How fast is your internet? A good speed test, like the one from Ookla, which is our pick for best speed test overall, will help you determine what speeds you’re actually getting. You may be surprised to find they’re lower than the advertised speeds from your provider.Â
There are many factors that can affect your internet speeds, such as using Wi-Fi, the time of day and how many active devices you have on your network. Running a few speed tests will give you an idea of what you’re getting and whether you may need to take action to boost your speeds.
It’s quick and easy to run a speed test, and there are a ton of free options to choose from. You might even be able to run one from the same app you used to set up your router. In most cases, running a test is as easy as pressing Go and won’t take more than a minute or so.
Watch this: How to speed up your Wi-Fi
A good speed test will make it easy to see your current download speeds, upload speeds and latency (or ping) for whatever device you’re running the test on — but with so many options promising to do the job, which one should you trust?
Glad you asked. Here are the ones we turn to first, and why.
Best internet speed tests
One of our favorites is the Ookla speed test, which has a strong reputation for consistency and for being one of the first speed tests on the web. Popularity aside, we like Ookla for having everything a basic user needs from a speed test: accuracy, the ability to view your speed test history (when you create an account), a wide array of servers to connect to, and even a handy app for speed testing from your Android or iOS device. Incidentally, Ookla’s speed test is also the one we use when we’re testing Wi-Fi routers.
Ookla’s done a good job of keeping up with the times by adding new features and capabilities over the years. The service released a video-specific speed test that measures your network’s ability to handle 4K video streams, and it recently added a free VPN to its mobile app. In addition to the website and the smartphone apps, Ookla also has apps you can run on Windows or on Mac. You can even run the Ookla speed test on an Apple TV.
All of that said, Ookla does display banner ads while you run basic speed tests. That’s not surprising, but it might make a slight impact on your results, depending on the strength of your connection at the time of the test.
Fast.com is another great broadband test, and the interface is about as simple and straightforward as it gets. However, one of its biggest advantages is that it’s owned by Netflix. That might seem odd at first, but it’s actually what makes it a great pick for online streamers, because the test is structured around checking to see if your connection is strong enough to stream Netflix in maximum resolution without buffering.
While Fast.com is a great tool for some, it won’t be the most helpful test for all users. The basic interface is easy to use, yes, but it also lacks some of the advanced settings and metrics you’ll find with other speed tests. Most notably, you can’t specify which server you’d like to connect with for your test.
None of these speed tests are difficult to use, but the M-Lab Internet Speed Test is probably the easiest one to find. Short for Measurement Lab, the open-source M-Lab test was developed by a collection of computer scientists and academic researchers with Google’s backing — and it’s the test that pops up whenever you type “internet speed test” into the Google search bar. Just click the blue “RUN SPEED TEST” button to see your download speed, upload speed and latency within a matter of seconds.
That’s about as simple as it gets, because you won’t need to bookmark it or remember exactly what it’s called. There are no ads while you run the test, and the only data that gets shared with M-Lab is your IP address. Just know that the M-Lab test doesn’t let you pick which server you’ll use during the test, and it’s only designed for internet speeds of up to 700 Mbps. If you’re trying to speed test a gigabit connection, you’ll want to turn elsewhere.
If you’re looking for a test that offers a look not just at speeds, but at consistency, Speedof.me is the way to go. Similar to Ookla, the test interface does a great job of showing fluctuations in your upload and download speeds. Over time, that can make it easier to spot when something is amiss with your connection, especially since Speedof.me lets you compare your results with previous tests. Its mobile-friendly website is great for running tests on your phone, too, allowing you to do a quick speed test on the go without downloading an app.Â
Speedof.me isn’t a perfect option, though. For starters, there’s no option for manually selecting which server you connect with. And if home networking isn’t your forte, the visualized data might seem more confusing or overwhelming than something like Fast.com, which just gives you a number.
Testmy.net is an internet speed test that runs entirely on HTML5 and PHP. What that means is that it doesn’t require third-party software like Java or Flash to run your test, which can make for more accurate results. That also makes it a useful tool for comparing performance between different browsers. You can also create an account to track your internet speed for future reference or comparison.Â
It’s not the most user-friendly tool, however. With a good deal of in-depth data, you’ll have quite a bit of information to look through, much of which might not be relevant to you. The design is also a little ugly by speed test standards, and it takes a few clicks before you actually begin a test, which obviously isn’t as streamlined as other speed tests that feature big “Go” buttons as soon as you load the page.
Tips for taking an internet speed test
Running a speed test is typically as simple as finding the test and clicking the start prompt, but there are some extra measures you can take to get more accurate and informative results. Here are a few tips to consider when taking an internet speed test.
- Test using both Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections. Testing over an Ethernet connection will give you a better look at actual speeds you’re getting from your provider. Oftentimes, you can run such tests straight through your router via the router’s accompanying app. Follow the Ethernet test with a test over Wi-Fi for an idea of the speed difference via Wi-Fi versus wired connection.
- Test at varying distances from your router. Distance from the router can affect your Wi-Fi speeds. Try running a few speed tests at varying distances from the router, and perhaps other rooms or floors of your home, to get a gauge of your router’s range and identify any dead zones.Â
- Test using different devices. Run a speed test on your computer, your phone, your smart TV, gaming console, etc. If speeds are drastically different between devices, you may need to adjust device or router settings to improve performance across all devices.
- Test at different times of the day. Depending on your internet connection type, peak usage times (typically weeknight evenings when many are streaming their entertainment) can hinder your speeds. Try running a few speed tests throughout the day for an idea of when your connection is at its peak performance. Keep those times in mind — they are ideal for scheduling downloads of large files such as video games or movies.
Speed test FAQs
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