Check your internet speed
Measure your internet — download, upload and latency (ping) with a live gauge. And check the big myth along the way: does the internet get slower with a VPN on?
Press the button — the test takes a few seconds.
Check the big myth: does a VPN slow you down
The most common fear before installing a VPN is “the internet will get slower”. You can check that right here, in a minute:
- Measure the speed with the VPN off. Press “Start the test” and note the download, upload and ping figures.
- Switch the VPN on and press “Run again”.
- Compare. The difference is usually small and invisible in everyday use. And for services your provider throttles, a VPN brings the speed back instead.
What the numbers mean
- Download speed (Mbps) — how much data reaches you per second. It decides how fast video, sites and files load. The gauge shows it live while the test runs;
- Upload speed (Mbps) — how much data leaves you per second. It matters for video calls, uploading photos and files to the cloud, and streaming. It is usually noticeably lower than the download speed — normal for home and mobile internet;
- Latency, or ping (ms) — the response time: how long a request takes to reach the server and come back. It matters for calls, meetings and games — lower is better;
- the test measures the speed to our own server — an honest reference point, not a “record” produced by picking the closest possible node.
A speed below your plan is normal
The real speed is almost always lower than the one in your plan, and it usually isn't the provider: Wi-Fi is slower than cable, other devices in the house share the line, and network load and distance to the server both count. A plan is the maximum under ideal conditions. If the speed stays low both with and without the VPN, the VPN isn't the cause; for the case where everything barely loads there is a separate walkthrough about video throttling.
Want a VPN that doesn't slow you down?
7 days free, no card needed. A modern protected connection: video, calls and the sites you know work again — without losing speed in everyday use.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my internet speed?
Press “Start the test” — the gauge shows the download speed live, then the upload speed, and finally the latency (ping) is measured. The test runs right in the browser, nothing to install, and takes about 10–15 seconds.
What is ping and what should it be?
Ping is the latency, the response time: how many milliseconds it takes your request to reach the server and come back. Lower is better. Under 50 ms is excellent, under 100 ms is fine for calls and video, above 150 ms is noticeable in games and video meetings.
Does a VPN slow the internet down?
A little — the data takes a slightly longer path through the protected server. In practice you usually don't notice it: video and calls run smoothly. What's more, if your provider throttles particular services (YouTube, say), a VPN brings the speed to them back. Check it yourself: measure with the VPN on and off.
Why is the speed lower than my provider's plan?
That is almost always the case, and it usually isn't the provider: Wi-Fi is slower than cable, other devices in the house share the line, and network load and server distance both matter. A plan is the maximum under ideal conditions, not what you see at any given moment.
The test shows a low speed — what should I do?
Start with the simple things: use a cable instead of Wi-Fi or move closer to the router, close heavy downloads and spare tabs, restart the router. Measure again. If the speed stays low with the VPN off as well, it is a question for your provider or Wi-Fi, not for us.