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And while 15 Mbps might be enough for watching Netflix, remember that that's enough internet speed for only watching Netflix. So you'll need faster speed to cover any other connected devices or internet users in your home.
We recommend grabbing at least 50 Mbps download speeds if it's just you and maybe one other person using the internet. As for families, we think 100 Mbps or more download speed is better.
That's because you'll likely have other devices (like cell phones and home security systems) using the internet connection at the same time you're streaming Netflix. Not to mention other people too. The last thing you want is for your home security camera to lag out or for your kiddo's Netflix app playing Paw Patrol to buffer, right?
We recommend an internet plan with at least 50 Mbps download speeds if you enjoy streaming Netflix. And maybe even higher if you want HD streaming. Typically, the best internet speed for streaming video is around that speed, because this ensures that your connected devices and one other person can get online and not flip a table over maddeningly slow internet speeds while you watch Schitt's Creek.
Xfinity is available almost nationwide, and its prices are competitive. You'll easily find a well-priced 100 Mbps plan, like the Connect More plan. Just note that Xfinity plan names and prices change depending on where you live.
Its fiber network and up to 2300 Mbps download speeds make Verizon Fios Home Internet a shoo-in. Not to mention its symmetrical upload speed and download speed. But what really makes this ISP great is its reputation for amazing customer service.
CenturyLink offers unlimited data on all of its internet plans, which earns it bonus points when it comes to budget friendliness due to the lack of monthly overage fees. Its Fiber Internet plan is one of the cheapest gig-speed plans out there, perfect for streaming Netflix with your extended family or multiple roommates. Plus, your upload speed and download speed can reach up to 940 Mbps, which is pretty high compared to most internet service providers.
4K resolution gives you images in awe-inspiring detail, enhancing your experience for the sweeping cinematic grit of All Quiet on the Western Front or the lush splendor of a nature docuseries like Our Great National Parks. Nothing beats it, especially when you have a big screen.
You basically need supercharged internet to keep a 4K stream flowing without it getting bogged down by the spinning wheel of death. But you can bulk up your broadband speed with a fiber internet plan. Fiber gives you the fastest and most reliable type of internet connection, and even baseline plans get you super-smooth speeds.
Netflix has clear recommendations for speed based on the quality of video you want. Just know that the speeds listed are for streaming on a single device, so if multiple devices on your network are watching Netflix at the same time, you need enough speed to handle all those streams at once.
Some types of internet connections can experience slowdown at peak-use hours. Fast internet connections also need fast Wi-Fi routers that can handle multiple devices streaming at the same time. Watching a movie on Netflix uses more bandwidth than surfing the web, Voice over IP, or even online gaming. As such, one of the most basic reasons to upgrade your internet service is to make sure that the video you stream has a crisp, clear picture and buttery-smooth playback.
Peter Christiansen writes about satellite internet, rural connectivity, livestreaming, and parental controls for HighSpeedInternet.com. Peter holds a PhD in communication from the University of Utah and has been working in tech for over 15 years as a computer programmer, game developer, filmmaker, and writer. His writing has been praised by outlets like Wired, Digital Humanities Now, and the New Statesman.
Cara Haynes has been editing and writing in the digital space for seven years, and she's edited all things internet for HighSpeedInternet.com for five years. She graduated with a BA in English and a minor in editing from Brigham Young University. When she's not editing, she makes tech accessible through her freelance writing for brands like Pluralsight. She believes no one should feel lost in internet land and that a good internet connection significantly extends your life span.
Have you ever enjoyed blazing speeds on your laptop, phone or tablet and then at other times wondered why your connection was so slow? Maybe an online game takes longer to load when someone else in your home starts a video call or perhaps your streaming devices just keep buffering right when you get to the best part of a movie on Netflix.
"To select the best services or package for your usage, you must understand your bandwidth needs," said Lincoln Lavoie, a senior engineer of broadband technologies at the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory.
