Bitrate is the amount of data used per second of video. Higher bitrate generally means better quality, but also more bandwidth required.
Typical bitrate ranges
| Quality | Typical bitrate |
|---|---|
| SD | 1-3 Mbps |
| HD (1080p) | 4-8 Mbps |
| 4K UHD | 15-25+ Mbps |
Bitrate isn't the whole story
The same resolution can look different depending on the codec used — see our H.264 vs H.265 guide — since more efficient codecs deliver comparable quality at a lower bitrate.
Why this matters for buffering
If your connection speed is close to a stream's bitrate, there's little margin for network fluctuation before buffering occurs. This is why our speed recommendations include headroom above the minimum bitrate.