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Download speed vs upload speed: What’s the difference?
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A good download speed and upload speed can help keep your online experience nice and smooth. Here’s everything you need to know about download vs upload speed, including what they are and what makes them different
By Virgin Media Edit
- Published
- 6 March 2025
What is download speed?
Download speed is how fast data moves from the internet to your device. It’s measured in megabits per second (Mbps), with a higher download speed meaning you can load web pages, stream videos, and download files more quickly.
The download speed you need depends on what you do online. if you stream high-definition videos, play online games, or download large files, you will need a higher download speed because you’ll be downloading more data from the internet.
When you watch a video, listen to music, or open a website, your device is downloading data from the internet. That means the more download speed you have, the faster things will load when you’re online.
Your download speed is limited by the maximum speed provided in your internet plan. If your plan offers 100 Mbps download speed, for example, you cannot exceed that speed, even if your hardware or connection could technically handle more.
That’s why it’s important to choose a broadband package with enough download speed for all your internet needs to keep your experience as smooth as it can be.
How does download speed affect my connection?
Download speed affects how quickly data is transferred to your device. This is especially important if you stream movies, play online games, or work from home, because they need you to download data from the internet for them to work smoothly.
A fast download speed means videos will play without interruptions, games will respond quickly, and files will download in seconds instead of minutes, while a slow download speed can lead to buffering, lag, or very slow file downloads.
And if multiple people in your home are using the internet at the same time, your connection might slow down if the download speed isn't high enough. That’s because all devices share the same bandwidth, so a low-speed connection can struggle to keep up with heavy usage.
What is upload speed?
Upload speed is how fast data moves from your device to the internet. It’s measured in Mbps, with a higher upload speed meaning that files, photos, and videos upload faster and online activities like video calling and live streaming run smoothly.
Like with download speed, the amount of upload speed you need depends on what you do online. If you regularly upload videos to social media, back up files to cloud storage, or live stream, you’ll need a higher upload speed because you’ll be transferring more data to the internet.
Most casual internet users don’t need very high upload speeds, especially if they mostly browse the web or watch videos. But if you work from home, game online, or share a lot of content, having a good upload speed makes all the difference.
How does upload speed affect my connection?
Upload speed determines how quickly you can send data to the internet. If your upload speed is fast, tasks like sending emails with attachments, posting photos or videos on social media, and backing up files to cloud storage will happen quickly and smoothly. But if your upload speed is slow, these tasks may take a long time or even fail, causing lag, slow speeds, and ultimately a bad online experience.
Upload speed is especially important for video calls and online gaming. When you're on a video call, your device needs to send video and audio data in real time. This means if your upload speed is too slow, your video may freeze, your voice may cut out, or the call may disconnect. Meanwhile in online gaming, a slow upload speed can cause lag, making it difficult to play smoothly and respond quickly in the game.
If you notice slow uploads or lag when you’re gaming or on video calls, choosing a broadband package with a faster upload speed using a wired connection instead of WiFi can help improve your connection.
Download speed vs upload speed: what’s the difference?
Download speed and upload speed both affect how smoothly you can do things online, but in different ways. Download speed is how fast data comes from the internet to your device, while upload speed is how fast data goes from your device to the internet.
Most internet plans have higher download speeds than upload speeds because people usually download more than they upload. Download speed affects everything from loading web pages and images to listening to music, downloading files, and streaming video, while upload speed is only important for tasks that need you to upload data to the internet, like video calls, online gaming, and backing up to the cloud.
Is download speed more important than upload speed?
For most people, download speed is more important than upload speed because most online activities involve receiving data. When you stream videos, browse websites, play games, or download files, you rely on fast download speeds to make everything load quickly and run smoothly. That’s why internet providers usually offer much higher download speeds than upload speeds in their plans.
Still, upload speed is just as important for certain tasks. If you often make video calls, send large files, livestream, or play online games, you need a good upload speed. A slow upload speed can cause lag in video calls, long wait times for file uploads, or delays in online gaming. If you work from home or create online content, upload speed can be just as important as download speed.
In general, if you mostly watch, browse, and download, download speed matters more. But if you share, upload, or communicate online, upload speed is just as important. The best broadband package for you will be one that has the right balance of both speeds based on what you do most.
