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Best Internet Speed for Streaming

Eliminate streaming loading screens with my internet speeds guide.

Whether you’re a full cord-cutter or occasionally watching the latest HBO Max shows, few things are more important to your TV setup these days than your internet connection. But at the same time, I get it if you’re barely given a second thought to your actual internet plan. If your Wi-Fi works and your shows stream, that’s good enough, right?

Not entirely! If you’ve paired your home with an internet plan that doesn’t meet your streaming and internet habits, you could face problems like constant buffering, poor picture quality, and slow internet performance for your household.

Thankfully, I’ve investigated everything from streamer tech support to internet troubleshooting tips—here’s what you need when it comes to finding the best internet speed for your streaming setup.

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Why are download speeds important for streaming?

Back in the day, any internet connection was good enough for sharing things like Facebook video clips and grainy YouTube links. But with the advent of live TV streaming and 4K streaming content, you’ll need more internet horsepower to get the most from your TV setup.

How much more horsepower? Let’s go to the horse’s mouth to find out.

Streaming service Minimum download speed for 720p Minimum download speed for 1080p Minimum download speed for 4K
Netflix 3 Mbps 5 Mbps 15 Mbps
Hulu 3 Mbps 6 Mbps 16 Mbps
Disney+ 3 Mbps 8 Mbps 25 Mbps

While these download speeds don’t seem like much on paper, keep a few things in mind. These benchmarks are only for a single person, and they’re each service’s minimum recommendations. When you multiply this by a whole household and factor in how unpredictable a Wi-Fi connection can be, it’s easy to accidentally hit your plan’s bandwidth ceiling and have a poor viewing experience.

That said, your home should have enough bandwidth to hit your streaming service’s minimum recommendations. The Federal Communications Commission requires broadband internet providers to offer at least 100 Mbps download speeds to all customers. However, you may not have these speeds if you have satellite or DSL service, or if you use a subsidized internet plan.

Still confused about download speeds? Visit our internet speeds guide to learn more about how upload speeds, download speeds, and Mbps work.

What’s the best internet speed for streaming?

Internet speed shopping isn’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all task. Every household has different needs, whether you’re shopping for yourself or needing enough bandwidth for a household full of Bluey, HBO, and Minecraft fans. Additionally, every internet provider has plans with different download and upload speeds.

Still, there are a few internet speed no-gos and must-haves I’d recommend for any household that regularly streams TV shows and movies. Assuming that your Wi-Fi gear’s also up to snuff, here’s how to find the best internet plan and download speed for your streaming needs.

100 Mbps

Less than 100 Mbps

Sub-100 Mbps internet plans are generally limited to prepaid or subsidized service, so you likely won’t encounter these plans unless you’re operating on a serious budget.

When it comes to streaming, don’t expect much from these plans. If your internet’s used by more than two people, expect ample buffering and poor internet performance.

What to know:

  • Best suited for 1–2 people
  • Offer basic internet service and streaming performance
  • Not recommended for families or large households
Spectrum 300Mbps

150–300 Mbps

In this tier, you’ll commonly find entry-level internet plans with decent download speeds and low pricing. For most households, I’d recommend internet plans with around 200–300 Mbps download speeds, as they’ll offer the best split between value and performance.

At these speeds, your household will be able to stream content like Abbott Elementary reruns and YouTube videos without breaking a sweat.

What to know:

  • Best suited for 2–4 people
  • Offers average internet and streaming performance
  • Works best for households that occasionally stream
Speed dial showing 940 Mbps

300–940 Mbps

At this internet speed tier, we’re purely in home theater-geek territory when it comes to streaming quality. Is your Netflix plan the one with the fancier picture quality? Want to get the most out of your 4K UHD TV? Know a guy who knows a guy with a nice Plex server?

If you answered yes to any of these questions and live with more than a few people, I’d recommend a plan with at least 500 Mbps download speeds. At this speed level, your household can juggle multiple 4K UHD streams and still have ample bandwidth for everyone else’s internet needs.

What to know:

  • Best suited for 3 or more high-demand internet users
  • Offers exceptional internet and streaming performance
  • Works best for households that want the best 4K picture quality
Spectrum-1000Mbps

940+ Mbps

Streaming on a gigabit or multi-gig internet plan is like using a bulldozer on a nail—you’ll have more than enough power to get the job done.

These plans feature download and upload speeds between 1 Gbps and 8 Gbps, so they’ll be drastically faster than your standard Xfinity or Spectrum internet plan. However, expect to pay at least three figures for a standard gigabit internet plan.

We’d recommend these plans only if your household needs faster speeds for work-related reasons or has more than 4 heavy internet users. Otherwise, it’ll be significant overkill for the occasional Netflix or Hulu night.

What to know:

  • Best suited for 4 or more high-demand internet users
  • Offers best-in-class internet and streaming performance
  • Unnecessary for most households because of high price

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Why you should trust us

Our TV and internet experts have spent hundreds of hours testing and researching TV and internet troubleshooting problems as part of our regular streaming service, internet, and TV coverage. For this service guide, I drew from our existing tech support coverage to highlight the best internet speeds for your home streaming setup.

Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.

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