Speedtest by Ookla

Speedtest by Ookla Review: Detailed Numbers, Paid For With Your Data

What one free test measures across 15,000+ servers

Each test starts on a nearby server with a low ping, and you can pick another server to compare. Ookla's methodology guide says the engine opens connections to several servers at once and scales them until the line is saturated, which lets it measure links up to 10 Gbps; a single-connection mode simulates one file download instead. Ping is reported three times, idle, during download and during upload, next to jitter and packet loss. Four Experience Ratings then grade web browsing, gaming, video streaming and video calls on a 1–5 dot scale. Results sync across devices through a free Speedtest account, with Google and Apple sign-in added in September 2025.

Video Test and Speedtest Maps: what they show and where they stop

The Video Test plays a short clip in a real adaptive-bitrate player and reports the highest resolution your network sustained, the load time and any buffering. It runs only in the iOS and Android apps, not on Speedtest.net or the desktop apps. If the video result looks fine but a service still fails, the report offers a jump to Downdetector, which since a May 2026 update also lists the top four trending outages during a test. The coverage maps color each area by its best technology: blue for 5G, teal for LTE, yellow for 2G/3G and red for no coverage, refreshed weekly. That data comes from users who allow background checks of coverage, quality and location even when the app is closed, though anyone can browse the maps without contributing.

The $0.99 ad removal, the retired VPN and a shrinking free tier

Tests are free because the app carries ads, which Ookla sells through direct deals and through networks such as Google AdSense. Permanent ad removal is a one-time $0.99 purchase in the US App Store, and Ookla's help center says it covers the core speed-testing features. Google Play lists in-app items from $0.99 to $9.99. Two 2026 updates trimmed the free package: the built-in VPN was shut down in April, and from June new accounts can save 5 Downdetector favorites instead of the 20 allowed since mid-2025. The September 2026 release notes on both stores mention support for upcoming pro features, with no details or price announced. Prices are regional and may change.

Where test results and location data go after you tap Go

Google Play's Data safety form says the app shares approximate and precise location and device IDs with other companies for analytics and advertising, with location collection marked optional. Apple's label lists location, identifiers and usage data as used to track you. Ookla's privacy policy, effective July 30, 2026, adds that it collects precise location to complete a test, licenses test results to business customers, and for some ISPs and carriers provides full IP addresses and device identifiers on request. Background scanning can be switched off in the app's settings or coverage-map screen, and data sales for targeted ads can be refused through Ookla's privacy portal. Since June 17, 2026, Ookla has belonged to Accenture, which cited more than 1,000 attributes captured per test.