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RealTimeSpeed

Satellite Internet

Starlink Speed Test

Starlink's low-Earth orbit constellation delivers internet from space — but how does it perform in practice? Our continuous monitor tracks your satellite connection in real time, revealing handoff drops, latency spikes, and true throughput patterns.

SYSTEM IDLE
CONNECTING...
DOWNLOAD RATE
130.0
Mbps
MB/s
RTS SCORE
--
Score
UPLOAD RATE
68.6Mbps
GLOBAL LATENCY
0.0MS
NETWORK STABILITY LOG

How Starlink Is Different from Traditional Internet

Traditional internet reaches your home through underground cables — copper (DSL/cable) or glass (fiber). Starlink beams internet from a constellation of thousands of satellites orbiting at 550km altitude, received by a motorized phased-array dish ("Dishy") mounted on your roof or in your yard.

Because the satellites are in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), the signal round-trip time is dramatically lower than old-school geostationary satellites (which orbit at 36,000km). This is why Starlink can achieve 25–45ms ping compared to the 600ms+ of legacy satellite services like HughesNet.

The tradeoff is that LEO satellites move quickly — each satellite is overhead for only minutes before the dish must switch to the next one. These "handoffs" can cause brief jitter spikes and micro-outages that our continuous monitor is perfectly suited to detect.

What to Expect from Your Starlink Connection

Starlink Standard

Download50–200 Mbps
Upload10–20 Mbps
Latency25–60ms
Downtime/day~2–5 minutes

Starlink Priority

Download100–350 Mbps
Upload15–40 Mbps
Latency20–40ms
Priority Data1–6TB/month

Optimizing Your Starlink Setup

1

Ensure a Clear Sky View

Starlink requires an unobstructed view of the sky. Trees, buildings, and even power lines can cause signal interruptions. Use the Starlink app's "Obstruction Map" to identify and address visibility issues. Even 2% obstruction can cause frequent disconnections.

2

Mount the Dish as High as Possible

The higher the dish, the more sky it can see, and the fewer obstructions affect the signal. Roof mounts perform significantly better than ground-level placements, especially in wooded areas.

3

Use Ethernet for Critical Devices

The Starlink router's WiFi performance is decent but not exceptional. For gaming on Starlink or work computers, connect via the Ethernet adapter (sold separately for Gen 2, built-in on Gen 3) to eliminate wireless overhead.

4

Monitor During Peak Hours

Starlink cell capacity is shared among all users in your area. Run our continuous test during 7–11 PM to see how congestion affects your speeds. If speeds drop dramatically during peak hours, your cell may be overcrowded.

Starlink Speed Test FAQ

What speeds does Starlink actually deliver?
In 2026, most Starlink Standard users see 50–200 Mbps download and 10–20 Mbps upload. Starlink Priority users can see 100–350 Mbps. Speeds vary significantly by time of day, weather, and how many users share your beam cell. The continuous monitoring on this page helps you track your actual, sustained performance.
Is Starlink good for gaming?
Starlink is playable for casual gaming, with typical latency of 25–45ms — dramatically better than legacy satellite internet (600ms+). However, brief 'micro-outages' during satellite handoffs can cause 1–3 second disconnections. Competitive FPS players will notice these drops. For casual gaming, it's a viable option where fiber isn't available.
Why does my Starlink speed fluctuate so much?
Starlink satellites orbit at ~550km and are constantly moving overhead. As your dish switches between satellites ('handoffs'), brief drops in speed and connectivity are normal. Additionally, Starlink cells are shared — as more users join in your area, available bandwidth per user decreases. Use our continuous monitor to see the handoff pattern on the live graph.
Does weather affect Starlink?
Yes. Heavy rain, snow accumulation on the dish, and thick cloud cover can degrade Starlink signals. The dish has a built-in heater for snow, but heavy accumulation can still temporarily reduce performance. Light rain has minimal impact. Our real-time test helps you correlate weather conditions with speed drops.
How does Starlink compare to fiber?
Fiber is superior in every metric: lower latency (5–15ms vs 25–45ms), higher speeds (1–10 Gbps vs 50–200 Mbps), and near-zero jitter. However, Starlink serves areas where fiber doesn't exist — rural homes, remote locations, and developing regions. If fiber is available in your area, it should always be your first choice.

Continue Reading

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What Is Latency? Everything You Need to Know

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What is Jitter? A Simple Guide to Network Stability

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Is your connection unstable?

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