Internet Speed Plan Calculator
Tell us how your household uses the internet and we will recommend the right Mbps range for your plan.
Your household usage
4K streaming: 25 Mbps per screen. HD streaming: 5 Mbps per screen. Video calls: 3 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload per participant. Gaming: 6 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload per device. Smart home: 1 Mbps per device. We add a 20% overhead buffer, then round up to a practical plan tier. Upload is calculated separately from the sum of video call and gaming upload requirements plus a base of 5 Mbps.
Internet speed tiers explained
| Tier | Download | Upload | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 25 Mbps | 5 Mbps | 1-2 users, light browsing and occasional streaming |
| Standard | 50-100 Mbps | 10-20 Mbps | 3-4 users, HD streaming, video calls |
| Performance | 200-500 Mbps | 20-50 Mbps | 5+ users, 4K streaming, online gaming |
| Premium | 1 Gbps+ | 100+ Mbps | Large households, home offices, fast large downloads |
What each activity uses
These are the recommended speeds per device for a smooth experience.
| Activity | Download (per device) | Upload (per device) |
|---|---|---|
| Web browsing and email | 1-3 Mbps | 1 Mbps |
| Netflix or YouTube HD (1080p) | 5 Mbps | N/A |
| Netflix or YouTube 4K | 25 Mbps | N/A |
| HD video call (Zoom, Teams) | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps |
| Online gaming (casual) | 3-6 Mbps | 1-3 Mbps |
| Smart home device (camera, hub) | 1-5 Mbps | 1-4 Mbps |
| Music streaming | 0.1 Mbps | N/A |
| Remote desktop (1080p) | 5-10 Mbps | 2-5 Mbps |
How to lower your speed bill without losing performance
Common questions
In most cases, no. 25 Mbps is the FCC's minimum broadband definition, but a family of four using HD or 4K streaming, video calls, and general browsing simultaneously can easily exceed this. One 4K stream alone uses 25 Mbps. For a family of four, 100-200 Mbps provides a comfortable buffer.
Gigabit internet is rarely a necessity for residential use. If you have a large household with many simultaneous 4K streams, work from home with large file transfers, or simply want headroom so speeds never feel slow, gigabit is convenient. For most households of up to five people, 200-500 Mbps is plenty.
ISPs advertise maximum speeds, not guaranteed speeds. Your actual speed depends on network congestion, the quality of the line to your home, your modem and router hardware, and whether you are testing over Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Testing over a wired connection at off-peak hours gives the most accurate comparison to your plan speed. Use the speed result explainer to interpret your numbers.
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