Best broadband for streaming

Broadband deals come in all shapes and sizes, but not every deal is fit for streaming content. As a rule, you generally want to look for deals with speeds of 15Mbps or above, but keep in mind that the faster your broadband, the smoother the experience will be when watching online content.

Our expert team will run through everything you need to know to start streaming online, including the speeds you need and the providers that are worth looking out for.

Broadband deals that offer speeds of 15Mbps or above are suitable for streaming video content from platforms such as BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. Every streaming platform will have its own recommended broadband speeds, but you’ll find that most platforms feel consistent with speeds of at least 15Mbps.

If you want to stream content at a higher resolution, say in 4K and with HDR enabled, then you’ll want to aim for speeds higher than 15Mbps. Speeds of 25Mbps and above will allow for a smoother experience when watching at a higher resolution, with minimal to no buffering.

Keep in mind that streaming live 4K content requires more bandwidth, with speeds of 50Mbps or above being most suitable. A high broadband speed is always beneficial when streaming, as it encourages the resolution to maintain a consistent rate and negates buffering issues. However, you don’t necessarily need to invest in a 100Mbps package.

Each streaming platform has slightly different requirements when it comes to streaming video content. While these are helpful guidelines, you’ll find that most platforms perform very similarly at speeds of 15Mbps or above.

It’s important to note that these recommendations don’t account for other activities that may be taking place. If you live in a house with other people who are streaming or gaming online, you’ll need a broadband connection with faster-than-recommended speeds.

Netflix recommends speeds as low as 3Mbps to watch content in high definition. However, you’ll likely want to aim for at least full high definition since the picture quality of the latter can be poor. Due to Netflix’s subscription terms, watching content in 4K requires a more expensive membership, so you may not need to invest in a faster package, depending on your Netflix subscription.

Amazon Prime Video recommends similar broadband speeds to Netflix for streaming video content on its platform. You can access 4K video in the standard subscription, but you’ll need a faster internet connection to maintain a streamlined experience.

Apple TV+ requires a faster broadband connection to stream content in 4K, but the full high definition speeds are in line with most other streaming platforms.

For Disney Plus, speeds of 5Mbps or higher will suffice for content streamed in full high definition, while speeds of 25Mbps or above are best suited for 4K content.

NOW TV recommends speeds of at least 2.5Mbps to stream content in high definition. Speeds of around 12Mbps will be suitable for streaming in full high definition and the company sadly still does not offer content in 4K.

Google claims that you should be aiming for speeds as high as 20Mbps if you want to stream content in 4K. Keep in mind that these recommendations are for premium videos on YouTube, such as movies, TV shows and live shows, and not for regular content uploaded to the platform.

BBC iPlayer content can be enjoyed with a wide range of broadband speeds, although you’ll need to opt for a faster package to indulge in 4K content. It is also worth noting that BBC iPlayer refers to 720p content as “Standard Definition”.

ITVX does not state the ideal speeds needed to stream content in FHD or 4K. However, our expert team recommends speeds of at least 12Mbps to watch TV shows and movies in full high definition and 20Mbps for 4K.

In the same vein as video platforms, music streaming services have recommended speeds to effectively stream content. Due to the nature of streaming music, the speeds required are much lower than they are for streaming video content. Despite the slower speeds required, you’ll still want to aim for at least the minimum speeds to avoid stuttering or drops in your connection.

When it comes to streaming games online, you’ll need a stronger broadband connection due to the graphical intensity of current titles. Our team has catalogued the required speeds for different consoles and platforms. However, it’s important to note that to play without buffering and at a high resolution, you’ll generally want to aim for speeds of 25Mbps or more.