Take a look at all of our broadband packages to compare all the different broadband speeds that are available for your home.
What’s a good download and upload speed?
A good download and upload speed depends on what you do online, since different activities require different speeds to work smoothly.
Here’s a breakdown of recommended speeds for different activities:
For simple tasks like browsing websites, checking emails, and using social media, you won’t need very high speeds. A download speed of 25-50 Mbps and an upload speed of 1-5 Mbps are usually enough for one person, but you might need a lot more if multiple people use the internet at your home.
If you’re unsure what speed you need, take a look at our broadband speed guide to explore all the speeds we have on offer and find the package that’s best for your home.
If you stream videos on YouTube or Netflix, you’ll need a fast download speed so you can watch without buffering or lag. For one person, you’ll need:
SD (Standard Definition): 5-10 Mbps
HD (High Definition): 15-25 Mbps
4K Ultra HD: 30 Mbps or higher
The speed you need can get considerably higher if multiple people are using the internet at the same time. For households of 3-4 people, you’ll need at least 150mbps download speed so you can all stream in HD or 4K at the same time.
But since streaming mostly involves downloading, upload speed won’t matter much unless you're livestreaming.
Online gaming doesn’t need a super-fast download speed, but a good upload speed is important for reducing input lag since every action you take will be sent to the game server. For the best performance for a single person, you’ll need
Download speed: 50-100 Mbps
Upload speed: 3-5 Mbps
Ping (latency): Lower than 50ms for smooth gameplay
If you’ve got multiple gamers at home, you may need even faster speeds of up to 500Mbps download and beyond if you’re all gaming online at the same time. You won’t need as much upload speed, but you’ll need to consider a package that has both high download and upload speeds to accommodate everyone.
Check out our gaming broadband deals to explore all the different speeds offered for gamers and how our superfast broadband can improve your gaming experience.
For smooth Zoom or Skype video calls, a stable upload speed is key to getting the best experience when you’re online. For a single person, you’ll need:
Standard video calls: Download: 5-10 Mbps, Upload: 3-5 Mbps
HD video calls: Download: 10-15 Mbps, Upload: 5-10 Mbps
Large file uploads or cloud work: Upload: 10+ Mbps
If you livestream on platforms like YouTube or Twitch, you’ll need a much higher upload speed than most people. The amount you’ll need depends on the quality of your stream:
720p streaming: 4-6 Mbps upload
1080p streaming: 10-15 Mbps upload
4K streaming: 25-50 Mbps upload
These speeds are only for a single user, so if there’s a few of you using the internet at the same time, you may need even higher upload speeds. Check out our superfast fibre broadband deals with high download and upload speed if you’re in need of a speed boost.
If several people in your home use the internet at the same time for streaming, gaming, or video calls, you’ll need a higher speed.
A good internet plan for a family or shared household is at least 100-300 Mbps download and 10-30 Mbps upload, depending on how many devices are connected. Don’t worry though, we’ve got a range of broadband deals with speeds that are perfect for all the family.
How can I find a package with good download and upload speed?
We’ve got a range of broadband packages at different download and upload speeds to suit every home. Here are just some of the speeds we offer:
M125 Fibre Broadband
Our M125 broadband is great everyday browsing, streaming, and social media us, with an average download speed of 132 Mbps and an upload speed of 20 Mbps. That makes it perfect for small households with moderate internet usage.
M250 Fibre Broadband
Suitable for families who enjoy streaming HD content and online gaming. Provides an average download speed of 264 Mbps and an upload speed of 25 Mbps. Ensures smooth performance across multiple devices.
M500 Fibre Broadband
Designed for busy households with multiple users engaging in data-intensive activities, our M500 broadband delivers an average download speed of 516 Mbps and an upload speed of 52 Mbps. It’s great ideal for 4K streaming, large file downloads, and seamless video conferencing.
Gig1 Fibre Broadband
Gig1 is our fastest broadband and it’s perfect for gamers and heavy internet users, with an average download speed of 1130 Mbps and an upload speed of 104 Mbps. This guarantees you superfast speeds that are ideal for high-definition streaming, rapid downloads, and lag-free online gaming.
Explore all of our broadband options
To all of our package and find the one that best suits your needs, check out all of our broadband deals and enter your postcode to see what you can get.
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