An internet speed meter for Android, with no ads
A status-bar speed meter is one of the most useful small things you can add to an Android phone: you can see at a glance whether a download is moving, a video is buffering because of the network, or your Wi-Fi has quietly dropped to nothing. Most of the popular ones are free with ads, and some haven't been updated for current Android.
Check whether your phone already has one
Some phones include a network speed indicator in their own settings. On Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones look in Settings → Notifications & status bar → Show connection speed. On OnePlus and OPPO look under Settings → Notifications & status bar → Real-time network speed. Pixel and Samsung phones don't have one built in, so you'll need an app.
What to look for in an app
- A number you can read. The status bar is tiny. The best meters draw the speed as two lines, the number over the unit, filling the icon.
- It pauses with the screen off. A meter that keeps working while your phone is in your pocket wastes battery for nothing.
- Built for current Android. Since 31 August 2026, Google Play hides apps that don't target a recent Android version from new users on newer phones (Google's target API policy). Check the "Updated on" date on the Play listing.
- No ads, and nothing collected. A speed meter doesn't need the internet to work. Check the Data safety section of the listing: it should say no data is collected.
- Wi-Fi and mobile data usage. Handy if you're on a capped mobile plan.
Tachy
Tachy is our app, built in 2026 for Android 14, 15 and 16. It shows your speed in the status bar, updated every second while the screen is on and paused when it's off, with download, upload and today's Wi-Fi and mobile data in the notification, a Quick Settings tile, and the last 7 days of usage. It has no ads and collects nothing. It's free; a £1.49 one-time Pro adds 30 days of history, a mobile data cap alert and Mbps. It doesn't have a floating overlay window or a built-in speed test.
A speed meter isn't a speed test
A meter shows the traffic your phone is actually moving right now, which is usually far below what your connection can do. To find your connection's maximum, run a speed test such as fast.com while nothing else is downloading.
Facts about other apps and phone settings checked 29 October 2026; menu names vary by phone and software version.