Performance

Video Bitrate

Pick resolution, frame rate, codec (H.264/H.265/AV1) and quality and I estimate the required bitrate and file size by duration. Bits-per-pixel estimate; real bitrate depends on content.

redzilla.cl — bitrate

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per minute: —

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Codec comparison · same quality

Codec	bpp	Bitrate	Per hour

How it is computed · bits per pixel

1. Bitrate: bps = width × height × fps × bpp.

2. The bpp (bits per pixel) depends on the codec and quality. H.264: 0.06 / 0.10 / 0.15 (low/medium/high); H.265 ≈ half: 0.03 / 0.05 / 0.075; AV1/VP9 a bit less: 0.025 / 0.04 / 0.06.

3. File size: bytes = bitrate / 8 × duration_s. In Mbps and GB: Mbps = bps / 1e6, GB = bytes / 1e9.

! This is an estimate. A VBR encoder spends bits based on scene complexity: the same preset uses more on action or grain and less on static shots. The real bitrate is driven by the content, the preset and the encoder profile.

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How it works

The calculator estimates the bitrate a video needs using the bits-per-pixel (bpp) method: bitrate (bps) = width × height × fps × bpp. The bpp depends on the codec and the chosen quality: H.264/AVC uses 0.06 / 0.10 / 0.15 (low / medium / high), H.265/HEVC roughly half (0.03 / 0.05 / 0.075) and AV1/VP9 slightly less (0.025 / 0.04 / 0.06). You can also set a manual bpp if you know your content.

From the bitrate it computes the file size: bytes = bitrate ÷ 8 × duration_s, reported per minute, per hour and for the total duration you enter, plus a table comparing the three codecs at the same quality. It is a planning estimate: a real VBR encoder distributes bits according to scene complexity, so the final result depends on the content, the preset and the encoder profile.

Example: what bitrate does 1080p at 30 fps need in H.264 medium quality?

Pixels per second: 1920 × 1080 × 30 = 62.2 million.
With bpp 0.10 (H.264 medium): 62.2 M × 0.10 ≈ 6.2 Mbps.
Size per hour: 6.22 Mbps ÷ 8 × 3,600 s ≈ 2.8 GB (about 46.7 MB per minute).
The same video in H.265 (bpp 0.05) needs ~3.1 Mbps and ~1.4 GB per hour.

Frequently asked questions

How many GB does one hour of 1080p or 4K video take?

With H.264 at medium quality, one hour of 1080p30 is around 2.8 GB and one hour of 4K30 around 11.2 GB (four times as much, because there are 4 times more pixels). With H.265 those figures drop by half: roughly 1.4 and 5.6 GB. These are bits-per-pixel estimates; the real file varies with the content.

What is the difference between H.264, H.265 and AV1?

They are codec generations with increasing efficiency: H.265/HEVC achieves similar quality to H.264 at about half the bitrate, and AV1 (or VP9) slightly less still. The cost is heavier encoding compute and less compatibility on older devices: H.264 remains the most universal, while AV1 keeps gaining ground in streaming.

What happens to the bitrate if I go from 30 to 60 fps?

With the bits-per-pixel method, it doubles: bitrate is proportional to frames per second, just as it is to pixel count. In practice encoders exploit the similarity between consecutive frames, so the real increase is usually less than 2×, but for planning storage or bandwidth the linear proportion is a safe reference.

Why does my real file size differ from what the calculator estimates?

Because modern encoders work in VBR (variable bitrate): they spend more bits on scenes with motion, grain or detail and fewer on static shots. The bpp is a planning average, not a guarantee. The speed preset, profile, GOP and audio (not counted here) also matter. The whole calculation runs in your browser.

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