Speedtest, the internet performance testing service created by Ookla, uses a visual identity centered on a gauge or speedometer motif. The brand was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, not the United Kingdom as sometimes claimed.[1]
Design and History
The Speedtest trademark, registered by Ookla, LLC, is described in official trademark documents as “a design depicting a gauge with the word ‘SPEEDTEST’ on the right side in capital letters.”[2] The gauge design is a recurring element across the brand’s various marks, including a separate registered “Gauge Design Mark” referenced in Ookla’s infringement notices.[3]
In December 2017, Speedtest released a redesigned iOS app that introduced a new visual direction. According to GSMArena, the update removed “the old, large speedometer with bright colors and glowing textures” in favor of “an indigo background and more modern minimal textures with a new condensed font.” The app also received “a new icon with black background.”[4]
The Android version followed in March 2018 with version 4.0, which Android Police described as a shift away from “the blue waves of yore, the big yellow Begin test button, and the neon glowing gauge.” The updated app featured a “dark navy-indigo background, simpler icons, and thinner fonts.”[5] Italian tech site TuttoAndroid noted that the speedometer itself was redrawn, appearing considerably more modern than its predecessor.[6]
Ookla maintains official brand asset pages that provide downloadable Speedtest logos in various formats for approved licensing use.[7] The company also operates a formal brand licensing program governing how third parties may use Speedtest logos and related assets.[8]
Meaning and Symbolism
The gauge motif directly references the product’s function: measuring internet connection speed. The trademark registration classifies the design under the category “Gauges, including tachometers and speedometers,” confirming the visual metaphor is a speed measurement instrument.[2] The 2017-2018 redesign shifted the brand from a colorful, glossy aesthetic to a flatter, darker presentation with an indigo or navy background and a black app icon.[4][5]
Typography and Design
The wordmark appears in capital letters alongside the gauge symbol, per the official trademark description.[2] The 2017 iOS redesign introduced “a new condensed font” for the app interface, while the 2018 Android update used “thinner fonts” as part of its flatter design language.[4][5] Specific typeface names for the logo have not been publicly documented.
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