The current decade has seen data speeds drop, with increased internet penetration. According to a report by The Economic Times, India has more than 500 million internet users and data prices have fallen by 93% over the past three years. The number of Internet users continues to grow and data rates continue to become competitive.
Interface and design
Speedtest introduced a revamped minimalist design earlier this year that replaced the old, large speedometer with a much more modern and minimal design. However, the subtle placement of advertisements took over the vacant space. The results are within reach and the black background surely brings out its features.
Rapide, on the other hand, checks all the brands that Speedtest leaves blank. It takes minimalism to the next level. It doesn't even have a button to start performing the test.
To note:
On mobile platforms, the app size is much smaller. The screen during the test remains blank except for the numbers indicating your speed. There's a "Powered by Netflix" highlight at the bottom right of the page that shows his lineage. It is ad-free which also gives it an extra point from the user's point of view.
Compatibility
When we talk about the compatibility of Speedtest and Fast across platforms, Speedtest inevitably comes out as the winner. It is available on the Web, iOS, Android, Windows, Google Chrome (dedicated plugin) and Apple TV. Apps are regularly updated to ensure users don't miss any features across platforms.
Features of Speedtest
Moving on to features, Speedtest makes speed tests customizable. It automatically chooses the closest server to provide the most accurate results. If you create an account, you can change the server location to perform different speed tests.
It has a results history option which shows you the tests performed in the past. You also have the option of exporting your results to an Excel file and sharing them. The settings option allows you to change the date and time format and change the distance (miles and kilometers) and speed units (Mbps and Kbps) for your tests. This adds a touch of customization to the speed test platform.
Quick Features
Quick quick charges. Customization options are limited. After getting your result, you can click Settings to customize your tests and set minimum and maximum parallel connections and test duration (in seconds).
There is also an option to share your test results on Facebook and Twitter. Other than that, it has an option to measure loaded latency during downloads and an option to always show all metrics when running a test. You can also save the default configuration to the device. Although Fast connects to the closest available server, there is no option to switch servers.
Speedtest vs. Fast: Which of the two provides more accurate results?
Internet speed test results vary depending on servers, networks, and the route and distance the data packets have to travel. Speedtest has over 7,000 servers worldwide, ensuring users anywhere in the world get the most accurate readings. Although Fast does not claim to have thousands of registered servers, it connects to your nearest server.
It is a general observation that test results on the same connection are higher on Speedtest than Fast. Here is the test result for my network on Speedtest and Fast. I performed these tests on the app version of Speedtest and Fast to give you a better idea of the mobile interface.
You can see that Speedtest shows better speed on the same connection. So the question remains: which of the two results is more accurate?
To note:
Fast is designed for Netflix users, so one argument is that Fast uses large packets to mimic the real-world data profiles that come into play when streaming Netflix content. Fast also may not care for speed over 30Mbps, which is enough to stream high-quality Netflix videos. Responding to higher speed would mean that Netflix only wastes bandwidth to measure higher speeds, which may not make sense given the huge load already on its servers.
For Speedtest, that's no excuse. Its wide server profile allows for more detailed test results. It is also a favorite of the press which further increases its credibility. It goes even further by using its data to rank countries and ISPs.
Given the company's popularity and support for more platforms, Speedtest's tests can be considered a bit more reliable than Fast's. Additionally, Fast seems less transparent about how it performs speed tests and where its servers are located.
Obtain more accurate test results
Now that you've picked a favorite, it's important that you keep a few things in mind before you start your speed test. Make sure that you are not using the Internet for other tasks or sharing your data, as this will require the investment of more bandwidth. It's also a good idea to restart your computer, modems, and routers, as this resets them to a fully working state, which might otherwise be clogged with browsing internet traffic.
Clearing the browser cache speeds things up a bit by fetching new data. However, you don't need to clear the cache if you run a speed test on smartphone apps provided by Speedtest and Fast.
It would be ideal to say that no internet speed test service is truly perfect. However, a near-accurate figure is enough to ask your ISP or mobile service provider about the quality of service and promised internet connectivity speeds.