"This [bandwidth] depends more on the applications being used (streaming is largely a downstream application), but as users start doing more things like video calls and movie sharing, upload also becomes very important," Lavoie told Tom's Guide.
As the name suggests, gigabit speed offers 1,000 Mbps or 1 Gbps which is an exponential increase over the 20-to-200 Mbps plans that are generally considered high-speed broadband. Check out our article about gig-speed internet for a full explanation on what gigabit internet plans offer, what they cost and what they allow you to do.
This assumes you only stream video to a single device at a time. If there is more than one TV in your home, or you want to watch in the living room while someone else watches something in the bedroom, then your bandwidth needs will grow accordingly.
Although there's a debate over how much internet speed the average home customer needs, it's clear that ISPs benefit from your desire for faster internet speed. The ISPs can also provide some insight into how much speed you really need by listing how many devices can connect to the network at any given time.
Comcast Xfinity, a prominent ISP in the U.S., has varying prices based on speed. If you listen to the above engineer, you can probably get away with the company's cheapest package, which offers download speeds of up to 100 Mbps.
Xfinity also delivers a connection with up to 200-Mbps download speeds for $55 per month. According to the company, that should be enough to accommodate up to eight devices simultaneously connecting to the internet.
There's even a 2-Gbps Xfinity plan for $300 per month with a two-year agreement. "Unlimited devices" should be able to connect to the web at that speed, the company says. But if you want more speed and a little less cost, consider Xfinity's 1-Gbps option that starts at $80 per month.
In many cases, choosing your internet connection speed means weighing how much you're hoping to get versus how much you're willing to pay. However, you need to be ready for the possibility that you won't get what you want.
Most ISPs offer internet packages with an important caveat: "up to." In other words, for the average residential internet customer, ISPs aren't guaranteeing a certain download or upload speed. So, if you're paying for a 25-Mbps package, you may get that speed (if not more) at times. But it's also possible that you'll get less.
Even if your ISP is delivering the speeds you want, the number of devices simultaneously connecting to your network could give you some trouble that could ultimately slow down your connection. With everything from laptops and smartphones to TVs and connected appliances relying on a steady stream of data, it's easy to underestimate your needs.
How can you tell if your network needs a boost? Lavoie said to look for "quality of experience" metrics, including load times and the frequency of connectivity glitches and connection drop-outs. It's also important to use online speed-check tools, like the aforementioned Fast.com or others, to see at what speed you start to experience problems.
Over on its support forums, Microsoft offers a handy reference document to help you know how fast your internet speeds should be to accommodate online play. According to the document, you'll want a download speed of 3 Mbps or better and an upload speed of 0.5 Mbps or better. Your ping rate (a measure of the lag your internet connection causes in online gaming) should also be less than 150 milliseconds.
When it's time to stream games between friends on Twitch, you'll need even faster connectivity, according to Microsoft and other game companies. According to Twitch's broadcasting guidelines, you'll need a bitrate of at least 2.5 to 4 Mbps to play at 720p and 30 frames per second. It then goes up to 3.5 to 5 Mbps for 720p at 60 fps.
The good news is that internet speeds are improving. A study from the popular internet speed-testing company Ookla found that the average download speed increased by 19.6% for fixed home broadband connections between 2019 and 2020.
Gigabit speed connections, once limited to specific neighborhoods in only the largest cities, is now more widely available than ever. According to the The Internet & Television Association, gigabit service is available to more than 80% of households in the United States, with gigabit speed connections offered in more than 40 states.
Regularly checking your connection speeds will not only give you a good idea of whether you're getting the services you pay for, but also how well-suited your connection is for uses like streaming in 4K or online gaming.
If it's just streaming and web surfing you're after, you likely won't need much. But if you're looking to stream 4K video, play online games and connect multiple devices, you'll need more bandwidth, for which you'll have to pay more.
What you pay for may not be what you get. You should periodically analyze your network speeds to see what's happening during slowdown or connectivity loss, as well as regular usage. If you aren't seeing the speeds you're paying for, it may be time to call your internet service provider.
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