Google Speed Test vs Ookla Speed Test

Speedtest.net is the best choice for testing your current internet speed because it will let you know what kind of connection your router has with the ISP, but Google's test only tells you about how fast data travels through a device (phone or laptop). Speedtest by Ookla - The Global Broadband Speed Test provides much more accurate results than most other choices and even includes a map to see where in the world different speeds are being achieved.

Two-speed test services are taking the internet by storm, but which is the better service, and is one better than the other?

Google recently released a web-based tool that's quickly becoming a fan favorite. Google Speed Test measures your download speeds from Google servers around the world and displays it on a nifty map. The user can then share it with his or her friends and on social media.

Google vs Ookla

You might think this sounds like another speed test service, but there's something special about Google's new tool. It also shows ping times to those "around the world" servers -- which no other free speed test does. Ookla , for example, has nothing like it (though they're planning to introduce something similar soon). So you get a speed test plus ping time to Google servers from around the world -- and it's free.

This is a great start, but here's something I've noticed that could make this even better: these results are based on only three servers near my location. How many more download speeds can you get just a little further away? Just how fast is Google in Norway or Singapore? Or Italy? Or Brazil? Sure, you might already know about downloading software over BitTorrent. But what if I told you there's an even faster way of doing it for each file type, without using any third-party software or special setup here on your computer.

And what if I said it doesn't cost anything at all, other than maybe some excess bandwidth use, and it will always try to mirror your download for faster speeds -- so even if you're not paying for a [huge line speed] connection, Google could still deliver an amazing experience. All this is true because all the software required is already built-in. I'm talking about downloading files from Google itself, using their Chrome browser. This post is a long-form copy/paste from my longer post on Reddit, and here's what we'll be covering:

Check Your Internet Speed First, you should know that these tests were conducted only about a foot away from my laptop with a wireless connection (~20 Mbps). That means they might vary on different hardware or connections. We'll get into more of that later, but first here's the problem: the only way to test your speed consistently is with a wired internet connection (because of the potential for interference from wireless routers). Most people don't have fiber-optic internet, so they are stuck using either cable or DSL. For these types of connections, there are two options for testing: