Internet Speed Test
Check your real download and upload speed, ping and jitter against servers in South Africa — then see exactly what your connection is good for.
Press GO to start. The test takes about 20–40 seconds.
Keeps the test to about 15–60 MB. Recommended on mobile data and capped LTE.
Your speed history
How the NetCheck speed test works
When you press GO, your browser connects to the nearest server on Cloudflare’s global network — for most South Africans that’s Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban. We then measure four things:
| Measurement | What it means | Good result |
|---|---|---|
| Download | How fast data reaches you: streaming, browsing, downloads. | 25 Mbps+ for a family; 50 Mbps+ for heavy use |
| Upload | How fast you send data: video calls, cloud backups, posting videos. | 5 Mbps+; 20 Mbps+ if you work from home |
| Ping (latency) | The delay for a round trip to the server, in milliseconds. | Under 20 ms on fibre; under 60 ms on LTE/5G |
| Jitter | How much the ping varies. High jitter makes calls choppy. | Under 15 ms |
We also measure ping under load — how much lag increases while your line is busy downloading or uploading. A big jump (called bufferbloat) explains why video calls break up when someone else starts streaming. Learn more in our ping, jitter and latency guide.
What is a good internet speed in South Africa?
There’s no single answer — it depends on how many people and devices share the connection. As a rough guide:
| Download speed | Typically enough for |
|---|---|
| Under 10 Mbps | One person: browsing, WhatsApp, email and HD video on one screen. |
| 10–25 Mbps | A couple or small family: HD streaming, video calls and social media. |
| 25–50 Mbps | A family: a 4K stream plus calls, gaming and homework at the same time. |
| 50–100 Mbps | Busy households, working from home, big game downloads. |
| 100 Mbps+ | Many users and devices, creators uploading large files, multiple 4K screens. |
Not sure what to buy? Use our “How much speed do I need?” calculator.
Why your result may be lower than your package
- Wi-Fi. The most common cause. Walls, distance and older devices can cut speed by half or more. Test next to the router or with a network cable to see your true line speed.
- Other people using the connection. Streaming, game updates and photo backups on other devices share the same line.
- Your device. Older phones and laptops, or Wi-Fi adapters that only support 2.4 GHz, can’t reach high speeds.
- Time of day. Evenings are peak time, especially on LTE and 5G towers.
- VPNs. A VPN routes your traffic through another server, often overseas, which slows things down.
- Router or line problems. If you’re slow even on a cable, restart the router and fibre box, then run our diagnosis.
Tips for an accurate test
- Pause downloads, streaming and backups on other devices.
- Use a network cable, or stand within a few metres of the router.
- Close other browser tabs and apps.
- Test three times at different times of day and compare — your history is saved below the test.
More detail: How to run an accurate speed test.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this speed test?
Very accurate for what it measures: the speed between your device and the nearest Cloudflare server, usually in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban. We use several file sizes and take a high percentile of the results, which avoids short spikes and slow starts. Your result can still differ from other tests that use different servers, and Wi-Fi often makes results lower than your package speed.
Why is my upload speed lower than my download speed?
Many packages are “asymmetrical” — for example 50 Mbps down and 25 Mbps up, or LTE plans where upload is far lower. Most home use is downloading, so providers allocate more capacity that way. If your package is symmetrical (e.g. 100/100 Mbps) and upload is much lower, test with a cable and contact your provider.
How much data does a speed test use?
It depends on your speed, because the test sends bigger files to faster connections. On a 20 Mbps line a full test uses roughly 50–100 MB; on 500 Mbps+ fibre it can be several hundred MB. With Data saver on, tests use roughly 15–60 MB at most — and far less on slower connections. Each result shows the data used.
What’s the difference between Mbps and MB/s?
Internet speeds are sold in megabits per second (Mbps). File sizes are shown in megabytes (MB). There are 8 bits in a byte, so 100 Mbps downloads about 12.5 MB every second. See our Mbps vs MB/s guide and download-time calculator.
Does this work on LTE, 5G and mobile data?
Yes. It works on any connection and any modern browser. On mobile networks, results change with signal strength and how busy the tower is — test at different times of day for a fair picture.
Is my speed test result stored?
Your results are saved only in your own browser so you can see your history. We don’t store them on our servers. The test traffic itself goes to Cloudflare’s speed-test servers. See our privacy policy.
