Compare FAST.com vs. M-Lab Speed Test

FAST.com offers an estimate of your current Internet speed, typically reflecting the performance you can expect from major Internet service providers that utilize servers located around the world. The download speed measurement is particularly important for users engaged in content consumption online, and our aim is to keep FAST.com as straightforward and efficient as possible. By clicking the "Show more info" button, users can access additional details such as their upload speed and connection latency, commonly referred to as ping. The platform distinguishes between two latency measurements: "unloaded" and "loaded" under traffic conditions, with the variation between these metrics known as "bufferbloat." To determine your Internet speed, FAST.com conducts a series of download and upload tests with Netflix servers, ultimately calculating the peak speed your Internet connection can achieve. This service is designed to evaluate Internet speeds globally and is accessible on any device equipped with a browser, including smartphones, laptops, and smart TVs. Additionally, this approach ensures that users receive a reliable assessment of their connection quality, aiding in better understanding their Internet performance.

M-Lab's Speed Test offers in-depth diagnostics of your broadband connection's performance through rapid assessments. Measurement Lab (M-Lab) boasts the largest repository of open Internet performance data worldwide. As a collaboration of research institutions, industry leaders, and public interest groups, M-Lab is committed to fostering an environment for transparent and verifiable measurements of network performance on a global scale. The measurement tools they provide are openly licensed and can be utilized by third parties to create their own client-side measurement applications and verify the underlying source. The data gathered is freely accessible to the public, enabling researchers and others to contribute to a shared pool of network measurement insights. With a distributed infrastructure and an extensive user network, M-Lab supports an open and accountable platform for assessing global network performance. This initiative is essential for public organizations, academic researchers, regulators, and businesses worldwide to gain insights into the Internet's overall health and functionality. Ultimately, the collaborative nature of M-Lab enriches the understanding of broadband performance and fosters innovation in measurement techniques.