Internet Speed Test

About this internet speed test

This free tool measures how fast data moves between your device and Cloudflare's global network. It reports five numbers: download speed (how fast you receive data), upload speed (how fast you send it), ping (the delay of a round trip), jitter (how much that delay changes) and latency under load (your ping while the line is busy). When the test finishes, it also tells you what your connection can comfortably handle, such as 4K streaming, video calls and online gaming. A full run takes about 20 seconds, and you do not need an account.

How to get an accurate result

• Pause downloads, streaming and cloud backups on every device on your network.
• Use an Ethernet cable if you can, or stand close to your router. Wi-Fi in another room can cut speed in half.
• Turn off any VPN for the test, unless you want to measure the VPN itself.
• Run the test two or three times, and at different times of day. One run is a snapshot, not a verdict.
• If you pay for a specific speed, enter it in the box before you start. The result will show how close you are.

Our guide to testing your internet speed accurately goes through each step in more detail.

How the test works

1. Ping. The test sends a series of tiny requests and averages the round-trip times. Jitter is how much those times vary from one request to the next.
2. Download. For about nine seconds, the test downloads data over several parallel connections. Several connections matter because a single one often cannot fill a fast line.
3. Upload. For about seven seconds, it uploads random data the same way.
4. Latency under load. While data is moving, the test sends extra small requests and records how long they take. A big jump compared with your idle ping is a sign of bufferbloat (see what bufferbloat is and how to fix it).

The first two seconds of each phase are ignored, because the connection is still ramping up. The result is the average speed over the rest of the phase. The gauge uses a log-style scale (0, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1000 Mbps), so slow and very fast connections both show clearly.

What your results mean

• Download: matters for streaming, browsing and downloading files.
• Upload: matters for video calls, sending files, cloud backups and live streaming.
• Ping: under about 30 ms feels instant. Over 100 ms you will notice lag in games and calls.
• Jitter: below about 10 ms is steady. High jitter makes calls choppy even when speed is fine.
• Latency under load: if this is much higher than your ping, your connection struggles when several people use it at once.

Mbps means megabits per second. Divide by 8 to get megabytes per second: 100 Mbps is about 12.5 MB/s. See Mbps vs MB/s for why downloads look slower than your plan.

How much speed do you need?

These are typical needs per activity. Real apps vary, and everything that runs at the same time adds up.

• Browsing and email: about 3 Mbps.
• HD video (1080p): about 5 to 8 Mbps per stream.
• 4K video: about 15 to 25 Mbps per stream.
• Video calls: about 2 to 4 Mbps each way.
• Online gaming: very little speed, but a low, steady ping.
• Cloud gaming: about 15 to 35 Mbps and a low ping.

For a household, add up what you use at the same time and leave some headroom. Our guide on how much internet speed you need has worked examples.

Why your result may be lower than your plan

Providers advertise a maximum "up to" speed under ideal conditions. Several things lower what you see: weak Wi-Fi, an old router, busy evening hours, other devices using the line, and the limits of your own device. A cable test shows the real line speed, so compare Wi-Fi and cable results to find the cause. If the result stays far below your plan, read are you getting the speed you pay for? and gather your results before you contact your provider.

Data use and privacy

The test uses real data, usually tens to a few hundred megabytes depending on your speed, and each phase stops at about 400 MB. Be careful on a metered mobile plan. To show your connection details, the page asks outside services for your IP address and approximate location. Our Privacy Policy explains which services are involved.

Frequently asked questions

Is this test accurate?

It is accurate for what it measures: the speed between your device and a nearby Cloudflare server. Your result can differ from your provider's own tool or from other sites, because each uses different servers and methods. The FAQ explains why.

Why is my upload speed so much lower than my download speed?

Most home plans are built that way, because people download far more than they upload. Fibre plans are often symmetrical.

Does a good ping mean fast internet?

No. Ping measures delay, not capacity. You can have a fast connection with a high ping, for example on satellite.