Why Speedtest won't open
Speedtest by Ookla has been fully blocked in Russia since July 2025 by Roskomnadzor. The service people used to check internet speed is gone: both speedtest.net and the app.
The reason: Speedtest helps bypass throttling. Once you measure the speed, it's easy to see where you're being cut and pick a route around it. Authorities decided to close the tool itself.
What exactly breaks
- speedtest.net won't open
- the Speedtest app won't reach servers
- the test hangs or throws an error
How to measure speed instead
Option 1. VPN with ping display
In our clients (Happ, INCY, FlClashX, Karing, Rabbithole) ping to each server is visible right in the list. That's enough to gauge latency to a specific point.
Option 2. Similar sites
Alternatives still working without VPN:
- fast.com (Netflix's service, measures video-stream speed)
- 2ip.ru (Russian service, speed and ping)
- Cloudflare speed test (speed.cloudflare.com)
Option 3. Speedtest through a VPN
If you need the original Speedtest, turn on the VPN, pick a foreign server, and speedtest.net opens. Measuring through a VPN shows tunnel speed, not your provider's.
What to measure and why
The basic trio of numbers:
- ping (ms), latency to the server, matters for games and calls
- download speed (Mbps), what comes in per second
- upload speed (Mbps), matters for streams and sending files
After the Speedtest block people often forget upload, and upload decides whether your stream flies and big files go out fast.
FAQ
Is Speedtest fully blocked? Yes, since July 2025. The original service won't open without a workaround.
Which site is the closest replacement? Each has its own logic. fast.com measures for video, 2ip.ru gives a full picture, Cloudflare shows the real channel. Compare two for the whole view.
Should I check speed through a VPN? That check shows your tunnel, not your provider. It's right for "does the VPN keep up" and wrong for "what's my home internet."
What if I'm not in Russia? Then no problem, Speedtest works as before. The local block only affects Russian networks.