In May, Netflix announced Fast.com, a website where users could quickly and simply check their internet connection speed. The site uses Netflix's servers and technology to give people an instant look at their current internet speed. The site quickly became popular, and Netflix has now released the FAST Speed Test app for mobile devices.

fastspeedtest
Once opened, the app instantly begins giving users a reading of their internet speed. Once the test is fully complete, results can be checked against results from SpeedTest.net, another popular internet speed checking solution. Both the website and app utilize simple, minimalist designs, with the service's logo and download speed tracker taking up much of the space. The refresh button, the lone button in the app, allows users to restart the test.

On its blog, Netflix's Sergey Fedorov and Ellen Livengood explained that FAST only displays download speeds because thats how most users interact with the internet, whether it be streaming video or loading webpages.

To test speed, the app and website undergoes several download tests using Netflix's technology and services, including downloading chunks of a 25 MB video file through "a variable number of parallel connections." Fedorov and Livengood go into technical detail about how the service works on the company's tech blog.

FAST Speed Test is available in the App Store for free [Direct Link]

Tag: Netflix

Top Rated Comments

RDeckard Avatar
111 months ago
The only thing I can't keep thinking about is that they probably stole some guy's ownership of the website. There's no way nobody registered fast.com previously.
I don't think you know how domain name registration works.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
szw-mapple fan Avatar
111 months ago
The only thing I can't keep thinking about is that they probably stole some guy's ownership of the website. There's no way nobody registered fast.com previously.
If it belonged to someone else before, Netflix probably paid a good amount to get the domain. It's not something that can be "stolen".
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mw360 Avatar
111 months ago
I deleted it as soon as I found out that this app works just like the website. I just don't want to clutter my phone with another app. The funny thing is that, the service provides recommendation to a link to compare it to speedtest.net. It's kinda like promoting the competition, it feels like having a yahoo search or bing search link right on google homepage. :D
I suspect the whole point of this app, and the point of using live Netflix servers and streaming tech, is to expose traffic shaping by ISPs. I've previously had an ISP which throttled pretty much everything except speedtest.net. Comparing the results of two apps will help shame the shapers.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tower-Union Avatar
111 months ago
The only thing I can't keep thinking about is that they probably stole some guy's ownership of the website. There's no way nobody registered fast.com previously.
I think you've confused the word "stole" with "purchased by backing a dump truck of money up to his house."
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
0815 Avatar
111 months ago
Hmm. I will continue using my pro Speedtest app. It is more popular.

Update: This site only provides download speed test, not upload speed test.
But Speedtest app does not test against Netflix servers, so you will never find out if your provider is throttling your connection when streaming from Netflix - unfortunately common practice from providers that have their own streaming service since that makes them look better. This is the purpose of this app, that's why upload is not included.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
garirry Avatar
111 months ago
The only thing I can't keep thinking about is that they probably stole some guy's ownership of the website. There's no way nobody registered fast.com previously.

EDIT: By "stole", what I mean is that if the owner of the site was a nobody, they are no match against a giant multi-billion company like Netflix. They could have easily just caused a "transaction error" or "termination for copyrighted content". I don't think that's what happened, but I'm just stating the possibility.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

2007 iPhone

Apple Discontinuing This 18-Year-Old iPhone Feature

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:51 pm PST by
The end of an 18-year era is on the horizon for the iPhone. Apple reportedly plans to announce a new iPhone SE as soon as next week, and the device is expected to feature a full-screen design with Face ID, instead of a Touch ID home button. That means Apple will no longer sell any new iPhone models with a home button, for the first time since the original iPhone launched. The home button...
oppo find n5 fingers

World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches Next Week

Monday February 10, 2025 3:05 am PST by
Oppo has confirmed a February 20 global launch for its Find N5, which the company claims is the world's thinnest device in the foldable phone category. The phone is expected to be re-branded as the OnePlus Open 2 in the US. The Chinese vendor has been teasing the device in the last few weeks, touting its waterproofing and nearly invisible display crease, and highlighting its thinness by compa...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive an All-New Perk

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:21 am PST by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already come with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and now there is another one...
m2 macbook air blue

M4 MacBook Air Release Continues to Appear Imminent

Monday February 10, 2025 10:56 am PST by
There continue to be signs of a new MacBook Air with an M4 chip, indicating that we could see the machine launch in the not too distant future. A private account on X today shared the identifiers that the MacBook Air will use, and those identifiers correspond to the M4 chip. According to the source, both the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch MacBook Air will be equipped with Apple's...
imac video apple feature

Apple to Announce New Products Next Week

Saturday February 8, 2025 10:55 am PST by
Apple has yet to release any new devices in 2025, but at least two new products are expected to be announced next week, according to rumors. Below, we outline the new Apple products that are likely to be unveiled next week. iPhone SE 4 Apple plans to announce the long-rumored iPhone SE 4 as soon as next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new iPhone SE is rumored to...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Will Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:15 am PST by
iOS 18.3 was released last month, so the first iOS 18.4 beta should be coming soon. iOS 18.4 is expected to be a more substantial update for the iPhone, with several new features and changes related to Apple Intelligence and beyond. Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, following beta testing. Below, we outline what to expect from the update so far. Apple...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple

Apple Increases Mac Trade-In Values for a Limited Time

Sunday February 9, 2025 3:53 pm PST by
Apple today increased its estimated trade-in values for select Mac models in the United States, with the full changes outlined below. Apple says the extra trade-in credit for select Macs is available with the purchase of an eligible new Apple device through April 2. The trade-in values increased by between $10 and $50. Model New Value Old Value MacBook Pro Up to $925 ...
Powerbeats Pro 2 Orange

Powerbeats Pro 2 Given to Customer Early, Expected to Debut Tomorrow

Monday February 10, 2025 7:42 am PST by
Apple's long-awaited Powerbeats Pro 2 are finally expected to be announced this Tuesday. Ahead of time, one lucky Walmart customer was able to get their hands on the earbuds early, according to a since-deleted Reddit post over the weekend. A leaked image of the Powerbeats Pro 2 in Electric Orange "My local Walmart had them in the cage," the Reddit user explained. "I asked if I can buy them...