Streaming Bandwidth Calculator

Enter your upload speed to instantly see which streaming qualities your connection supports — from 720p to 4K.

Your Connection

1 Mbps200 Mbps
15
Maximum Stream Bitrate
15.0 Mbps
15,000 Kbps · ~6.4 GB/hour

What Can You Stream?

✓
720p 30fps
3.0 Mbps required
+400% headroom
✓
720p 60fps
4.5 Mbps required
+233% headroom
✓
1080p 30fps
5.0 Mbps required
+200% headroom
✓
1080p 60fps
6.5 Mbps required
+131% headroom
✓
1440p 60fps
12.0 Mbps required
+25% headroom
✗
4K 30fps
25.0 Mbps required
✗
4K 60fps
40.0 Mbps required

How Much Upload Speed Do You Need for Streaming?

Your upload speed determines the maximum video bitrate you can stream. We recommend using no more than 75% of your available upload bandwidth for streaming, leaving headroom for audio, chat overlays, and other network activity.

For most Twitch and Kick streamers, 10 Mbps upload is sufficient for 1080p 60fps. YouTube streamers targeting 4K need at least 50 Mbps upload. For exact file size calculations, use our Bitrate & Storage Calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What upload speed do I need for Twitch?

For 1080p 60fps streaming on Twitch (6,000 Kbps bitrate), you need at least 10 Mbps upload speed. For 720p 30fps, 5 Mbps is sufficient.

Can I stream 4K with 25 Mbps upload?

25 Mbps is borderline for 4K streaming. At 75% utilization, you'd have about 18,750 Kbps available — enough for 4K 30fps with HEVC but not H.264. We recommend 50+ Mbps for reliable 4K streaming.

Does download speed affect streaming?

Download speed doesn't directly affect your stream quality. Only upload speed matters for sending video data to the streaming platform. However, you need some download bandwidth for chat, alerts, and browser sources.