The Best Internet Speed Tests

Further reading

Internet service providers like to make a lot of claims about upload and download speeds when you sign up, but do you ever wonder how those numbers compare to the speeds you’re actually getting on a day-to-day basis? These are the best internet speed tests to help you determine your upload and download speeds, as well as identify other issues with your network, such as packet loss, latency issues, or physical connection problems.

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Speedof.me

The best

Speedof.me is an HTML5-based speed test that’s lightweight and designed to replicate real-world browsing and downloading conditions by requesting a series of files of increasing sizes and recording the speed at which they’re downloaded. Not only does the site display a graph of speeds achieved in real

time, but it also allows you to track your results against previous tests.

Rather than selecting a location, the website calculates the quickest and most reliable server from 88 available servers, and all files are downloaded and uploaded in sequence — rather than simultaneously — to imitate real internet browsing conditions.

Test your bandwidth at:

Speedof.me

The rest

SpeedSmart

SpeedSmart is a smooth, HTML5 speed test that works with all devices and is reliably problem free. It provides download, upload, and ping information for your connection. That ping information can be particularly valuable if you’re trying to run down a problem or do a slightly deeper analysis of your connection than obtaining simple speed information. SpeedSmart also provides an app that you can download and run to keep a full history of results, but unless you’re tinkering with optimal bandwidth for gaming or using it professionally, the website works just fine.

Test your connection at:

SpeedSmart

TestMy.net

If you’re looking for a test that offers more data than the average speed test, TestMy.net runs a series of tests and provides a lot of useful comparison data. There are separate options for both download and upload tests, so be sure to try them both. Note that you have to download this speed test, as it’s not entirely run via the website.

When it’s done, the results rate your speed compared to other recent users, giving you a good idea of where you stand. TestMy.net also displays a graph with your connection over time, so that you can see if you had trouble sustaining a good connection the whole time. If these numbers are a little unfamiliar to you, there’s also plenty of documentation and easy-to-understand guides that can help you better identify what the problem is with your internet connection.

Test your connection at:

TestMy.net

Speedtest.net

Ookla’s bandwidth diagnostic software shows up on a number of the other speed test sites listed here, but the most full-featured iteration of the test is on Speedtest.net, which is owned by Ookla. The tech used here is both intelligent and speedy. It picks a nearby server (out of a list of more than 1,000), runs a full test, and returns information on upload and download speed, latency, and packet loss.

You can fill out a survey after the test, answering questions about the claimed speed of your ISP and monthly connection costs. This allows Ookla to amass an impressive database of consumer connection information, which can be viewed and broken down by region — in the U.S., this is a major variable in Internet speed — on its NetIndex site.

Test your connection at:

Speedtest.net

Internet Health Test

Do you want a more complete look at how your Internet speed performs when it’s pushed a little bit? The Internet Health Test takes longer than other web-based tests, but that’s because it’s very thorough. The test runs your connection through a gauntlet of servers and infrastructure to see how it does in a variety of situations.

Don’t worry so much about the average speed here — it’s probably lower than your other tests. Instead, look at the different configurations that were run to see how well your connection did in various server arrangements. If you really want to dive in, you can compare this to how you normally use the internet to see your expected speeds based on your typical activity, but that could take some research.

Test your connection at:

Internet Health Test

Fast.com

Fast.com is a simple site run by Netflix — and we mean really, really simple. The site automatically launches a speed test and brings up a giant number to show you just what your MBps look like.

Of course, Netflix largely intends this to be used for people who want to test if their current speed can handle Netflix content, especially high-def and 4K (even on your PC) content, which may benefit more from higher download speeds. That said, you can use the test nearly anywhere, and for anything. If you’re not interested in any of the charts or latency data — you just want a simple speed number — then Fast is made for you.

Test your connection at:

Fast.com