What internet speed do I need for streaming?

Some people collect Pokémon cards. Others collect salt and pepper shakers. But with the new digital age, a new one rises from the horizon… the streaming services collector. Whether you consider yourself as someone with eclectic taste or just get FOMO every time someone is talking about a new award-winning drama on Apple TV, you’re actually not the only one signing up to multiple streaming services. Not the twist you were expecting, right?  

Aussies now hold an average of 3.7 digital entertainment subscriptions at a cost of $78 per month…which is a lot to spend if you sit down to look at a buffering screen.  

As it turns out, subscribing to every platform available will not give you a perfect viewing experience (weird). It can give you arguments about whose Twitch stream is making the internet slow, and the specific indignity of paying $17.99 a month to watch a progress bar (annoying).  

Here's what nobody tells you when you sign up for your fourth streaming service. The bottleneck was never the content. It was the connection.  

Not all streaming is the same

Before we deep dive into the numbers of it all, it’s worth understanding that “streaming” actually covers two different things. They need completely different things from your internet connection:

• Netflix, Disney+, Binge, Paramount+: These are on-demand platforms. They need a good download speed, which is how fast data can come into your home. The higher the picture quality, the more download speed is required per stream.

• Live sport and life TV: Unlike on-demand content, live sport streams in real time, so it requires more download speed than normal movie streaming. While movies can pre-load and buffer large chunks of data ahead of time, there’s no pre-loading in live sports.

• Twitch, YouTube Live: This is a different beast. If you’re going live for online gaming and streaming, you need a solid upload speed. Most standard nbn® plans will have a higher download speed than upload. This is pretty important to consider for content creators.

What speeds do I need for streaming?

Here's the per-stream breakdown, straight from what platforms like Netflix and Disney+. Whether you want to see all things royal on The Crown, or reality tv royalty Keeping Up With The Kardashians, this is what the pros recommend for crisp viewing:

That’s the number per stream, FYI. Not per household. It’s pretty surprising, isn’t it?  

Let’s crunch some household numbers

A lot of people complaining about buffering don’t realise it’s not just a plan problem. There’s also a usage problem that no one accounted for when signing up for the internet plan.

Meet our sharehouse of content creators and freelancers:

• Alex is live-streaming on Twitch in 1080p. That needs a stable 6 Mbps upload speed.

• Jordan is editing a video on CapCut with assets uploading to the cloud. That’s both download and upload speed getting chewed, for those playing at home.

• Sam is watching The Devil's Plan on the living room TV. That takes a 25 Mbps download speed to watch Seungkwan in 4K.

• Riley is working from home and on a video call while their laptop runs a system update in the background. That’s at least 10 Mbps.

At a conservative estimate, you’d need 70–90 Mbps, before accounting for any smart home devices, phones refreshing in the background or anyone else jumping on for whatever reason.

The 20% overhead rule

You should always add at least 20% to your calculated speed requirements to account for:

• Phones and tablets auto-updating apps — this happens silently and constantly

• Smart home devices syncing — security cameras, voice assistants, smart TVs in standby, robo vacs

• Cloud backups running — Google Photos, iCloud, Dropbox all back up in the background, often during the evening when you're also streaming

It’s not just the number of people sitting at the table anymore. They’re bringing a whole lot more devices. Globally, the average broadband household already has 25 connected devices. By the end of the decade, that number is expected to hit 44.

What is a good upload speed for streamers?

Calling out to content creators, podcasters, Twitch streamers and YouTubers. This one’s for you.

Standard nbn® plans are asymmetric, with a higher number for download. For most households, that’s fine… but it makes trouble for content creators and creatives.

What do you need for content creation:

• YouTube/Twitch streaming in 1080p: minimum 6–10 Mbps for stable upload

• Uploading large video files to clients or cloud storage: 20 Mbps+ makes a meaningful difference

• Regular video calls while someone else streams: dedicated upload headroom is essential

Try running a speed test

Before you start throwing money around to get the best internet speeds for gaming and streaming, spend 30 seconds to see what you’re actually getting.

Go to Superloop Speed Test to check your speed. The numbers indicate:

• Download speed – watching, browsing, loading

• Upload speed – sharing, streaming live, video calls

• Ping – responsiveness, measured in milliseconds (important for gaming and live calls)

Is the download speed below your plan's advertised speed? Speak to your provider. If it matches your plan but still isn't enough for your household, that's when it's time to look at upgrading.

Hot tips: Which nbn® plan for your household?

Stream in 4K without the spin  

If your household is paying for multiple streaming services and it's not loading properly, maybe the plan is the problem. Nothing is more devastating than finally sitting down for the Mandalorian episode everyone’s been talking about and meeting the twist via buffering wheel.  

Superloop's 1000 Mbps Lightspeed plan (Typical evening speed 860/85 Mbps) gives your household the headroom to stream, create, game and work without anyone negotiating bandwidth. The twists, the buzzer-beats, the season finales, you’ll see it all. In 4K. Without interruption.  

Get it sorted today with Superloop and explore our nbn® plans.