What is video bitrate?

In short: How much data each second of video uses, usually in megabits per second (Mbps). Higher bitrate means larger files and more detail.

Bitrate controls the balance between quality and file size. YouTube recommends about 8 Mbps for 1080p video at 24 to 30 frames per second, and 12 Mbps at 48 to 60 fps.

File size in megabytes is roughly (bitrate in Mbps × seconds) ÷ 8. If an upload is too large, exporting again at a lower bitrate or running it through a compressor usually fixes it without a visible drop in quality on a phone screen.

Example

A 60-second 1080p Short at 8 Mbps with 384 kbps stereo audio works out to (8 + 0.384) × 60 ÷ 8, about 63 MB. Switch to 60 fps and YouTube's recommended 12 Mbps, and it is (12 + 0.384) × 60 ÷ 8, about 93 MB. A 3-minute version at 12 Mbps is about 279 MB, just under the 300 MB that Meta lists for Reels posted through the Instagram API, which is the route scheduling tools use.

Tips for creators

• Expect the real file to differ a little from the math. Most editors use variable bitrate, which rises in busy scenes and falls in still ones.
• Match bitrate to frame rate. YouTube recommends 8 Mbps for 1080p at 24 to 30 fps and 12 Mbps at 48 to 60 fps, so a 60 fps export needs the higher figure.
• Don't raise the bitrate above what your source holds. Re-exporting a compressed phone clip at a higher bitrate makes the file bigger without adding detail.

Common questions

What bitrate should I use for TikTok?

TikTok's developer documentation doesn't list a bitrate. It lists sizes from 360 to 4,096 pixels per side, 23 to 60 fps, MP4 with H.264 recommended, and up to 4 GB for API uploads. YouTube's 1080p figures of 8 or 12 Mbps are a sensible starting point.

Why does my computer show a smaller file size than the calculator?

Many computers count 1 MB as 1,048,576 bytes, while the calculator uses 1,000,000 bytes, so the number on your screen can look about 5% smaller. Variable bitrate also makes real files differ from the estimate.

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All 29 glossary terms · Reviewed on 2026-11-05.