What Is a Good Internet Speed? How to Read Speed Test Results

What the four speed test numbers mean

First, here is what each number on the results screen means.

• Download: how fast data reaches your device from the internet. It matters for browsing, streaming video and downloading games. It is measured in Mbps (megabits per second).
• Upload: how fast your device sends data to the internet. It matters for your camera in video calls, posting photos and videos, and cloud backups.
• Ping (latency): the time it takes for a small piece of data to travel to a server and back. It is measured in ms (milliseconds). Lower is better, because your connection responds faster.
• Jitter: how much the ping varies from moment to moment. High jitter can make call audio break up or make characters jump around in online games.

It helps to turn download speed into waiting time. 1 GB is about 8,000 Mb, so a 1 GB file takes about 80 seconds at 100 Mbps and about 800 seconds (around 13 minutes) at 10 Mbps.

What is a good internet speed? The thresholds we use

This site rates test results using the thresholds below. Our other articles use the same numbers.

A ping of 50 ms or more does not always mean your line is bad. The value also goes up when the test server is far away, for example when you are using a VPN.

Good internet speed by activity

This table shows which level from the thresholds above is comfortable for each activity. If several people use the connection at the same time, add up what each person needs.

For more detail on gaming, see internet speed for gaming. Ping and jitter are covered in what is a good ping.

Recommended speeds published by popular services

These are the figures in each service's official help pages (checked on 2026-11-12). All of them are per device or per person. The activity table above adds some headroom on top of these.

We could not find a speed figure for PlayStation online multiplayer itself in the official support pages.

Typical results by connection type

The "maximum speed" of a plan is a theoretical upper limit. The speeds you actually measure tend to differ by connection type.

• Fiber (fiber run all the way to a house or apartment): on a wired connection, results often land in the "fast" range of 100 Mbps or more. Over Wi-Fi, the router and device can bring this down.
• VDSL in apartment buildings: the building is wired with telephone lines internally. Because the standard tops out at around 100 Mbps, results are mostly in the "standard" to "plenty" range and rarely go above 100 Mbps.
• Home routers on mobile networks (fixed wireless boxes): these use radio signals, so results vary a lot with placement and time of day. They may move between the "standard" and "plenty" ranges, and ping and jitter can be higher than on fiber.
• Mobile data (4G and 5G on a phone): results change every time depending on location, congestion and signal strength. Once you pass your plan's data limit, speed may be throttled into the "too slow" range.

Even on the same line, the numbers change with Wi-Fi versus cable and with the room you test in. To see what the line itself can do, test from a computer connected by cable.

Why phones and computers show different results

Results on a phone depend heavily on the Wi-Fi signal and on the Wi-Fi standard the phone supports.

A computer connected with an Ethernet cable gives numbers close to the line's real speed. Remote work and large file transfers usually happen on a computer, so it makes sense to judge by the computer's results, including upload. If the phone is slow but the wired computer is fast, the cause is more likely Wi-Fi than the line.

Why speed changes with the time of day

Your connection shares equipment with neighbors and other people in the same building. In the evening, when more people are online, congestion can lower download speed or raise ping.

Do not judge from a single test. Test several times at different times, such as morning, midday and night. If speed drops sharply only at night, congestion is a likely cause.

Advertised "up to" speeds vs. measured speeds

Internet plans are usually sold with an "up to" speed. That figure is the best case under ideal conditions, not a promise of what you will see at home. The speed you can actually use depends on your Wi-Fi, your devices, how busy the network is, and how far you are from the test server.

So it is normal for a speed test to show less than the advertised number. What matters is whether your measured results meet the levels your activities need. If they fall well short at every time of day, even on a wired connection, keep a record and ask your provider about it.

What to do after you test

1. Compare with the tables: find the row for your activity and identify which measure falls short (download, upload, ping or jitter).
2. Test again under different conditions: test close to the router or over a cable, and at a different time of day.
3. Narrow down the cause: if wired is fast and Wi-Fi is slow, look at Wi-Fi. If both are slow, suspect the line or the router. See why is my internet slow for more.
4. Keep a record: note the date, time and numbers. This is useful if you contact your provider.

This site's speed test has no ads or third-party trackers and runs on the open-source LibreSpeed (LGPLv3). It automatically picks the test server with the lowest ping from our own server in Sapporo and 37 public mirrors around the world.

FAQ

What is a good internet speed for normal use?

A download speed of 10–30 Mbps handles HD video and video calls without trouble. For 4K video or several devices at once, aim for 30 Mbps or more. Fiber tested over a cable often shows 100 Mbps or more, which is a typical result for that connection type.

How much upload speed do I need?

For video calls with your camera on, 5 Mbps or more is a good target. If you send large files, use cloud backup or upload videos, 10 Mbps or more cuts down the waiting time.

What is a good ping?

Under 20 ms is very good, and 20–50 ms is good. At 50 ms or more you are at a disadvantage in competitive games. Ping also rises when the test server is far away, for example over a VPN, so test again under different conditions in that case.

Why are my speed test results different on my phone and my computer?

Phones are strongly affected by the Wi-Fi signal and by the Wi-Fi standard they support. A computer connected by cable shows numbers closer to the line's real speed. Testing on both helps you tell whether the problem is the line or the Wi-Fi.

Why is my internet slower at night?

More people are online in the evening, so shared equipment gets congested. Test several times at different times of day and check whether speed drops sharply only at night.

Related guides

• Slow connection
  Why Is My Internet So Slow? 10 Causes and How to Narrow Them Down

  Ten common reasons your internet or Wi-Fi is slow, and a step-by-step way to find the cause by testing wired, at different times and on other devices.

• By use case
  Internet Speed for Gaming: Ping, PS5, Switch and Cloud Gaming

  How much internet speed you need for gaming, and what a good ping is. Official PS5, Switch and Xbox info, plus why ping and jitter matter more than Mbps.

• Guidelines
  What Is a Good Ping? Jitter Explained and How to Lower Ping

  What ping and jitter mean, how many ms counts as good, the minimum ping set by distance, why test servers differ, and how to lower ping, with tables.