Video streaming bandwidth calculator
Estimate video streaming data use from bitrate, duration and viewers. Convert Mbps to GB per hour and calculate audience bandwidth in your browser.
Free · No account required · Runs in your browser
Total decimal GB
0.063
Aggregate bandwidth (Mbps)
50.0
GB per viewer per hour
2.250
Steady average bitrate; audio, retransmissions and protocol overhead are additional.
How it works
For a fixed average bitrate, decimal gigabytes equal Mbps × 1,000,000 ÷ 8 × seconds ÷ 1,000,000,000. Multiply by independent deliveries to estimate audience data volume. Audio, protocol overhead, retransmissions and adaptive bitrate change the actual total.
- Enter the stream's average bitrate in Mbps.
- Enter duration and the number of viewer deliveries.
- Read total decimal GB and aggregate bandwidth. Include a separate allowance for overhead.
Common questions
- How much data does a 5 Mbps video stream use per hour?
- At a steady 5 Mbps, one hour uses 2.25 decimal GB before audio or protocol overhead. Ten independent viewer deliveries use 22.5 GB under the same assumption.
- Can resolution alone determine video bandwidth?
- No. Codec, frame rate, motion, quality and encoder settings affect bitrate. Use the measured average bitrate for your stream.