What this video bitrate calculator does
This video bitrate calculator estimates the final file size of a video using video bitrate, audio bitrate, and total duration. Bitrate is the amount of data used each second of playback, so higher values usually mean better quality and larger files. By entering your video bitrate in Mbps, audio bitrate in kbps, and runtime in minutes, you can quickly predict how much storage or upload bandwidth your export will need. This is useful for editors, streamers, and anyone preparing video for web delivery, mobile sharing, or archiving.
How to use it
Enter the video bitrate in megabits per second, then add the total duration in minutes. If your project also includes audio, enter the audio bitrate in kilobits per second. Click the calculate button to see the estimated total bitrate and approximate file size in megabytes and gigabytes. The tool assumes constant average bitrate, so the result is an estimate rather than an exact encoder output. It still works well for planning exports, comparing settings, and checking whether a file will fit within platform upload limits.
Practical examples
If you export a 10 minute 1080p video at 8 Mbps with 192 kbps audio, the resulting file will be a little over 600 MB. A shorter social clip at 4 Mbps for 2 minutes will be much smaller and faster to upload. For a longer webinar, even a moderate bitrate can create a large file because duration has a major effect on size. Use this calculator before rendering to balance quality, storage, and delivery requirements. It is especially helpful when choosing settings for YouTube uploads, client review files, or limited cloud storage space.
Frequently asked questions
What bitrate does YouTube recommend for 1080p and 4K uploads?
YouTube's general guidance is around 8 Mbps for standard-frame-rate 1080p and roughly 35-45 Mbps for standard-frame-rate 4K (higher for 50/60fps content). YouTube re-compresses everything you upload, so exporting well above the minimum rarely helps — matching their recommended range keeps files smaller without visible quality loss after their processing.
Why does my exported file size differ from this calculator's estimate?
This tool assumes constant (average) bitrate across the whole runtime. Most modern encoders use variable bitrate (VBR), which allocates more data to complex, high-motion scenes and less to static ones — so a VBR export's actual file size is normally close to, but not identical to, a flat CBR-style estimate like this one.