Speedtest and Downdetector, two of the most used free tools on the internet, now belong to Accenture. The consulting giant agreed in March 2026 to buy Ookla and its sister brands from Ziff Davis for $1.2 billion in cash, and the deal closed in June. Here is what was sold, why Accenture wanted it, and what it means if you run speed tests or check outages.
The deal in numbers
Ziff Davis signed the purchase agreement with Accenture on March 2, 2026 and disclosed the price in a filing with the SEC the next day. Accenture announced the acquisition from Barcelona on March 3 and did not publish terms itself. The sale needed regulatory approvals and other standard closing conditions, which were satisfied by mid June.
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Buyer | Accenture |
| Seller | Ziff Davis, which owned Ookla as its Connectivity division |
| Price | $1.2 billion in cash, subject to standard adjustments |
| Brands included | Ookla, Speedtest, Downdetector, Ekahau, RootMetrics |
| Announced | March 3, 2026 |
| Closed | June 17, 2026 |
| Ookla staff | About 430 people, headquartered in Seattle |
Ookla was founded in 2006. According to Accenture, its platform collects more than 250 million consumer initiated speed tests every month, on top of controlled drive, walk and embedded testing that carriers pay for.
Why Accenture bought a speed test company
Accenture is not interested in the free app as a consumer product. It wants the data behind it. Every time you tap Go in Speedtest, Ookla learns something about network speed, latency and coverage at that place and time. Multiply that by hundreds of millions of tests a month and you get one of the most detailed maps of real world network performance anywhere.
Accenture said it will use Ookla to help clients with network intelligence, using data and AI to plan, monitor and fix connectivity. Its target customers are communications service providers, hyperscalers and cloud providers, and large enterprises. Each brand plays a part:
Consumer speed tests that feed network performance data.
Crowd reports that reveal outages early, plus paid monitoring for businesses.
Hardware and software for designing and troubleshooting WiFi and private 5G networks.
Controlled testing of mobile carrier performance.
What changes for Speedtest and Downdetector users
So far, very little you can see. In October 2026 the Speedtest app on the Apple App Store is still free, still lists Ookla as the seller, and still offers an optional $0.99 purchase to remove ads. It has also received regular updates since the deal closed. Downdetector continues to show crowd reported outages for apps, banks, carriers and streaming services.
What can change over time is the fine print. A new owner can update the privacy policy, change how test results are shared with business customers, or adjust advertising. Speedtest results have always been used commercially, so this is not a new idea, but it is now one of the world’s largest consulting firms doing the analysis.
Good alternatives if you want to switch
You do not need to abandon either service, but it is smart to know the options. For checking your internet speed:
- Fast.com: a minimal speed test run by Netflix that starts the moment the page loads.
- Cloudflare speed test: shows download, upload, latency and jitter, useful for gaming and video calls.
- Google search speed test: search for speed test and run the test built into the results, powered by Measurement Lab.
- FCC Speed Test app: the government’s own app, whose results feed the FCC’s broadband measurements.
- Your router or ISP app: most providers include a speed test that measures the line itself, without your WiFi in the way.
For checking whether a service is down, the most reliable source is usually the company itself. Most large services publish an official status page, internet and cable providers show outage maps in their apps, and many companies post incident updates on their support accounts on social media. Downdetector stays useful because it often catches a problem before the official page admits it.
FAQ
Who owns Speedtest now?
Accenture. It bought Ookla, the company behind Speedtest, from Ziff Davis in a deal that closed on June 17, 2026.
How much did Accenture pay for Ookla?
$1.2 billion in cash, subject to standard purchase price adjustments, according to Ziff Davis’ filing with the SEC.
Is Speedtest still free?
Yes. In October 2026 the app is free to download and use, with an optional $0.99 purchase to remove ads.
Does Downdetector still work the same way?
Yes. It still collects user reports to flag outages. Accenture’s plans focus on business customers rather than changes to the free site.
The verdict
The Ookla sale is a business data deal, not a consumer app shakeup. Speedtest and Downdetector keep working as before, and both remain free. If the change of ownership bothers you, review your app permissions and try Fast.com, Cloudflare or the FCC app for speed checks, and lean on official status pages for outages.
Updated October 2026: covers the completed $1.2 billion Accenture purchase of Ookla, what it includes, what it means for Speedtest and Downdetector users, and alternatives.
Featured photo: Mika Baumeister on Unsplash.
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