Omniloop

Jitter test

Run a jitter test to see how consistent your latency is over time, the metric that predicts stutter in calls and games better than average ping alone.

What jitter measures

Jitter is the variation in ping from one moment to the next, not the ping value itself. A connection can average a low 20ms ping and still have jitter that swings it between 5ms and 80ms second to second. That inconsistency is what causes stutter, even though the average, taken alone, looks perfectly healthy.

Omniloop calculates jitter as the mean difference between consecutive ping samples across the test, the same RFC 3550-style method used by professional network monitoring tools.

What counts as low jitter

Jitter thresholds

0 – 5 ms

Essentially imperceptible; calls and games sound and feel smooth.

Good

5 – 15 ms

Generally tolerable for most real-time use.

Fair

15 ms+

Audible or visible stutter in calls and competitive games.

Poor

Why jitter hits calls and games hardest

Downloads and page loads can buffer through timing inconsistency without you ever noticing. Live audio, video, and game state generally can't buffer the same way without introducing lag, so uneven packet timing shows up directly as choppy audio, frozen video frames, or characters jumping position, even on a connection with plenty of raw bandwidth. High jitter is frequently the real culprit behind calls that feel laggy despite a fast plan and low average ping.

Check your jitter

Jitter is measured alongside ping in every Omniloop test, sampled across multiple round-trips for a reliable reading.

Jitter test FAQ

Common questions about connection stability and what causes stutter.

What's the difference between ping and jitter?

Ping is a single latency measurement at one moment. Jitter is how much that latency varies from one moment to the next. A connection can have low average ping but high jitter, which still causes stutter in calls and games even though the average looks fine.

What counts as low jitter?

Under 5ms is excellent and essentially imperceptible. 5 to 15ms is generally tolerable for most real-time use. Above 15ms, voice calls and competitive games start to show audible or visible stutter, even if the underlying average ping is low.

What causes high jitter?

Network congestion is the most common cause, especially on shared Wi-Fi or during peak ISP usage hours, along with unstable Wi-Fi signal, outdated router firmware, and traffic competing with other high-bandwidth activity on the same connection.

Why does jitter matter more for calls and games than downloads?

Downloads can buffer and recover from timing variation without you noticing. Real-time audio, video, and game state can't buffer the same way, so inconsistent packet timing shows up directly as stutter, choppy audio, or rubber-banding, even when total bandwidth is more than enough.

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