Speed Test
Test your internet or Wi-Fi download and upload speed right on this page — no signup, no app to install. The test runs directly between your browser and the testing service; no data passes through our own servers. You can also compare it against other well-known speed test services below.
Speed test comparison
The tester above is one specific, lightweight option. Different services measure slightly different things and pick different servers, so it is worth comparing a few before trusting a single number:
| Service | Download | Upload | Latency / ping | Server selection | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast.com | Yes | Hidden by default | Hidden by default | Automatic, no choice | Embedded above — quick, minimal ads, no signup. |
| Speedtest by Ookla | Yes | Yes | Yes, plus jitter | Manual or automatic, large global network | The most widely used option, with the most detailed breakdown. |
| Cloudflare Speed Test | Yes | Yes | Yes, incl. under load | Automatic, edge network | Also shows packet loss; no account or ads. |
| Google Internet Speed Test | Yes | Yes | Yes | Automatic (Measurement Lab) | Runs right inside a Google search result; nonprofit-run backend. |
How a speed test works
A speed test measures three things: download speed (how fast data comes to you), upload speed (how fast data leaves you), and latency or "ping" (the round-trip time for a small packet to reach a server and come back).
The tester above works by opening several parallel connections to nearby content-delivery servers and streaming data to your browser for a few seconds, then calculating throughput from how much arrived in that time. Its "Show more info" link also runs a brief upload test and measures latency, both idle and under load (the load figure reveals "bufferbloat" — how much your ping degrades when the connection is busy).
Results are reported in Mbps (megabits per second), which is the standard unit ISPs use to advertise plans — see the note below if that number looks smaller than you expected.
Mbps vs MB/s: don't get confused
Speed tests and ISP plans use Mbps (megabits per second), but file managers and browsers usually show download progress in MB/s (megabytes per second) — and 1 byte = 8 bits.
So a "100 Mbps" plan tops out around 12.5 MB/s in a download manager (100 ÷ 8), not 100 MB/s. That is normal, not a sign your connection is underperforming.
What affects your result
The same connection can post very different numbers minutes apart. Before assuming your ISP is at fault, check these:
- Wi-Fi vs wired: wireless signal strength, distance from the router, and interference from walls or other networks all cost you throughput that a wired Ethernet connection would not lose.
- Other devices and apps sharing the connection: background downloads, cloud backups, streaming on another TV, or a housemate's video call all eat into the bandwidth available to your test.
- VPNs and proxies: encryption overhead and a longer routing path to a distant VPN server both reduce measured speed, sometimes significantly.
- Network congestion: ISPs can get busy during peak evening hours in your area, lowering real-world speed even though your plan is unchanged.
- Test server distance: each speed test picks a server for you; a farther or more congested server can under-report your true connection speed.
- Router and modem hardware: older routers, outdated firmware, or a modem rated below your plan's speed will cap results regardless of what your ISP delivers.
Testing your Wi-Fi speed
The tester above measures your whole connection, Wi-Fi included. If the result looks low, a few quick comparisons will tell you whether the bottleneck is your Wi-Fi or the internet plan itself:
- Test right next to the router: this is the best speed your Wi-Fi can currently deliver — if it is already low here, the limit is your internet plan or the router itself.
- Test where you actually use the connection: if speed drops sharply with distance or walls in between, the problem is Wi-Fi coverage, not your ISP.
- If your router offers 5 GHz or 6 GHz, connect to that band and test again: these bands are faster and less crowded than 2.4 GHz, which often suffers interference from neighbors and household devices.
- If you can, run one test over a wired Ethernet connection: numbers close to your plan mean the Wi-Fi is fine; a big gap means the wireless link is your bottleneck.
How much speed do you actually need?
As a rough guide, here is the download speed generally recommended per activity (add them up if several happen on your network at once):
| Activity | Recommended download | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Web browsing & email | 5–10 Mbps | Comfortable for a single user doing everyday browsing. |
| HD video streaming (1 stream) | 5–10 Mbps | Matches most streaming services' own HD recommendation. |
| 4K video streaming (1 stream) | 15–25 Mbps | Higher bitrate content needs more sustained throughput. |
| Video calls (Zoom, Teams, etc.) | 1.5–3 Mbps | Upload speed matters just as much here — check both directions. |
| Online gaming | 3–6 Mbps | Low, stable latency (ping) matters more than raw throughput. |
| Working from home (calls + cloud sync + browsing) | 25–50 Mbps | Gives headroom for several tasks running at the same time. |
| Large household, multiple 4K streams + gaming | 100+ Mbps | Needed once several demanding activities overlap on one connection. |
Common use cases
- Verify you are actually getting the download and upload speed your ISP advertises, before or after signing a contract.
- Diagnose why video calls freeze, streams buffer, or cloud backups crawl by checking whether the bottleneck is your connection.
- Compare Wi-Fi performance in different rooms, or Wi-Fi against a wired Ethernet connection.
- Check whether a VPN is quietly throttling your connection by testing with it on and off.
- Confirm a router firmware update, new modem, or ISP plan change actually improved your real-world speed.