Streaming Bandwidth Calculator
A stream's bitrate is how many bits per second it sends. From that one number you can work out the data each viewer consumes per hour and the total outbound bandwidth a broadcast needs for its audience. Enter the stream bitrate in megabits per second, the hours watched, and the number of simultaneous viewers. This calculator returns the data used per viewer per hour in megabytes and gigabytes, the total bandwidth required, and the total data for the session. The core step is dividing megabits by 8 to reach megabytes.
Streaming bandwidth formula
MB per hour = bitrate(Mbps) * 3,600 / 8
GB per session = MB per hour * hours / 1,000
Total bandwidth(Mbps) = bitrate * viewers
Total data(GB) = GB per session * viewers
(8 bits per byte; 3,600 seconds per hour)
This uses decimal megabytes (1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes), the convention internet service providers use for data caps.
Streaming context
- Bitrate is in bits per second; divide by 8 to convert to bytes per second.
- One hour of a 5 Mbps stream is about 2.25 GB of media payload.
- Live broadcasts need bandwidth equal to bitrate times concurrent viewers, before overhead.
- Add 5 to 20 percent headroom for packet headers, retransmissions, and adaptive switching.
- Enter the exact bitrate your service or encoder reports; quality presets vary widely.
Streaming bandwidth calculator: frequently asked questions
How do I convert a stream bitrate to data used per hour?
Multiply the bitrate in megabits per second by 3,600 seconds per hour to get megabits per hour, then divide by 8 to convert to megabytes. A 5 Mbps stream uses 5 times 3,600 divided by 8, which is 2,250 megabytes (about 2.2 GB) per hour.
What is the difference between bits and bytes here?
Network bitrate is measured in bits per second (lowercase b), while file and data sizes are usually in bytes (uppercase B). There are 8 bits in a byte, so you divide a bitrate in megabits by 8 to get megabytes. Mixing the two is the most common bandwidth-calculation mistake.
How much total bandwidth does a live stream need for many viewers?
Multiply the per-viewer bitrate by the number of simultaneous viewers. A 5 Mbps stream served to 1,000 concurrent viewers requires 5,000 Mbps (5 Gbps) of outbound bandwidth, before protocol and retransmission overhead.
Why does the actual data sometimes exceed the calculated amount?
Real streams add overhead: packet headers, adaptive bitrate switching, buffering, and protocol control traffic. A common rule of thumb is to add 5 to 20 percent. This calculator reports the raw media payload; size your network with headroom above it.
What bitrate do common video qualities use?
Bitrate depends on the codec and content, so enter your own value. As a guide, standard streaming services publish their recommended bitrates: 1080p is often in the 5 to 8 Mbps range and 4K in the 15 to 25 Mbps range with modern codecs. Confirm the figure for your specific service.
Official sources
- International Telecommunication Union: ITU standards for media bitrate and transmission.
- NIST: National Institute of Standards and Technology, units of digital information.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 17 June 2026. See our methodology.