Both a speedy and stable internet connection and solid Wi-Fi network are crucial for households in the age of remote work and media streaming. Subpar performance could lead to dropped video calls and glitchy gameplay. There are a number of apps on the market to help people assess the wireless network in their home or their favorite coffee shop. Without further ado, here are the five of the best free solutions to test network performance, locate nearby connectivity and more.
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Best Wi-Fi apps to test network performance
Meteor Wi-Fi speed test
The Meteor Wi-Fi Speed Test app will perform a speedy network test and then list your download, upload and ping performance. The app also allows you to test anticipated performance for a number of specific apps including YouTube, Slack, Facetime, Google Maps, Netflix and more. (Available on the App Store and Google Play.)
Speed test by Ookla
The Speedtest by Ookla is one of the more popular Wi-Fi test apps on the market with nearly 10,000 ratings on the App Store. Once downloaded, people can use the app to test network speed, streaming performance and more. The in-app hamburger provides access to past performance results listing previous download and upload speeds as well as information related to ping, jitter and packet loss. (Available on the App Store and Google Play.)
FAST Speed Test
The FAST Speed Test is owned by Netflix. It’s available as an app or at Fast.com. The FAST Speed Test is ranked 3.9 out of five stars on Apple’s App Store and 4.4 stars on Google Play. Both the app and web versions have a minimalist interface, which is great for quickly determining your network speed without being bombarded by ads, but it lacks the advanced network testing feature offered by other speed test apps. (Available on the App Store and Google Play.)
Internet Speed Test Speedcheck
The Internet Speed Test Speedcheck app features a speedy Wi-Fi speed test feature with a no-frills user interface. After the test, the results page will illustrate anticipated performance for email, browsing, gaming, streaming and video chat using a five-point rating system.
The app also makes it easy to peruse past speed tests to gauge performance history as usage and connectivity fluctuations over time. The bottom of the app includes a “Wi-Fi Finder” button, but you will need to install a separate app to use this feature. (Available on the App Store and Google Play.)
SpeedTest Master
The SpeedTest Master app performs a fast download and upload network test and displays this information as well as details related to jitter and packet loss. The app also features an extensive SpeedTest FAQ page in-app to help people boost their Wi-Fi signal and more. The tools feature also includes a Wi-Fi detector to locate nearby connectivity. (Available on the App Store and Google Play.)
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V-SPEED Speed Test
The V-SPEED Speed Test app offers a speedy Wi-Fi test with a vivid and easily navigable user interface to boot. Similar to other apps on this list, V-SPEED Speed Test gages network performance and stores past results. The app also makes it easy to share its Wi-Fi test results on social media for those so inclined. (Available on the App Store and Google Play.)