{
    "name": "Video Streaming Bandwidth Calculator",
    "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/video-streaming-bandwidth-calculator",
    "markdown": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/video-streaming-bandwidth-calculator.md",
    "category": "Software, cloud & AI",
    "description": "Work out the data a video uses per view and in total from its bitrate, length, share watched and number of plays, plus peak egress for concurrent viewers.",
    "summary": "Streaming data = bitrate × seconds watched ÷ 8. A 5 Mbps stream uses 2.25 GB an hour; multiply by plays for the total and by concurrent viewers for peak bandwidth.",
    "also_called": [
        "Video bandwidth calculator",
        "Bitrate data calculator"
    ],
    "applies_to": "Worldwide",
    "last_updated": "2026-10-29",
    "computation": "Results are computed in the visitor’s browser on the HTML page. This API describes the calculator; it does not compute results.",
    "inputs": [
        {
            "name": "bitrate_mbps",
            "label": "Average bitrate (video + audio)",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "5",
            "unit": "Mbps"
        },
        {
            "name": "duration_min",
            "label": "Video length",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "60",
            "unit": "min"
        },
        {
            "name": "watched_pct",
            "label": "Average share watched",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "100",
            "unit": "%"
        },
        {
            "name": "plays",
            "label": "Plays",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "1000"
        },
        {
            "name": "concurrent",
            "label": "Peak concurrent viewers",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "200",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "egress_price",
            "label": "Delivery price per GB",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "0.02",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "currency",
            "label": "Currency",
            "type": "currency",
            "default": "USD"
        }
    ],
    "outputs": [
        {
            "key": "data_transfer_gb",
            "label": "Total data transferred",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "data_transfer_tb",
            "label": "Total data transferred",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "data_transfer_tib",
            "label": "Total in binary units",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "mb_per_play",
            "label": "Data per play",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "gb_per_hour",
            "label": "Data per hour at this bitrate",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "peak_gbps",
            "label": "Peak egress",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "delivery_cost",
            "label": "Delivery cost",
            "format": "currency"
        }
    ],
    "formula": {
        "text": "Bytes per play = Mbps × 10⁶ × Seconds watched ÷ 8;  Total GB = Bytes per play × Plays ÷ 10⁹;  Peak Gbps = Concurrent viewers × Mbps ÷ 1,000",
        "variables": {
            "Mbps": "average stream bitrate in megabits per second",
            "Seconds watched": "length × share watched"
        }
    },
    "worked_example": {
        "inputs": {
            "bitrate_mbps": "5",
            "duration_min": "60",
            "watched_pct": "100",
            "plays": "1000",
            "concurrent": "200",
            "egress_price": "0.02",
            "currency": "USD"
        },
        "steps": [
            "Per play: 5,000,000 bits/s × 3,600 s = 18 × 10⁹ bits ÷ 8 = 2.25 × 10⁹ bytes = 2,250 MB.",
            "1,000 plays × 2.25 GB = 2,250 GB (2.25 TB); × 0.02 = 45.",
            "Peak: 200 viewers × 5 Mbps = 1,000 Mbps = 1 Gbps."
        ],
        "result": "A one-hour 5 Mbps video watched 1,000 times transfers 2,250 GB, and 200 simultaneous viewers need 1 Gbps."
    },
    "interpretation": "Adaptive streaming switches between bitrates, so use the average delivered bitrate from your analytics, not the top rendition. Peak Gbps sizes origin and CDN capacity; total GB sizes the bill.",
    "assumptions": [
        "The bitrate is constant across the stream."
    ],
    "limitations": [
        "Protocol overhead (segments, TCP/IP headers) typically adds a few per cent to the data transferred."
    ],
    "rules": null,
    "faqs": [
        {
            "question": "Why divide by 8?",
            "answer": "Bitrates are quoted in bits per second, and data volumes in bytes. One byte is 8 bits."
        },
        {
            "question": "Is the GB here 1,000 MB?",
            "answer": "Yes. Network and CDN volumes use decimal units: 1 GB = 1,000 MB = 10⁹ bytes. The TiB figure shows the same volume in binary units."
        }
    ],
    "sources": [],
    "related": [
        {
            "name": "CDN Bandwidth Cost Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/cdn-bandwidth-cost-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Data Transfer Time Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/data-transfer-time-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Image Compression Savings Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/image-compression-savings-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Website Bandwidth Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/bandwidth-calculator"
        }
    ],
    "disclaimer": null,
    "publisher": "GM¹X CalcVerse"
}