Netflix launches internet speed test site to help you check if you're being ripped off

Netflix's new site will make it easy to find out whether you're actually getting the internet speed you're paying for

Fast.com uses Netflix's server to check your download speed (Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images)

Netflix has launched a new tool which lets you tell whether your internet service provider (ISP) is ripping you off.

Fast.com is a stripped-down speed test website, which tells you your internet download speed at the click of a button.

If you're streaming Netflix videos and your internet seems to be going slowly, you can head to the site to check if there's any issues.

It isn't the most detailed speed test site in the world, but it does the job

Importantly, Fast.com can shift the blame for slow streams from Netflix onto the ISPs themselves.

In a statement, Netflix executive David Fullagar said: "We all want a faster, better internet, yet internet speeds vary greatly and can be affected by other users on your network or congestion with your internet service provider."

"Like the cellular data controls we recently introduced," he wrote, "Fast.com is another tool consumers can use for greater insight and control of their Internet service."

The site is free and available to everyone, whether they're a Netflix member or not.

The results may vary, however. Fast.com appears to give very different results to more established services like SpeedTest.net, so it might not be the best tool to use if you want the most detailed information.

If you want to quickly check the state of your connection at a glance, however, it should do the job.