Cloud Ping Test
Which cloud region is closest to you? This test times HTTPS round trips from your browser to every AWS region, from Virginia to Sydney, and ranks them on a sorted table and a world map.
Last updated:
| # | Region | Location | Median | Min | Jitter |
|---|
Add your own server
Test any https address, such as your own VPS, game server web page or a storage endpoint. It is added to the table (not the map) and saved in this browser.
Each region is timed with small HTTPS requests to its regional AWS API endpoint (dynamodb.<region>.amazonaws.com/ping), which is hosted inside that region. Browsers cannot send ICMP, so values are HTTP round-trip times and run a few milliseconds above the ping command.
How to use the Cloud Ping Test
- Choose the regions. Test all regions worldwide or only one area, such as Europe or Asia Pacific.
- Pick the pings per region. 5 is a good balance; 10 gives steadier medians on busy connections.
- Press Start cloud ping test. Three regions are tested at a time and the table re-sorts as results arrive.
- Read the ranking. The top row is the region with the lowest median latency from where you are now.
- Optional: add your own server. Open Add your own server to compare your VPS or app with the AWS regions.
How to choose a cloud region by latency
Latency is mostly a matter of distance. Light in optical fibre covers about 200,000 km per second, or roughly 100 km of one-way distance per millisecond of round-trip time. Real cables do not follow straight lines and each router hop adds a little delay, so a region 1,000 km away typically pings at 15 to 25 ms. That is why the nearest region usually wins, and why choosing a region on the right continent matters more than anything else for interactive apps.
- Median is the middle value of all replies for a region. It ignores the occasional spike and is the best single number to compare.
- Minimum shows the best case your route can achieve; a large gap between minimum and median suggests a busy or wireless connection.
- Jitter = the average change between consecutive replies. High jitter matters for voice, video and games.
Typical round-trip times between continents
Approximate fibre latencies between well-connected cities, useful for sanity-checking your own results. Your values add the latency of your own connection (often 5 to 30 ms on Wi-Fi or cable).
| Route | Great-circle distance | Typical round trip |
|---|---|---|
| New York ↔ Virginia | about 350 km | 5 to 10 ms |
| New York ↔ Oregon | about 3,900 km | 60 to 75 ms |
| New York ↔ London | about 5,600 km | 70 to 80 ms |
| London ↔ Frankfurt | about 640 km | 10 to 20 ms |
| London ↔ Singapore | about 10,900 km | 150 to 180 ms |
| Los Angeles ↔ Tokyo | about 8,800 km | 100 to 120 ms |
| Singapore ↔ Sydney | about 6,300 km | 90 to 100 ms |
| São Paulo ↔ Miami | about 6,600 km | 105 to 120 ms |
Tips for accurate results
- Turn off VPNs and proxies unless you want to test through them; they move your starting point to the VPN server.
- Use a wired connection when you compare regions for a game server or trading app, since Wi-Fi adds variable delay.
- Run the test at different times. Evening congestion can add tens of milliseconds to distant regions.
- Choose by users, not by you. Pick the region closest to most of your users; ask them to run this test if they are elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
How does the cloud ping test work?
For each region the tool first makes one warm-up request to open the connection (DNS lookup, TCP and TLS handshakes), then sends several small HTTPS requests to that region's DynamoDB API endpoint, which is hosted inside the region. It times each round trip and reports the median, the minimum and the jitter.
Why only AWS regions?
AWS publishes a regional API endpoint for every region that resolves to servers in that region, so a request really travels to the data center. Many other providers answer through a global anycast front door, which means you would measure the nearest edge location instead of the region itself. You can add your own server, for example a VM on any cloud, under Add your own server.
Why is the result higher than the ping command?
Browsers cannot send ICMP ping packets, so each measurement is an HTTPS request and reply. The server has to process the request, which adds a few milliseconds compared with ICMP. The ranking of regions is the same, and the values are realistic for web and API traffic.
What latency is good for a cloud region?
Under 50 ms is excellent for interactive apps, games and remote desktops. 50 to 100 ms is good for most web apps and APIs. 100 to 150 ms is acceptable for websites but noticeable in real-time apps, and over 150 ms usually means the region is on another continent.
Why does a region show no reply?
The request timed out after 4 seconds or was blocked. Common causes are a firewall, VPN, corporate proxy or content blocker that blocks amazonaws.com, or a newer region that is not reachable from your network. Try again, or test without the VPN.
How far away is a region based on its ping?
Light in optical fibre travels about 200 km per millisecond, so each millisecond of round-trip time allows at most about 100 km of one-way distance. Real routes are longer than straight lines and add router delays, so a 40 ms result usually means a data center within roughly 1,000 to 2,500 km.
Does my location or IP get sent anywhere?
Only the normal HTTPS requests to the AWS endpoints are made, as with any website. The results are calculated in your browser and are not uploaded or stored anywhere except custom server addresses you choose to save in this browser.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.