Internet Speed Guide: How Much Do You Need?
Understanding internet speeds helps you avoid overpaying for bandwidth you don't need—or suffering with speeds that can't keep up.
Speed Recommendations by Activity
- Basic browsing & email: 5-10 Mbps
- HD streaming (per device): 5-10 Mbps
- 4K streaming (per device): 25 Mbps
- Video conferencing: 10-25 Mbps
- Online gaming: 25-50 Mbps
- Large file downloads: 100+ Mbps
Calculating Your Household Needs
Add up the speeds for all simultaneous activities in your home. A family of 4 with multiple streamers and gamers might need 200-500 Mbps.
Download vs Upload Speed
Download speed matters for streaming and browsing. Upload speed matters for video calls, cloud backups, and content creation. Fiber offers symmetric speeds (same up and down).
Test Your Current Speed
Use our speed test tool to see what you're actually getting from your provider.