Broadband Speed Test

About our Broadband Speed Test

What is a broadband speed test?

With modern broadband, speed is everything. Without a strong internet speed it can be tough to get anything done online, whether it’s working, gaming, streaming or downloading.

With the Broadband Compared Speed Test, you can get an accurate reading of your home broadband network, including general speed, upload speed and download speed.

Why should I do a broadband speed test?

Conducting a free internet speed test using your postcode will give you the most accurate reading on what broadband speed you’ll get in your home. 

If you go off the average speed of the package you sign up to, no matter the provider, you might find yourself disappointed. By choosing to run a speed test before you fork out money for the most expensive package with the highest speeds, could save you a lot of money in the long run. 

Why? Because you might only be able to get a broadband speed of 20Mbps for example, but you pay for the package that says “an average of 60Mbps” thinking you’ll get 60Mbps, but it doesn't work that way unfortunately. 

Your average fibre broadband, with the likes of Sky, BT or Plusnet all use the same network; the Openreach Network. This means you’ll get the same speed with whoever you go for, just the amount you pay might differ. The Openreach Network uses fibre to the cabinet, and then runs your fibre to your home via your copper phone line. The further the fibre has to travel from the green cabinet to your home via this copper phone line, determines how fast or slow your broadband speed will be. 

So, a BT speed test, a Plusnet speed test and a Sky speed test are all the same?

Any provider that uses the Openreach Network will provide you with the exact same speed. So yes, BT, Sky and Plusnet, among other Openreach Network providers will all offer the same speed, so a general speed test such as ours, will gauge the broadband speed you’ll get for all Openreach providers. 

There are two exceptions, however. Fibre to the premises (FTTP) will provide much faster speeds which might only be available with certain providers, and even if it is, it’s extremely rare for your average home. The other exception is Virgin Media, which uses its own network entirely and consists of coaxial broadband cables, which is why Virgin offers a much faster speed. 

What is a mobile speed test?

A mobile speed test is a speed test measuring the speed which one can get while using a 4G mobile signal. 

4G mobile signal can be extremely strong in areas where broadband speeds are particularly slow, so many opt to use 4G hotspots using their phone or 4G routers in order to get faster speeds when streaming and surfing the web. 

A speed test with a mobile in high 4G signal areas will yield higher results than an area with poor broadband speeds, and will thus be the preferred option. A 4G router can be used with a 4G active mobile sim in order to provide a stronger signal throughout your home if you’d rather not used a mobile hotspot all the time. 

What can affect an internet speed test?

Testing the speed of your broadband at peak times (such as weekday evenings) can herald slower results than, for example, the middle of the night or early in the morning. Be sure to test your broadband at multiple times to get a true measure of the speed you’re receiving.

You might also find that the more devices connected to your WiFi hub, the slower your speed seems. While, theoretically, this shouldn’t lower your speed, your broadband is being shared among many other devices. If you suffer from slower speeds, make an effort to deactivate the devices you are not using from the WiFi, so the devices you are using can make full use of the speed your service provider has to offer. 

In order to test your speed, simply type your postcode into the form above and start the speed test. Your provider should be automatically detected, but if it isn’t, you’ll be able to select the correct one from the drop down menu.

Once the test has determined your speed, you’ll be able to compare broadband providers and deals using the compare tool, giving you a comprehensive look at the latest offers.

You can also check your broadband coverage on Ofcom's site by clicking here to read through their research on broadband speeds.