TL;DR
The 5 best internet speed tests are:
- Real Speed ★★★★★
- Fireprobe® ★★★★☆
- SamKnows ★★★★☆
- Speedtest ★★★☆☆
- nPerf ★★★☆☆
This list is based on thorough research into the qualities of speed tests.
The results of our standardized test have determined this top 5 of speed tests.
If you are looking for a speed test with a specific goal in mind, use the Interactive Speed Test Advisor.
1. Real Speed
https://realspeed.net Real Speed 0 5/5 stars ★★★★★ Hans van der Graaf Hans van der Graaf
What Real Speed does is brilliant. This speed test measures your router's internet speed and your device's internet speed. By doing this you know the speed delivered by your ISP and the speed you have at your device.
Creating Real Speed took years of preparation. Before this speed test was rolled out, millions of routers have been equipped with the SamKnows Router Agent in recent years.
However, it was worth the wait. Almost immediately after the release of the Real Speed speed test, this speed test is our number 1, because Real Speed immediately makes it clear whether your home network is the bottleneck.
Accurate
Real Speed measures both the Internet speed of your router and the Internet speed of your device with great accuracy. Real Speed is that good that we wonder if you should use another speed test.
While we weren't able to test Real Speed at lower speeds, the results below suggest that Real Speed is by far the best speed test even at lower speeds.
Device only
When Real Speed is not able to contact the router, then Real Speed performs a device only test. This device-only speed test is a near-perfect speed test in itself.
2. Fireprobe®
https://www.fireprobe.net/ The Fireprobe® speed test 0 4/5 stars ★★★★☆ Hans van der Graaf Hans van der Graaf
In general, the Fireprobe® speed test is not a recommended speed test, mainly because this speed test is relative slow.
While there are tests that are faster (especially if the to be measured internet speed is 100 Mbps or lower), FireProbe® scored high on all internet speeds we measured.
This accuracy across the board earns FireProbe a spot in this top 5.
3. SamKnows
https://speedtest.samknows.com/ The original SamKnows speed test 0 4/5 stars ★★★★☆ Hans van der Graaf Hans van der Graaf
The original SamKnows speed test is not a recommended speed test, mainly because this speed test is relative slow.
We underestimated SamKnows' speed test for a long time. The overly simple interface and the time it takes to run a speed test kept us from recommending it.
However, SamKnows is accurate across multiple speeds. That's why it's still in this top 5.
4. Speedtest
https://www.speedtest.net/ Speedtest 0 3/5 stars ★★★☆☆ Hans van der Graaf Hans van der Graaf
Ookla's speedtest.net is the gold standard for speed tests. This is because the vast majority of ISPs recommend this speed test or offer a clone of the Ookla Speedtest.
No wonder that the Ookla Speedtest is the most recommended speed test there is. However Ookla's speed test is not the best in any of the tests conducted for the Ultimate Speed Test Test. Because the speed test uses cookies, shows ads (the clutter free score is dramatic) and is not too fast, the Ookla speed test scores less well than it could.
Speedtest proved accurate at all speeds we've measured so far.
Your ISP usually offers an Ookla clone without ads. This immediately makes such a clone a lot more attractive than the original.
Not that such a clone is a good speed test. The only reason to use this speed test is to collect hard data to be able to file justified complaints with your ISP about the delivered speed. Make sure you test correctly.
5. nPerf
https://www.nperf.com/en/ nPerf speed 0 3/5 stars ★★★☆☆ Hans van der Graaf Hans van der Graaf
In general, the nPerf speed test is not a recommended speed test, mainly because this speed test is slow and consumes an exceptional amount of data.
Still, this speed test is in our top 5 of best speed tests. nPerf owes this to its accuracy across all speeds we measured.
That's the only reason nPerf is in this top 5.