How Fast Is Flash? Compared to Other Fast Superheroes

Out of all DC speedsters, Flash is the greatest one. This is partly due to him being referenced in popular media all the time and partly because he has insane speeds. His connection to the speed force allows him to transcend time, space, and even dimensions, so this is why we decided to explore how fast Flash exactly is, compared to other fast DC superheroes. The version we’re going to compare is Wally West due to him being the absolutely fastest character that has held the mantle of the Scarlet Speedster. So let’s see how Flash’s speed compares to other speedsters in the DC universe. 

Flash (Wally West) is by far the fastest superhero in the DC comics. He is capable of reaching speeds up to 500 times the speed of light, even 13 trillion times the speed of light. In one instance, he was faster than thought, and he was also able to outrun death itself. When compared to other fast characters like Superman, Wonder Woman, and Shazam, Flash wins due to his unique connection to the Speed Force. 

Now that we’ve covered that no one is faster than DC, well, at least no one on our list, it’s time to analyze exactly why. If you’re interested in more, stay with us and keep reading!

How fast can Flash run? 

There’s a reason why we selected Wally West to make this comparison, as he is the fasters Flash we currently have at our disposal. He is the conduit of the Speed Force, and if you’re not familiar with this term, you should know that Speed Force is movements itself. Speed Force is one of the Seven Forces of the Universe. It is the essence of kinetic energy in the Universe, and most of DC’s speedsters are connected to it. This allows them to reach mind-boggling speeds and outrun light several times. Speed Force is likewise often described as the cosmic force that pushes space and time forward.

Speed Force gives access to incredible speeds, the speeds that we can’t simply comprehend. Imagine something moving so fast that it’s faster than instant teleportation. You can’t. Luckily it’s how it works in DC comics, and this is why Flash can run at speeds between 500 times the speed of light and 13 trillion times the speed of light. 

Flash is among the fastest beings in existence. At one point, he was faster than thought, faster than Speed Force itself. Flash is faster than instant teleportation, and he can easily outrun the Universe’s expansion. Wally West once ran until the end of time to outrun Black Flash. And I think this is enough to witness how truly fast Flash is. His speed is incomprehensible and cannot be measured up to or compared to anything we know. 

But how does he compare against other speedsters? I’m guessing you know the answer already. 

Superman can never be faster than Flash 

Superman and Flash raced nine times in the comics, with Flash winning five times. Two of those wins are attributed to Wally West, and three races were tied. This doesn’t look so good for Flash because, according to his feats, he should win every time, right? Well, even though Superman managed to win only once, this doesn’t mean he can reach the speeds that Flash can. Superman is a speedster, but he lacks something that gives him that extra edge while moving. He doesn’t have a connection to the Speed Force. 

Superman might be the only speedster in the DC comics that has access to mind-boggling speeds without the connection to the Speed Force. When put in numbers, Superman can move at speeds as fast as 186,000 miles per second and possibly even beyond that. This is not enough to beat Flash’s top speed, however. 

Wonder Woman once matched Flash’s cruising speed

Wonder Woman is extremely fast, and even though she can’t access the Speed Force, she can easily move faster than the speed of light in outer space. This is due to the blessing given to her by Mercury. Wonder Woman’s divine speed translates well inside and outside combat, but like most speedsters, she is the fastest when flying outside Earth’s atmosphere in a straight line. 

She can reach mind-boggling speeds, and at one time, she was capable of matching Flash’s cruising speed. However, she is not faster than him at his top speed. In fact, she doesn’t even come near.

How fast is Flash compared to Shazam? 

Shazam got his speed in a similar way as Wonder Woman, and he is also considered to be a speedster even though he lacks the connection to Speed Force. Due to the blessing of Mercury, Shazam can reach speeds of up to 270,000 mph. We’re basing this on the fact that he is often described as being capable of moving as fast as a lightning bolt. Like other speedsters on this list, Shazam is the fastest when he is flying in a straight line, and even though his speeds are impressive, he comes nowhere near Flash’s top speed.  

Is Flash faster than Supergirl? 

Like her more famous younger cousin, Supergirl doesn’t have access to Speed Force, but her Kryptonian physiology allows her to run and fly at speeds greater than light. We’ve already seen that Superman is not faster than Flash, and considering that Superman is also at the same time faster than Supergirl, she will never be able to reach Flash’s speed. Unless she receives some kind of insane power up, that is. 

What do you think about Flash’s speed & how he compares to other speedsters? Let us know in the comments below!