4G vs 5G vs WiFi: Speed Comparison Explained
In 2026, the three most common connections in your pocket and home are closer than you think — but they trade differently.
Raw numbers at a glance
| Tech | Typical ↓ | Typical ↑ | Latency | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4G+ / 4.5G | 30–90 Mbps | 10–30 Mbps | 30–60 ms | On the go |
| 5G (sub-6 GHz) | 200–700 Mbps | 40–100 Mbps | 15–40 ms | Mobile power users |
| 5G mmWave | 1–3 Gbps | 100–300 Mbps | 5–20 ms | Short-range, dense areas |
| WiFi 6 (home) | 300–1200 Mbps | 300–1000 Mbps | 2–10 ms | Home, office |
| WiFi 7 (home) | 1–5 Gbps | 1–5 Gbps | 1–5 ms | Premium home setups |
Key insight: latency beats raw speed
WiFi on a wired-backbone router has 5× lower latency than mobile 5G. For gaming, video calls and cloud apps, WiFi on fiber is still the king — even if 5G peaks higher.
When 5G beats WiFi
In homes where fiber is unavailable, a 5G Fixed Wireless Access box can deliver 300–600 Mbps — easily beating old ADSL or congested WiFi.
The cost story
Mobile data plans still charge per GB or cap aggressively. Home WiFi is typically unlimited. The crossover point: if you use 30+ GB per month, a fixed WiFi plan is almost always cheaper.
How to test each one
Our WiFi-Test auto-detects connection type. Run it on each of your connections for a direct comparison.