iPerf3 on iPhone — real network tests, no jailbreak

Carry a real iPerf3 lab in your pocket. Test Wi-Fi, LTE, 5G, hotspot, and VPN throughput from anywhere — both as a client and as a server. Live charts, persistent history, CSV and JSON export, and Apple Shortcuts automations included.

Download on the App Store See how it works

One-time purchase · No tracking · TCP/UDP · Client + Server

  • iOS 16.6+Native build
  • macOS 13.5+Mac Catalyst
  • TCP + UDPBoth protocols
  • 0Trackers
  • 14Languages

Who this is for

  • Wi-Fi installers walking around the building during a survey
  • Travelers testing hotel and conference Wi-Fi quality
  • Mobile QA running spot-checks against staging environments
  • Network admins fielding 'is the LTE slow?' tickets from their phone

What you can test

  • Wi-Fi to LAN throughput, including dual-band and tri-band routers
  • LTE / 5G uplink and downlink against a public iperf3 server
  • VPN tunnel impact on TCP/UDP performance
  • Hotspot mode bandwidth between two iPhones (one client, one server)

How it works

  1. Install the app from the App Store

    Grant Local Network permission on first launch so the iPhone can talk to LAN-side iperf3 endpoints.

  2. Pick the side you control

    Choose Client mode if the iperf3 server lives elsewhere, or Server mode if you need an endpoint on the iPhone itself.

  3. Configure or accept defaults

    Host, port, protocol — or just hit Start with the standard 5201/TCP defaults if you're in a hurry.

  4. Walk around with the chart open

    The live chart updates every second as you move. Watch throughput drop as you cross floor boundaries or move between APs.

  5. Save runs with location notes

    Tag each saved run with a room number, AP name, or VPN profile to compare results in history later.

iPhone as a portable network probe

Modern iPhones make excellent portable network probes. The A-series and M-series chips can saturate 1 Gb/s and beyond on Wi-Fi 6E, and the cellular modems support LTE Advanced and 5G in most markets. The phone fits in a pocket so you can walk a building, a campus, or a customer site with the iperf3 client running and immediately notice when throughput drops as you cross between APs or step into a coverage hole. Combine that with the on-device clock and optional location tagging on saved runs and the iPhone replaces a laptop, a USB Wi-Fi dongle, and a CLI session that you'd otherwise lug around for a site survey.

Field-test workflow for Wi-Fi and VPN issues

Site-survey work follows a repeatable pattern. Start with a baseline run from a known-good location next to the access point or wired switch. Then walk the floor, run the same test in each problem area, and tag each saved session with the room or AP. Back at the desk, open History, sort by time, and compare throughput, retransmits, and jitter side-by-side. For VPN issues run the same test pair with VPN on and off; if the VPN drops UDP throughput from 800 Mbit/s to 300 Mbit/s but TCP barely moves, you've found a buffering or fragmentation issue specific to the VPN concentrator. Save the diff as a JSON export for the support ticket.

Saving and comparing test history on iPhone

History on iPhone is local-first. Every saved run keeps the protocol, host, port, duration, parallel-stream count, and full per-second metrics. The history view lets you sort by date or throughput and tap into an individual run to see the original chart and computed averages. Exports come in CSV (for Numbers, Excel, or Google Sheets) and JSON (for jq, Python, Pandas, or Grafana ingestion). The app does not back history up to iCloud automatically — that's a deliberate choice — but you can manually share an export through any iOS share sheet target. History retention is governed by available device storage; typical runs of 10–30 seconds use a few KB each.

Screenshots

  • iPerf3 on iPhone home screen ready for client or server mode
  • iPerf3 iPhone live throughput chart during a Wi-Fi field test
  • iPerf3 iPhone history view comparing saved test results across rooms
  • iPerf3 iPhone server mode listening for inbound LAN connections

Frequently asked questions

Is this the official iPerf3 app?
It's a native iOS/macOS client and server compatible with the iPerf3 protocol — built independently. Test results are wire-compatible with the standard iperf3 binary.
Does the app collect my data?
No. We don't track users. Crash reports are processed by Sentry without personal identifiers, and test results stay on your device unless you export them.
TCP or UDP — which one should I run?
Use TCP for raw throughput and reliability. Use UDP to measure jitter, packet loss, and bufferbloat — typical for Wi-Fi or VPN diagnostics.
Can I run a server on iPhone?
Yes. The app includes server mode on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. You can pin a port, accept connections from any iPerf3 client, and stop the server with one tap.
Does iPerf3 work on cellular data?
Yes — the app uses standard iOS networking, so any cellular APN that allows arbitrary outbound TCP/UDP works. Some carrier hotspot plans rate-limit non-browser traffic; check your carrier policy.
Can I tag a test with the room or location?
Yes. Each saved run lets you add a free-form note. Use it for room number, AP name, or VPN profile to compare runs in history.

Related iPerf3 guides

Ready to test your network?

Run iPerf3 client and server tests from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. No account, no tracking, one-time purchase.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play