For the average household of 2-4 people, 100Mbps is plenty of internet speed for basic activities, like streaming Netflix, gaming, and Zooming into a work meeting. That said, there are plenty of reasons you might want even faster internet, like 300, 500, or even 1000Mbps.
We'll go over everything you need to know about internet speeds, including some useful charts that show how much bandwidth everyday activities require. With this info, you can find an internet plan that perfectly fits your lifestyle.
What is a good internet speed?
For the average household, a good internet download speed generally falls between 100Mbps and 200Mbps (megabits per second). This range should provide a reliable online experience for most common activities, like web browsing, email, social media, and streaming high-definition (HD) video.
We're not the only ones saying this is a good range of internet speeds: The FCC recently raised its benchmark for high-speed fixed broadband internet to 100Mbps download speeds and 20Mbps upload speeds, up from a mere 25Mbps previously.
While some people can make do with internet speeds below that benchmark (think a household with just 1-2 people), we wouldn't recommend it. In fact, we'd generally recommend going for higher speeds than you think you need because, as technology progresses, so do bandwidth needs. Also, because of internet equipment limitations, network congestion, and other factors, many people see lower speeds than those promised by their internet service provider (ISP).
Here are some common internet activities and the average recommended download speeds required for a smooth experience.
How many Mbps is enough?
| Number of people | Basic browsing & email | Streaming music | Streaming SD video | Streaming HD video | Online gaming | Streaming 4K video | Multiple devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | 25Mbps | 25Mbps | 25Mbps | 50Mbps | 25Mbps | 50Mbps | 100Mbps |
| 3-4 | 50Mbps | 50Mbps | 50Mbps | 100Mbps | 50Mbps | 100Mbps | 200Mbps |
| 5-7 | 100Mbps | 50Mbps | 50Mbps | 100Mbps | 50Mbps | 100Mbps | 200Mbps |
| 8+ | 100Mbps | 50Mbps | 50Mbps | 100Mbps | 50Mbps | 200Mbps | 300+ Mbps |
What's a slow internet speed?
In this day and age, internet speeds below 25Mbps are considered quite slow. When you start getting into the 5-10Mbps range, you could start to have issues with basic tasks, like streaming an HD movie.
But speed is always relative. If you have 10 different devices using the internet in your house at one time, then you might be wondering, "Is 100Mbps fast enough?" You also need to consider your internet upload speeds, which heavily impact activities like gaming, video conferencing, and uploading files. We'll talk more about upload and download speeds below.
Check your current internet speed
Before determining what speed you need, it's important to benchmark what speed you have—especially if it's no longer serving your needs. Take a quick speed test to see what you're currently getting.
How much internet speed do I need?
Most households need internet speeds of at least 100Mbps. The internet speed you need depends on what you do online, and how many people are in your household. We'll get into specifics per activity, but remember that these activities add up the more you multitask and the more people you have using your internet simultaneously.
Internet speed for working from home: 100Mbps
The minimum internet speed for those who are working from home is 100Mbps. Anything less than that, and you risk slow document uploads and a choppy connection during an important meeting.
It's not that any particular task like video conferencing (~3Mbps) or downloading files (~10Mbps) uses that much internet speed individually. It's that all of these actions add up. When you're working from home, you want to be able to keep a million tabs open, watch important videos, and multitask during a meeting without fear of a slow connection.
Internet speed for streaming video: 25-50Mbps
Streaming high-quality video on your TV or computer requires internet speeds of at least 25Mbps, but with 4K video gaining in popularity, we'd recommend even more.
Again, we think it's probably worth looking into at least the 50-100Mbps range. This is especially true if you will be watching your favorite Netflix show while on mute in a Zoom (or doing some other multitasking that doesn't involve being a bad employee).
If you don't need 4K-quality video, you only need about 5Mbps for watching HD video and 3Mbps for standard video. You can find options in our guide to the best internet providers for streaming.
Listening to music: 1-20Mbps
To stream music online, you'll typically be fine with speeds of just 1Mbps. However, some music apps like Spotify allow listening to lossless audio that uses a larger file size than a song with standard-quality digital audio. For lossless audio, you'll need internet speeds anywhere between 7–20Mbps.
If you only listen to music while on the internet, you likely don't need to surpass the recommended minimum speeds. However, because listening to music is often done while doing other tasks, we'd go with a minimum recommendation of 25Mbps.
Internet speed for gaming: 5-25Mbps
To game on the internet you need internet speeds of 5-25Mbps. Online gaming doesn't require a ton of raw speed. Some gamers only require about 5Mbps, if they are not multitasking. What's often more important to gamers is something called latency.
Latency is a measure of how reactive your internet is. It's the time between sending a request for data and getting that data back. In gaming, it's the time between taking action, like pressing a key to attack an opponent and having that action happen in the game. This process happens within milliseconds. The shorter your latency time, the more competitive you can be in your online game.
Bad latency can ruin your gaming experience, which is why satellite internet has yet to become a viable option for gaming, as it takes a long time for a signal to travel to space and back. It's not a hard rule, but it is largely true that the faster the bandwidth, the better the latency.
