NBN Speed Test Australia — Measure Your Real Connection Speed

⚡ Run Your Speed Test — Free

Measure your download, upload, ping and jitter in seconds — no account, no app, powered by Cloudflare’s global edge network. The test starts automatically; press Test Again to re-run.

Why Test Your NBN Speed?

NBN plans come with advertised speed ranges, but real-world performance varies significantly based on your location, network congestion, and plan tier. Testing your speed regularly helps you:

• Verify you're receiving the speeds promised by your provider
• Identify problems before they impact your work or streaming
• Troubleshoot connection issues with concrete data
• Make informed decisions about upgrading your plan

What Does SpeedTrest Measure?

Our NBN speed test measures four key metrics that define your connection quality:

1. Download Speed (Mbps): How fast you can pull data from the internet. Critical for streaming, browsing, and downloading files.
2. Upload Speed (Mbps): How fast you can send data to the internet. Essential for video calls, uploading files, and content creation.
3. Ping (ms): The time it takes for data to travel from your device to a server and back. Lower is better for gaming and real-time applications.
4. Jitter (ms): Variation in ping over time. High jitter causes lag spikes and poor call quality.

All measurements are taken from Cloudflare's global server network, ensuring reliable, ISP-independent results.

NBN Speed Tiers in Australia

The NBN offers several speed tiers. Here's what typical real-world performance looks like across major Australian ISPs:

NBN Plan	Advertised Download	Typical Real Download	Advertised Upload	Typical Real Upload
NBN 12	12 Mbps	10–11 Mbps	1 Mbps	0.8–1 Mbps
NBN 25	25 Mbps	20–24 Mbps	5 Mbps	3–4 Mbps
NBN 50	50 Mbps	45–49 Mbps	20 Mbps	15–18 Mbps
NBN 100	100 Mbps	90–98 Mbps	40 Mbps	35–38 Mbps
NBN 250	250 Mbps	230–245 Mbps	20 Mbps	18–20 Mbps

Note: These are typical ranges observed on FTTP connections (Fibre to the Premise). FTTN and HFC connections may perform lower, especially during peak hours.

How to Run Your NBN Speed Test

Testing your NBN speed takes less than one minute:

1. Open SpeedTrest in your browser (no app download required)
2. Click the "Run Speed Test" button
3. Wait for the test to complete—you'll see real-time results for download, upload, ping, and jitter
4. Compare your results against your NBN plan's advertised speeds

For the most accurate results, connect via Ethernet cable if possible, close background apps, and test during different times of day to identify congestion patterns.

What Causes Slow NBN Speeds?

If your NBN test results fall below expectations, common culprits include:

• Network congestion: Peak hours (7–10 PM) often see slower speeds due to high usage
• WiFi interference: Distance from your router, walls, and other wireless devices reduce signal strength
• Modem or router issues: Outdated equipment or configuration problems limit throughput
• Connection type: FTTN (Fibre to the Node) naturally delivers lower speeds than FTTP
• ISP throttling: Some providers deprioritise traffic during peak times
• Device problems: Malware or background software consuming bandwidth

Is Your Speed Plan Right for You?

Use your SpeedTrest results to evaluate whether your current NBN plan meets your needs:

• Browsing and email: 12–25 Mbps is sufficient
• Streaming HD video: 25–50 Mbps recommended
• 4K streaming: 50+ Mbps recommended
• Online gaming: 25+ Mbps with low ping (<50 ms)
• Remote work with video calls: 50+ Mbps download, 5+ Mbps upload
• Heavy uploading or content creation: 100+ Mbps with high upload speeds (20+ Mbps)

Track Your Speed Over Time

Run your NBN speed test regularly—weekly or monthly—to establish baseline performance and detect trends. If speeds consistently drop, it may indicate a network problem worth reporting to your ISP. SpeedTrest's results are timestamped, making it easy to build a performance history.

See also: Why is my internet slow? · What is a good internet speed?