Upload Speed Test

Upload speed is how fast you can send data — it matters for video calls, sending large files, livestreaming and cloud backups. This test measures upload first, then download and ping, so you can see whether your connection is balanced.

Why upload is usually slower

Cable, DSL and most mobile connections give far more capacity to download than upload. That's fine for streaming, but it shows up when several people are on video calls or a backup is running. Fibre plans are often symmetric — the same speed both ways. On cable and DSL, upload of a tenth of the download speed, or less, is normal rather than a fault. More in why upload is slower than download.

How much upload you need

Zoom recommends about 3.8 Mbps upload for a 1080p group call. As a rule of thumb, aim for 10 Mbps upload per person who works from home, so calls stay smooth while photos sync and others use the connection. Livestreamers, video editors and anyone backing up large files benefit from 50 Mbps or more. See what is a good upload speed for a breakdown.

When upload speed matters most

Working from home is the most common reason people notice slow upload: your camera, microphone and screen share all travel upstream. Cloud backup services and photo libraries also keep uploading in the background, which can slow everything else — check the bufferbloat test to see whether your connection lags while uploading. Security cameras that stream to the cloud use upload all day long.

Why upload results vary more

Upload suffers more on Wi-Fi than download does, because your phone or laptop has a weaker radio than the router. On cable connections, upload capacity is shared with neighbours on the same local segment, so it can dip at busy times. And other devices quietly uploading — backups, cameras, cloud drives — take a share you don't see. For a fair reading, use a cable, pause those devices, and test two or three times.

Improving upload speed

Use a cable for the computer you work on, pause cloud backups during calls, and check whether your provider offers a plan with more upload. A router with traffic management (often called QoS or SQM) can keep calls smooth while other uploads run. If you're choosing a new provider, compare upload figures, not just download — full fibre is usually the clear winner. See internet speed for working from home.

Upload first

This page runs upload before download, so you get the number you came for first. Your full result — download, ping, jitter and the bufferbloat grade — follows in the same run, and is saved in your browser's history so you can compare later.