Still, the minimum will probably not cut it for most gamers when talking about internet speeds. They want the best experience possible and should shoot for at least 50Mbps internet for a single gamer, or higher for multi-player households.
General web browsing: 5Mbps
You only need about 3-5Mbps for most general web browsing. However, because people often browse while other tasks take up bandwidth, we'd go with at least 25Mbps for a single person household or 50Mbps for multiple people.
Social media: 5Mbps
At a minimum, you need about 5Mbps to browse through social media. Scrolling through social media requires a bit more speed than general browsing. Think of all the videos your friends post on Facebook and Instagram. TikTok is nothing but short videos. To provide room for multitasking and connecting other devices, we still think you're better off with 25-50Mbps.
And if you're asking what speed of internet is best for social media, it's very possible that you're interested in uploading your own content or live streaming. This means you'll want to look into internet services that offer faster upload speeds, like fiber internet.
Calculating your household's internet needs
You can look at the information above and do some math to determine the minimum speeds you need for choosing a home internet plan. However, doing math may not be your thing. We get it!
The general benchmark for having fast internet in a household is 100+ Mbps. But that can vary greatly depending on how big your household is. This chart can help you understand what range of internet speed you might want for your household.
As we've stated before, we generally recommend going higher rather than lower with internet speeds. If you're debating between 100Mbps and 200Mbps, go with the 200Mbps plan.
What about gigabit internet?
The marketing teams at the big ISPs are pushing gigabit (1Gbps or 1,000Mbps) home internet more than ever before. As you've seen here, gigabit internet is way more than the average household needs. Most homes with residential gigabit internet are likely overpaying for bandwidth they don't even use. However, if you've got four or more seriously online people in your household, it could be the perfect fit.
What do Mbps and Gbps mean?
Mbps and Gbps stand for "megabits per second" and "gigabits per second." It's the internet's version of miles per hour.
A bit is the smallest unit of data or computer information. A megabit (Mb) is 1,000 bits, and a gigabit (Gb) is 1,000 megabits. When you see internet speeds at 40Mbps, that means that data can be transferred at 40,000 bits per second.
"Bits" are different from "bytes." Bytes are measurements of data file sizes and are referred to with an all-capital acronym, like MB for megabyte and GB for gigabyte. The simplest way to differentiate between bits and bytes is to think of bits as being moved (speed) and bytes as being stored (data).
Upload speeds vs. download speeds
Download speed is how fast we receive data, and upload speed is how fast we send it out. When you hear or see internet service providers talking about internet speeds, they typically focus on download speeds and rarely advertise their upload speeds.
The average user's internet plan provides adequate upload speeds, though live streamers, like gamers on Twitch, need faster upload speeds than the average person. Still, even they don't typically need more than about 5-10Mbps.
Since uploading doesn't have to be as fast as downloading, many ISPs reserve most of their bandwidth for downloading. Chances are your internet speeds are much faster for download than they are for upload, unless you have fiber internet, which delivers symmetrical downloads and uploads.
Dealing with slow internet?
If your internet is slower than you expect, there are steps you can take to improve it. Check out our guide on troubleshooting slow internet.
Types of internet connections and speeds
Fiber internet
Fiber is the current king of residential internet. It is known for fast speeds and reliability. With speeds peaking at 2Gbps, it's the fastest internet you can get for your home. It is also the only type of internet that provides symmetrical speeds, meaning download and upload speeds are about the same (though it often still skews a little more towards download, but not as dramatically as other types of internet).
Who it's for: Fiber internet is ideal for medium-to-large households with multiple people browsing, gaming, or working from home at the same time. For people who need ultra-low latency or high upload speeds for uploading big files, fiber is a must.
|
AT&T
Internet 300 (Fiber 300Mbps)
$35/mo
Price after Autopay & Paperless bill discount. Plus taxes & fees. Limited availability. May not be available in your area.
|
|
Xfinity
1.2 Gig
$100/mo
5 year price guarantee
|
|
Frontier
Fiber 500 Internet
$29.99/mo
with AutoPay
|
|
Kinetic
100 Mbps
$24.99/mo
for 12 months. This advertised price includes a $5.00 credit for AutoPay enrollment.
|
|
Verizon Fios
myPlan + 2 Gig
$94.99/mo
with AutoPay and any Verizon mobile phone plan
+ $99 Upfront
|
Cable internet
Cable internet is a stalwart of residential internet, with speeds topping off at 1Gbps in some areas. Because it is built off of the same infrastructure as cable TV, it is more readily available than fiber, which requires its own separate infrastructure. However, cable internet speeds can sometimes be unreliable, and you may find yourself fighting with neighbors for bandwidth at times.
Who it's for: Cable is a great and widely available option for households of all sizes, but especially those that need high download speeds for streaming movies and gaming.
|
Xfinity
300 Mbps
$40/mo
5 year price guarantee
|
|
Spectrum
Internet Advantage
$40/mo
($30 plan + $10 modem)
for 1 year
+ $20 Upfront
|
|
WOW!
