ISP Speed Checker

Compare your ISP's advertised plan speed against your actual measured speed. Enter both values to see if you're getting what you pay for, understand what percentage of your plan you're receiving, and get actionable tips to close the gap.

ISP Plan Speed (Mbps) Actual Download Speed (Mbps) Plan Upload Speed (Mbps) — Optional Actual Upload Speed (Mbps) — Optional Monthly Cost ($) — Optional

Why Actual Speeds Differ From Plan Speeds

ISPs advertise "up to" speeds, meaning the maximum your connection can theoretically achieve. In practice, several factors reduce your actual throughput. Understanding these factors helps you determine whether the gap is normal or indicates a problem.

Use our Speed Test to measure your actual speeds before entering them in the calculator above. For the most accurate results, test over a wired Ethernet connection with no other devices actively using the network.

Expected Speed Ranges by Connection Type

Connection Type	Expected % of Plan	Common Issues
Fiber (FTTH)	90-100%	Router limitations, Wi-Fi bottleneck
Cable (DOCSIS 3.1)	80-95%	Shared bandwidth, peak congestion
DSL (VDSL2)	70-90%	Distance from DSLAM, line quality
5G Home	60-90%	Signal strength, tower congestion
4G LTE	50-80%	Signal, congestion, throttling
Satellite	50-70%	Weather, congestion, latency

Common Causes of Slow Internet

If the calculator shows you're getting less than 80% of your plan speed, investigate these common causes. For a comprehensive troubleshooting guide, see our article on why your internet is slow.

Wi-Fi bottleneck — Your Wi-Fi speed may be lower than your plan speed. Test on Ethernet to isolate this. Fix it with our slow WiFi guide.
Router limitations — Older routers can't handle high-speed plans. Check your router's specs at 192.168.1.1.
Network congestion — Other devices using bandwidth. Monitor network traffic to identify heavy users.
ISP throttling — Your ISP may throttle certain traffic types. Run an ISP throttling test.
DNS issues — Slow DNS can make browsing feel sluggish. Test with our DNS Lookup tool.
Peak hours — Cable and wireless connections slow during evening hours. Test at different times.
VPN overhead — VPNs reduce speed by 10-30%. Test with VPN disconnected for baseline.

Pro Tip: Always test your speed over a wired Ethernet connection directly to your modem (bypassing the router) for the most accurate reading. If that test shows full plan speed but Wi-Fi doesn't, the bottleneck is your router or Wi-Fi environment. If the wired test is also slow, contact your ISP. Use our Network Speed Unit Converter to understand speed units.

How to Improve Your Internet Speed

Test wired vs wireless — Connect directly via Ethernet and run our Speed Test to establish a baseline.
Restart your modem and router — Power cycle both devices for 30 seconds. This clears temporary issues.
Update router firmware — Log in at 192.168.1.1 and check for updates.
Change DNS servers — Switch to Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google (8.8.8.8). Follow our DNS change guide.
Enable QoS — Prioritize important traffic using QoS settings. Enable QoS on your router.
Reduce connected devices — Each device consumes bandwidth. Use Bandwidth Calculator to plan.
Optimize Wi-Fi placement — Central location, elevated, away from walls and electronics.
Contact your ISP — If wired speeds are consistently below 80% of plan, request a line check or technician visit.

Note: Speed test results vary depending on the test server, time of day, and testing methodology. For the most reliable results, run multiple tests at different times using our Speed Test and average the results. Always test on Ethernet first to separate Wi-Fi issues from ISP issues. Check your IP and connection details at What Is My IP.

Understanding Your ISP Bill vs Actual Value

The cost-per-Mbps metric helps you evaluate whether your plan offers good value compared to alternatives:

Plan Speed	Typical Price	Cost/Mbps	Value Rating
25 Mbps	$30-40	$1.20-1.60	Average
100 Mbps	$50-70	$0.50-0.70	Good
300 Mbps	$60-80	$0.20-0.27	Very Good
500 Mbps	$70-90	$0.14-0.18	Excellent
1000 Mbps	$80-120	$0.08-0.12	Best Value

Higher-tier plans generally offer better value per Mbps. But only upgrade if you actually need the speed — use our Bandwidth Calculator or Streaming Bandwidth Calculator to determine your real needs.

When to Contact Your ISP

Contact your ISP if you consistently experience any of these issues after troubleshooting:

Wired speeds consistently below 70% of plan speed
Regular speed drops during specific times (possible congestion)
Intermittent disconnections or packet loss above 2%
Speed drops when using specific services (possible throttling)
Latency above 50 ms to nearby servers via our Latency Test

Key Takeaways

Getting 80-90% of your advertised plan speed is normal for most connection types.
Always test on wired Ethernet to separate Wi-Fi issues from ISP issues.
Fiber connections should deliver 90-100% of plan speed; cable 80-95%.
If speeds are consistently below 70%, troubleshoot or contact your ISP.
Cost-per-Mbps decreases with higher-tier plans — upgrade only if you need the bandwidth.
Use the Speed Test to measure your actual speeds before comparing.

Video: Are You Getting the Internet Speed You Pay For?

Related Tools & Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of my plan speed should I be getting?

On a wired connection, you should get 80-95% of your advertised plan speed for cable, and 90-100% for fiber. On Wi-Fi, expect 50-80% depending on your router, distance, and interference. If you're consistently below these ranges, investigate.

Why is my internet slower than what I pay for?

Common causes include Wi-Fi limitations, router bottlenecks, network congestion from other devices, ISP peak-hour congestion, and outdated equipment. Start by testing on Ethernet — if wired speed is fine, the issue is Wi-Fi. See our slow internet guide.

Can my ISP throttle my speed?

Yes, some ISPs throttle speeds for specific services (streaming, gaming, torrents) or during peak hours. This is called traffic shaping. Run an ISP throttling test by comparing speeds with and without a VPN to detect throttling.

How often should I test my internet speed?

Test at least once a month to track trends. If you notice issues, test multiple times per day at different hours. Use our Speed Test consistently for comparable results. Keep a log of results to present to your ISP if needed.

Does my router affect internet speed?

Absolutely. An older router may not support your plan's full speed, especially on Wi-Fi. A Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) router caps around 400-800 Mbps real-world, while Wi-Fi 6 can handle 1+ Gbps. Check your router's capabilities at 192.168.1.1.

Is upload speed as important as download?

For most browsing and streaming, download matters more. But upload is critical for video conferencing, live streaming, cloud backups, and gaming. Check both with our Speed Test. See our Video Conference Calculator for upload requirements.

About Tommy N.

Tommy is the founder of RouterHax and a network engineer with 10+ years of experience in home and enterprise networking. He specializes in router configuration, WiFi optimization, and network security. When not writing guides, he's testing the latest mesh WiFi systems and helping readers troubleshoot their home networks.