iCloud Private Relay - Large Speed Difference on Starlink

VPN
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Just a PSA announcement to everyone about how having iCloud private relay enabled on your apple devices will heavily affect your internet speeds. Using any VPN type of service will of course typically slow your speed, as your connection has to make an extra stop with the data at the VPN location on its way in and out from your router. So this is expected but I figured I’d make a quick post for people that can learn from it. Also, the speed difference is more than I was expecting (at least on my network).

I’ve tested consistently on TestMy.net (my preferred speed test site) and on Fast.com. For my network, with iCloud Private Relay turned off, I consistently get about 60-150 down/ 17-30 up. With it turned on, I consistently get 4-9 down/ 5-10 up. This was tested on multiple days, with multiple devices, on multiple speed test sites, and also through my main router and WiFi mesh routers/access points (lower speeds through the WiFi mesh routers compared to the main router of course, but consistent numbers relatively).

I still use iCloud private relay because I like the service for privacy. The slower speed isn’t really noticeable for almost all tasks. But if you’re testing your internet speed, you should turn it off for accuracy.

If you have cable or fiber internet, the speed difference probably is less, and if you have a cellular 5g or LTE internet connection (like t-mobile home internet), I’m not sure but it’s also probably less than a satellite service like Starlink.

Settings for iCloud Private Relay are found in: Settings > Apple Account (very first/top selection in settings) > iCloud > Private Relay

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ISPs don’t like iCloud Private Relay because it interferes with their ability to sell your browsing habits to advertisers. All VPNs do that to them, but apple is a different beast because of market share. So many people are using apple devices to access the internet and iCloud Private Relay is enabled everywhere now. I wouldn’t be surprised is those iCloud domains are being specifically targeted in some ways. Because doing so makes people just like you turn it off. This isn’t conspiracy stuff, just practical business sense.

ISPs don’t want your browsing data going through a VPN and they do have the ability to affect service when you use them if they want. iCloud Private Relay is the biggest routing target they’ve faced yet. Your (our) data is the most valuable asset online and apple interferes with this data collection with their privacy implementations.

I’ve not noticed this type of speed effect with other more traditional VPN services like NordVPN.

Of course this is anecdotal so everyone should do their own testing.