The Federal Communications Commission defines the minimum broadband benchmark as download speeds of 100 megabits per second and upload speeds of 20Mbps. Do you know if you’re receiving enough speed for both? To better understand how much speed your household needs, you must pay attention to your upload speeds as well.

When we talk about internet speed, we often refer to download speeds, but what about the upload side of the equation? And though the average household’s need for faster upload speeds keeps growing, they’re often overlooked. According to OpenVault’s fourth-quarter 2024 report, upstream data consumption (or upload speeds) reached an all-time high, a 14% increase from the year prior. Though you may have signed up for an internet plan with decent download speeds, without decent upload speeds, you’ll still suffer from a buffering and lagging internet connection. So, what do you use those upload speeds for? And what’s a good upload speed for your home? You’ll find the answers below.

For more Wi-Fi tips, check out the best spot to put your router to speed up your internet, and our picks for the best Wi-Fi routers, the best mesh routers and the best Wi-Fi extenders. 

Sure, download speeds are most important…

Just about everything we use the internet for relies on download speeds. You probably don’t think about it when you’re streaming the latest episode of Black Mirror or shopping online for a new iPhone case, but those activities involve downloading data from the internet. 

Your download speeds determine how quickly and easily you can download that data — as in, how good the streaming quality is and how fast the web page and high-quality images load. 

The faster your speed, the better your experience is likely to be. Speeds of 100Mbps and higher are often sufficient, but what constitutes a “good” download speed will vary for every household and the number of connected devices.

But fast internet upload speeds will come in handy

Now, you probably don’t think about it while posting your seventh cat video to Instagram today (keep ’em coming!) or logging into a Zoom for a meeting, but both of these everyday activities rely on uploading data to the internet.

Also, consider this: When you search for Severance on Apple TV Plus, you enter data and send it to the internet — that’s an upload. When you type in “new iPhone case” in the search bar and hit Enter, you’re uploading data. When someone “likes” your cat video (it’s possible it was me), they are uploading data, too. Granted, you don’t need blazing-fast upload speeds for this, but you’re still relying on the upload side of your connection.

Here are some other ways we make use of upload speeds:

• Video chatting on Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, etc.
• Gaming online
• Submitting work or homework, and working and learning from home in general
• Voice over IP calling
• Posting to social media

What determines how quickly and easily you can perform these tasks? You guessed it: your upload speeds. When it comes to your upload speeds, again, faster is better, but you can get by with upload speeds that are slower than your download speed.

How much speed do you need?

For nearly a decade, the FCC deemed upload speeds of 3Mbps and higher as a broadband connection. The FCC recently updated its broadband definition to 100Mbps for downloads and 20Mbps for uploads. I recommend upload speeds higher than 20Mbps, if available, especially if your household has multiple people working or learning from home.

Still, 20Mbps should be enough to meet most of the minimum requirements for applications such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Microsoft recommends a minimum upload speed of 1.2 to 1.5Mbps for high-quality video meetings and at least 2Mbps for group meetings. Zoom is a bit more demanding, requiring a minimum upload speed of 1.2Mbps for 1:1 high-quality video calling and 3.8 to 4Mbps for 1080p HD video group calling.

Remember that these are minimum speed requirements for a single device. As such, you’re likely to benefit from much faster speeds. In addition, different online activities require a certain amount of bandwidth. To learn more, read our comprehensive internet speed guide.

How to find out your internet upload speed

A good speed test will give you an idea of your upload speeds. Many different online speed tests are available, but CNET recommends Ookla as a top pick due to its consistency, accuracy and ability to provide your speed test history. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Run a few speed tests using different devices in different locations throughout your home to gauge your connection’s upload speed performance. 

If your upload speeds are lower than you think they should be, check out our list of common issues with speed performance and how to fix them. For more tips on improving your internet connection and everything else that keeps your home running, browse our CNET Home Tips section.

Have you checked your upload speeds FAQs