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    Don't Overpay for Speed You Won't Use

    Tell us what you actually do online and we'll calculate the speed you really need. Most homes pay for a lot more than they use.

    What do you do online?

    People doing email & basic browsing
    1
    HD streams at the same time (Netflix, Hulu)
    0
    4K streams at the same time
    0
    People on video calls (Zoom, FaceTime)
    0
    Smart home devices (Nest, Alexa, cameras)
    0
    Students online (homework, classes)
    0
    Online gaming (PlayStation/Xbox/Switch)
    Live streaming (Twitch/YouTube broadcaster)
    Work from home (heavy uploads, calls)
    Cloud backup runs in the background

    Your recommended speed

    You need about

    6 Mbps

    download speed (with 20% headroom)

    Match: Basic 50–100 Mbps

    Most cable and DSL starter plans cover this. Don't pay for more than you need.

    How we got there:

    Email & web browsing (1 person)5 Mbps
    + 20% headroom1 Mbps
    Total recommended6 Mbps

    What these terms mean

    What is Mbps?

    Megabits per second — how fast data can flow into your home. 100 Mbps means you can pull about 100 million bits of data per second. A 4K Netflix show needs about 25 Mbps, an HD show about 5 Mbps.

    Why upload speed matters

    Most plans show download speed first. Upload speed matters for video calls, sending photos, and cloud backups. Cable plans often have low upload (10–35 Mbps). Fiber plans usually match upload to download.

    Why you probably don't need gigabit

    Most home Wi-Fi tops out at 200–500 Mbps in real-world conditions. Paying for 1 Gbps when your devices can only use 300 Mbps is paying for speed you literally can't receive.

    Ping and latency for gaming

    For gaming, low ping (under 50ms) matters more than raw speed. Fiber and cable both have decent ping. Satellite internet has very high ping — bad for gaming.

    Quick Tip

    Before you switch plans, run a real-world speed test from a few rooms in your house. If you're already getting more than the speed you need, the upgrade won't change anything you actually do.

    FCC broadband speed guide
    How Much Internet Speed Do I Need? — Find the Right Plan | TekSure