Internet 300
$20/mo
with AutoPay
+ $10 Upfront
|
|
Optimum
300 Mbps Internet
$25/mo
with $10/month eligible Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas.
|
|
Mediacom
Internet 1 Gig
$50/mo
for 3 years. Available in select locations.
+ $25 Upfront
|
Satellite internet
Historically, satellite internet has been the worst option for broadband home internet. It's expensive, has restrictive data usage limits, and is the slowest connection. However, this is changing, as providers like Starlink can produce speeds reaching up to 500Mbps—while also improving latency.
In our testing, we found Starlink to be a reliable and fast option. As our very own Max McCaskill writes: "I've had Starlink as my home internet service in rural North Carolina for three years. It's completely upgraded my internet experience. My download speeds average around 150Mbps and I regularly use it for remote work, PC gaming, and streaming."
Who it's for: Satellite internet is the perfect solution for people who live in rural, hard to reach locations but still need fast internet. It can also be ideal for those who live on the move—in RVs, boats, or vans.
|
Starlink
Residential 100 Mbps
$55/mo
Available in select locations
+ $369 Upfront
|
|
Hughesnet
Select
$64.98/mo
($49.99 plan + $14.99 modem)
for 12 months. Service plan availability varies based on geographic area. All plans are subject to the Hughesnet Subscriber Agreement.
+ $99 Upfront
|
|
Viasat
Viasat Essentials
$71.22/mo
for 12 months. Contract required.
|
5G home internet
5G home internet (sometimes called wireless internet or mobile broadband) is a convenient option as it doesn't require a physical connection or cables to deliver internet access. Plans have become widely available from big mobile carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon. However, a lot of your experience will depend on factors like proximity to a 5G tower and the weather. In our testing of T-Mobile 5G home internet in one area, we saw average download speeds of 100 Mbps.
Those on existing T-Mobile or Verizon cellular plans should definitely look into these services. One of our writers interviewed her neighbor, Zack, who pays just $145/month for his wireless and internet service. That includes a four-line family plan on T-Mobile, his internet service, two auto-pay discounts, and all taxes and fees.
Who it's for: 5G home internet is a great solution for small-to-medium households in urban areas with strong 5G cellular coverage. It's an especially good deal for people who are already with T-Mobile or Verizon.
|
Verizon
myPlan + 5G Home
$35/mo
with AutoPay and any Verizon mobile phone plan
|
|
T-Mobile
Rely Internet
$50/mo
5 year price guarantee. With AutoPay. Guarantee exclusions like taxes and fees apply.
+ $35 Upfront
|
|
Mint Mobile
12 Month Home MINTernet
$40/mo
$480.00 upfront payment for 12 months
|
|
NOW
100/10 Mbps
$30/mo
|
|
AT&T
Internet Air
$48/mo
Paperless billing required. Plus taxes & fees. Limited availability. May not be available in your area.
|
DSL internet
DSL uses phone lines to deliver broadband internet. Its speeds can rival cable, reaching as high as 400Mbps. However, reliability is an issue with DSL, especially for those who live further away from their ISP's hub. The further the distance, the slower the speeds get. DSL is largely being phased out for residential internet by most providers, the most prominent of which has been AT&T.
Who it's for: Most companies have phased out their DSL plans. If you're still on a DSL plan, it's recommended that you look for another option—if fiber or cable aren't available near you, satellite and 5G internet have significantly improved and should be good options. However, in some very rural areas, it may still be the best option if available.
|
CenturyLink
Simply Unlimited 40 Mbps
$55/mo
Available in select locations. Paperless billing required.
+ $25 Upfront
|
Finding the fastest internet in your area
Internet plans are hyper-local, meaning that options, prices, providers, and speeds vary depending on your zip code. What is available in one city might not be available in the next. You can check out our guides on who has the best internet speed and which providers have the fastest internet for a general idea of the speeds you can expect from different ISPs. To look at what is available in your area, enter your ZIP code in our internet search tool below.
Find Internet Providers Near You
Enter your zip code to see which internet providers are available in your area.
One note of caution: You might not always want to go with the cheapest internet plan. In our experience, there can be tricky contracts, price increases, and other unexpected fees with discount internet providers. Be sure to read all of the fine print before you sign up!
Internet speeds FAQs
Is 100Mbps fast enough for a family of 4?
Yes, 100Mbps is a sufficient internet speed for most families of four. However, it's cutting it close. Because most people use the internet daily for high-bandwidth tasks, like streaming HD videos, and because internet speeds can fluctuate when the network is congested, we'd recommend that a family of four try to find an internet plan with speeds of 200Mbps or higher.
What is the FCC's broadband speed standard?
The FCC recently raised its benchmark for high-speed fixed broadband internet to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speeds.
What is the average internet speed in the US?
According to Ookla, the median internet speed in the United States is 308.11Mbps download speeds and 55.83Mbps upload speeds.
What is considered a fast internet speed in 2026?
In most areas of the US, a fast internet speed from cable and fiber internet is usually around 1-2 Gbps. Some fiber internet providers offer residential internet speeds as high as 8Gbps.
Lauren Hannula
Managing Editor
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