap 'Upgrades' > 'Manage Upgrades.' > Find Premium Connectivity, tap 'Manage.' > Next to Premium Connectivity, tap 'Cancel.'

We thank all the community experts who voted in the poll and shared their personal experiences that helped us create this post.

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