Install and Automate Ookla Speedtest CLI on Ubuntu

29 July 2025 - less than 1 min read time
Tags: Raspberry Pi Linux How To ubuntu speedtest networking cli automation

The Ookla Speedtest CLI lets you run the same speedtest.net benchmarks directly from your terminal. Perfect for servers or automated monitoring.

Install the Ookla CLI

For Ubuntu 24.x/25.x, the standalone binary is the easiest:

cd ~
curl -LO https://install.speedtest.net/app/cli/ookla-speedtest-1.2.0-linux-x86_64.tgz # See Note
tar xvf ookla-speedtest-*-linux-x86_64.tgz
sudo mv speedtest /usr/local/bin/

Note

Download the version supported for your operating system.

Run a Test

speedtest

On first run, type YES to accept the license. Sample output:

   Speedtest by Ookla

      Server: Spectrum - Durham, NC (id: 58326)
         ISP: Spectrum
    Latency: 15.01 ms
   Download: 935.55 Mbps
     Upload: 37.42 Mbps

Screenshot

Automating with Cron

Create a script /usr/local/bin/log-speedtest.sh:

#!/bin/bash
timestamp=$(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
result=$(speedtest --accept-license --accept-gdpr --format=tsv)
echo "$timestamp  $result" >> /var/log/speedtest.log

Make it executable:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/log-speedtest.sh

Add to cron:

sudo crontab -e

Example (run daily at 8 AM):

0 8 * * * /usr/local/bin/log-speedtest.sh

View Logs

cat /var/log/speedtest.log

Conclusion

With the Ookla CLI, you can track and log your network performance automatically—without a browser.