Summary
- A common starting point for 1080p H.264 video is about 8 Mbps at 24–30 fps and 12 Mbps at 50–60 fps. 4K is about 35–45 Mbps at 30 fps and 53–68 Mbps at 60 fps. Those are upload-quality figures, so add audio on top.
- File size = (video bitrate + audio bitrate) × seconds ÷ 8. One minute of 1080p at 8 Mbps with 128 kbps audio is about 60 MB.
- For sharing, email and web playback you can go far lower. 2–5 Mbps at 1080p is a practical range.
- Work out your bitrate or file size in the free calculator, then compress the video.
Bitrate is the number that decides both how good a video looks and how big the file is. Set it too low and motion turns to blocks; set it too high and the file is huge for no visible gain. This guide gives you typical bitrates for 1080p, 4K, 720p and 480p, shows the file-size maths, and explains how to choose a bitrate for uploading, sharing and archiving.
Want the number for your own video? Open the free bitrate calculator: enter a bitrate to see the size, or a size limit to see the bitrate that fits.
What is video bitrate?
Video bitrate is the amount of data used per second of video, measured in kilobits per second (kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps). 1 Mbps = 1,000 kbps.
More bitrate means more data for detail and motion, and a bigger file. But the relationship flattens: past a point that depends on resolution, frame rate and content, extra bitrate buys no visible improvement. Codec efficiency matters too. Newer codecs such as H.265 (HEVC) can reach similar quality to H.264 at a lower bitrate, but they don't play everywhere.
Recommended video bitrate by resolution and frame rate
These are widely published upload targets for H.264, SDR video. They are video bitrates, so add the audio bitrate on top.
| Resolution |
24, 25 or 30 fps |
48, 50 or 60 fps |
| 2160p (4K) |
35–45 Mbps |
53–68 Mbps |
| 1440p |
16 Mbps |
24 Mbps |
| 1080p |
8 Mbps |
12 Mbps |
| 720p |
5 Mbps |
7.5 Mbps |
| 480p |
2.5 Mbps |
4 Mbps |
| 360p |
1 Mbps |
1.5 Mbps |
HDR video needs more. Each platform publishes its own limits, and most re-encode what you upload, so check the destination before you encode.
Video bitrate for 1080p
For a 1080p upload, about 8 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 12 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps is the common target. For self-hosted web video or email, 2–5 Mbps at 1080p is a practical balance. Talking heads and slides sit happily at the low end; sport and handheld footage need the high end.
Video bitrate for 4K
For a 4K upload, about 35–45 Mbps at 30 fps and 53–68 Mbps at 60 fps. Camera and editing masters often run far higher, around 100–200 Mbps, because they're built to survive further editing, not to be watched as they are.
Audio bitrate
For speech, 128 kbps is plenty; 192 kbps suits most mixed audio; 320 kbps is the ceiling for music. Audio is a small share of a video file at 1080p and above.
How bitrate sets file size
File size (MB) = (video kbps + audio kbps) × seconds ÷ 8 ÷ 1024
One minute of video with 128 kbps audio:
| Video bitrate |
Typical use |
About MB per minute |
| 1 Mbps |
360p, or very compressed 480p |
8 MB |
| 2.5 Mbps |
480p upload, light 1080p web video |
19 MB |
| 5 Mbps |
720p upload, good 1080p web video |
38 MB |
| 8 Mbps |
1080p upload at 30 fps |
60 MB |
| 12 Mbps |
1080p upload at 60 fps |
89 MB |
| 40 Mbps |
4K upload at 30 fps |
294 MB |
Multiply by the minutes. A 10-minute 1080p video at 8 Mbps with 192 kbps audio is about 600 MB. The estimate covers the audio and video streams only; the container, subtitles and extra audio tracks add a little.
The video bitrate calculator does this sum in "Bitrate → file size" mode, and the reverse in "Target size → bitrate" mode: enter a size limit and the duration, and it shows the maximum video bitrate after reserving the audio.
How to check the bitrate of a video you already have
- Read the file's size and duration in the free video metadata viewer, which doesn't upload the file.
- Enter both in the calculator's "Target size → bitrate" mode and read the total bitrate.
That's the average across the whole file, audio included. It runs a few percent high if the size comes from a tool that counts 1 MB as 1,000,000 bytes.
CBR vs VBR
- Constant bitrate (CBR) keeps the data rate fixed, so bandwidth use is predictable. Used for live streaming and broadcast.
- Variable bitrate (VBR) spends more bits on complex scenes and fewer on static ones. It generally gives better quality for the same average size. Two-pass VBR analyses the video first, then encodes.
For files you upload, share or archive, VBR is usually the better choice. For live delivery, CBR.
Picking a bitrate for the job
| Job |
Aim for |
Tool |
| Upload to a video platform |
The upload targets in the table above, or higher |
Export from your editor at that rate |
| Self-hosted web video |
2–5 Mbps at 1080p, or 720p |
Compress Video, Web profile |
| Email or chat |
Whatever fits the size limit |
Calculator in "Target size" mode, then Mobile. See compress a video for email |
| Client review copy |
720p at a moderate bitrate |
Web profile |
| Archive or master |
Keep the original, or compress gently |
Archive profile. See compress without losing quality |
From bitrate to a smaller file
Compress Video works with profiles rather than a bitrate box:
- Web: up to 720p, good quality on screens
- Mobile: up to 480p, the smallest result
- Archive: keeps the resolution, up to 4K, with more detail
- Light, Medium or Heavy: higher compression targets a lower bitrate
Pick one, check the estimated size before you start, and download an MP4 (H.264). There is no exact target-size option, so use the calculator to see roughly what bitrate your limit allows, choose the profile that gets you there, and leave headroom. Already-small files may not shrink. Free accounts compress one video a day, up to 30 minutes and 2 GB; Pro handles up to 2 hours and 10 GB.
Ready to shrink it? Compress the video online, free. Burning captions in first? Do it with Burn Subtitles, then continue to Compress.
FAQ
What is a good bitrate for 1080p?
About 8 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 12 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps for H.264 uploads. For web playback or sharing, 2–5 Mbps is often enough.
What bitrate should I use for 4K?
About 35–45 Mbps at 30 fps and 53–68 Mbps at 60 fps for uploads. Masters run much higher.
Does higher bitrate always mean better quality?
No. Beyond a point, extra bitrate adds size without visible improvement, and a well-encoded file at a lower bitrate can beat a poorly encoded one at a higher rate.
How do I calculate file size from bitrate?
(Video kbps + audio kbps) × seconds ÷ 8 ÷ 1024 = MB. The calculator does it for you.
Does audio bitrate affect video quality?
No. They're separate streams, but both count toward the file size.
Next step
Run your numbers in the free bitrate calculator, then compress the video with the profile that fits. Delivering client video regularly? Pro is $14.99/month or $120/year: compression and burn-in up to 2 hours, captioned exports at original resolution with no watermark, and no daily job caps. See our refund policy.
Related guides and tools
Sources: Bitrate-by-resolution table, size formula, CBR/VBR, codec-efficiency and 4K master figures as published on the VideoText Video Bitrate Calculator page (its "Recommended video bitrate by resolution" table of widely published H.264 SDR upload recommendations), https://videotext.io/tools/video-bitrate-calculator; VideoText Compress Video, Video Metadata Viewer, Burn Subtitles and pricing pages, https://videotext.io/compress-video, https://videotext.io/tools/video-metadata-viewer, https://videotext.io/burn-subtitles and https://videotext.io/pricing; free daily limit from server/src/services/freeQuota/policy.ts (compress: 1 per UTC day) (checked October 31, 2026).