What this speed test measures
The test downloads and uploads files of increasing size to the nearest Cloudflare data center and times every transfer, the same method used by speed.cloudflare.com. It reports five numbers that together describe how your connection actually feels in use.
- Download speed
- How fast data reaches you, in megabits per second (Mbps). Drives streaming quality, page loads and file downloads.
- Upload speed
- How fast you can send data. Matters for video calls, cloud backups, live streaming and sharing large files.
- Ping (latency)
- Round-trip time to the server in milliseconds. Lower is better for gaming, calls and anything real-time.
- Jitter
- How much your ping varies from packet to packet. High jitter causes stutter and dropped words on calls.
- Loaded latency
- Your ping while a download or upload is saturating the link. A big jump over idle ping means bufferbloat.
How to get an accurate speed test result
- Use a cable if you can. Wi-Fi is usually the bottleneck. Plugging into your router with Ethernet shows what your ISP is really delivering.
- Pause other traffic. Close streaming, downloads and cloud sync on every device on the network before you tap GO.
- Run it more than once. Test at different times of day. Evening slowdowns point to congestion in your neighbourhood rather than a problem at home.
- Compare with and without your VPN. Run the test with RapidTunnel connected and disconnected to see exactly what the tunnel costs, or saves, on your connection.
Slower than you're paying for?
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How does this internet speed test work?
Your browser downloads and uploads a series of files of increasing size to the nearest Cloudflare data center and times each transfer. Small requests measure ping and jitter, large transfers measure sustained download and upload bandwidth, and latency is sampled again while the link is saturated to reveal bufferbloat. The whole run takes roughly 30 to 60 seconds.
What is a good internet speed?
For one person, 25 Mbps download is enough for HD streaming and video calls, and 100 Mbps or more comfortably covers a busy household or 4K streaming. Upload speed of 10 Mbps or more keeps video calls and cloud backups smooth. For gaming and real-time apps, ping under 50 ms and low jitter matter more than raw bandwidth.
Why is my speed test result lower than the speed my ISP advertises?
Advertised plans are maximums measured under ideal conditions. Wi-Fi signal, an older router, other devices on the network, peak-hour congestion, and traffic shaping or throttling by your ISP all reduce real-world throughput. Test over an Ethernet cable, close other apps, and run the test a few times at different hours to see your true baseline.
Does a VPN slow down my internet?
Any VPN adds encryption and an extra network hop, so a small amount of overhead is normal. A well-placed server can also bypass ISP throttling or take a shorter route to the service you use, which sometimes makes things faster. Run this test with RapidTunnel connected and disconnected to compare the difference on your own connection.
What do ping, jitter and loaded latency mean?
Ping (latency) is the round-trip time for a small packet to reach the server and come back, in milliseconds. Jitter is how much that time varies between packets; high jitter causes stutter in calls and games. Loaded latency is your ping while a download or upload is running, and a large jump compared with idle ping indicates bufferbloat in your router or modem.
Is this speed test free, and do I need to install anything?
Yes, the test is free and runs entirely in your browser on desktop, phone and tablet. There is nothing to install and no account to create. Just tap GO.