Why knots instead of km/h or mph?

A knot is one nautical mile per hour, the standard unit in marine and aviation navigation because it ties directly to position on a nautical chart, where distances are measured in nautical miles.

Is this the same as a boat's knotmeter?

Not exactly — GPS measures speed-over-ground, while a traditional paddlewheel knotmeter measures speed-through-water. The two will differ in current or tide. See the dedicated boat speedometer page for more.

Knots Speedometer

A GPS speedometer showing your live speed in knots, the standard marine and aviation unit.

GPS Inactive

Locked to kn. Need another unit? Use the full speedometer.

SpeedCheck needs your device's location to measure speed. Your browser will ask for permission when you tap Start Tracking — your location is never stored or sent anywhere.

Max Speed0kn

Average Speed0kn

Trip Distance0.00km

Moving Time00:00:00

Do not interact with this device while driving. Have a passenger operate it, or mount it securely and glance only when safe to do so.

Knots, GPS-measured

This page reads your GPS speed directly and displays it in knots on both an analog gauge and a digital readout, alongside max speed, average speed, distance, and moving time for your session. For a marine-specific version of this tool with notes on current and tide, see the boat speedometer page.

Other speedometers

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Why knots instead of km/h or mph?: A knot is one nautical mile per hour, the standard unit in marine and aviation navigation because it ties directly to position on a nautical chart, where distances are measured in nautical miles.
Is this the same as a boat's knotmeter?: Not exactly — GPS measures speed-over-ground, while a traditional paddlewheel knotmeter measures speed-through-water. The two will differ in current or tide. See the dedicated boat speedometer page for more.