In short: Add the video bitrate and the audio bitrate to get the total stream bitrate in Mbps. Multiply that by about 1.5 to get the upload speed to plan for, which leaves headroom for other devices and dips in the connection. A 1080p30 stream at YouTube's recommended 14 Mbps H.264 video with 128 kbps audio needs about 14.1 Mbps, or about 21.2 Mbps of upload to plan for.
A stream needs a steady upload more than it needs a fast connection. Add the bitrates for video and audio, then plan for a larger upload so the stream has room to breathe. The calculator below does the sums, and the figures to check against are the ones the platforms publish.
The sum
- Choose the video bitrate, in Mbps, for the resolution and frame rate you plan to stream.
- Choose the audio bitrate, in kbps. Divide by 1000 to get Mbps.
- Add the two to get the total stream bitrate.
- Multiply the total by 1.5 to get the upload speed to plan for.
The 1.5 multiplier is our own working margin, not a standard. It leaves room for other devices on the network and for the connection to dip.
Reference figures
For live streams, YouTube's published encoder settings for H.264 at 30 frames per second are 14 Mbps recommended for 1080p (5 Mbps minimum), 8 Mbps recommended for 720p and 42 Mbps recommended for 2160p. YouTube recommends stereo audio at 128 kbps. Its separate page for recorded uploads quotes 384 kbps audio and lower video figures, which are for files, not live events. Other platforms publish their own figures, so check the page for the platform you are using before an event.
Worked example
A 1080p30 live stream runs at 14 Mbps H.264 video and 128 kbps stereo audio, which is the calculator's starting setting. The total is 14.128 Mbps, or about 14.1 Mbps. Multiply by 1.5 and the upload to plan for is about 21.2 Mbps. Test the upload on the day, from the room the vision mixer sits in, and check it again before the doors open.
Whatever the venue's advertised speed, measure the upload on the day. A figure from a brochure or a contract is a ceiling, not a promise.
Common mistakes
- Testing download speed. A stream sends data out, so the upload is the figure that counts.
- Mixing up bits and bytes. Multiply megabytes per second by eight to get megabits per second, and divide megabits by eight to get megabytes.
- Streaming at the limit. A stream with no headroom is at risk the moment someone starts a large download.
- Forgetting the audio. Audio adds to the total, though it is small next to the video.
- Ignoring other devices. Phones, cameras and cloud backups on the same connection all use the upload.
- Choosing a bitrate from a platform's upload page for a live event. Upload and live settings differ, so use the live page.
For the rest of the stream chain, the vision mixing basics guide covers the mixer and the streaming software, and the NDI, SDI and HDMI guide covers the links between the camera and the mixer. The latency and sync test files help check the delay the stream adds, and the run sheet template keeps the day's cues in one place. For a full event, the live events and streaming page explains what the studio runs on the day, and the what goes wrong guide covers the common faults.
Sources
- YouTube Help, Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions, read 5 November 2026
Related guides
- Vision mixing basics: ATEM and vMix
- Live event run sheet template, and how to fill it
- Latency and sync test file: how to use it
- NDI, SDI or HDMI: which to use and when
- Free software for live production: OBS, Companion, CasparCG
- All guides and tools
The picture at the top of this page is an illustration, not a photograph of a client or a real job.
Questions we get asked
How do I calculate the bitrate for a live stream?
Add the video bitrate and the audio bitrate, both in Mbps. A 1080p30 stream at 14 Mbps video and 0.128 Mbps audio totals about 14.1 Mbps. Then plan for a higher upload speed, so the stream is not running at the limit.
Is upload speed or download speed what matters for streaming?
Upload. A stream sends data out of the building, so the upload speed is the one to measure. A fast download speed tells you nothing about whether the stream will hold.
Why do bits and bytes matter when I check a connection?
Speed tests usually report megabits per second, but file sizes are often in megabytes. There are eight bits in a byte, so multiply a megabyte-per-second figure by eight to get megabits per second.
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