How the measurement works
The test first measures round-trip time (ping) to the nearest Cloudflare server 12 times in a row and calculates jitter from the variation between samples. It then downloads random data over four parallel connections for about 10 seconds and uploads over three connections for about 9 seconds. The first 1.5 seconds are discarded because TCP connections are still ramping up, so the result reflects your sustained speed.
Cloudflare runs servers in most European countries and worldwide, so the result is close to what you experience with most modern online services. Results are not stored on our server; your last 10 tests are kept only in your browser.
How much speed do you need?
| Use | Download | Upload | Ping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browsing and email | 3 Mbps | 1 Mbps | up to 150 ms |
| HD video (1080p) | 5–8 Mbps | — | — |
| 4K video | 25 Mbps per stream | — | — |
| HD video call | 4 Mbps | 3 Mbps | up to 100 ms |
| Online gaming | 10 Mbps | 3 Mbps | up to 40 ms, low jitter |
| 1080p live streaming | — | 10 Mbps | — |
These are practical guidelines for one user; requirements add up when several devices are active. For gaming and calls, ping and jitter often matter more than megabits — see what ping is and what values are good.
Why is the result lower than my plan?
- Wi‑Fi: walls, distance, the 2.4 GHz band and neighbouring networks often halve the speed. To compare with your plan, test over an Ethernet cable. Read why Wi‑Fi is slow and 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz.
- Other devices: updates, cloud backups and streaming on other devices share the same connection.
- Device and browser: older phones, VPNs, power saving and browser extensions can limit speeds above roughly 300 Mbps.
- Plans say “up to”: the advertised speed is a maximum, not a guarantee. Contracts usually also state a minimum or normally available speed.
How to test properly
- Connect your computer to the router with a cable and close apps that transfer data.
- Repeat the test 3 times at different times of day, including the evening peak (8–10 pm).
- Compare with the speeds in your contract. Divide by 8 to get MB/s — the Mbps to MB/s converter helps.
- If the gap persists, record your results and contact your provider. For formal complaints, use the official measurement tool of your national telecom regulator where one exists.