Free tool
Video file size calculator
Enter how long a video runs and its bitrate to see how big the file will be, or enter an upload limit to find the bitrate that fits. Presets for 480p to 4K at 30 and 60 fps.
Estimated file size
184 MB
About 91.9 MB per minute at this bitrate.
Estimates for a constant bitrate, plus 1% for the MP4 container. 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes. Nothing you type leaves this page.
How to estimate a video's file size
- 1
Enter the length
Type how long the video runs: 2:30, 150 seconds or 1:02:00 all work.
- 2
Pick a quality
Choose a resolution and frame rate to start from a typical bitrate, or type the exact bitrate your export uses.
- 3
Add the audio
Pick the audio bitrate, or None for a silent clip. 128 kbps is plenty for narration.
- 4
Or work backwards
Switch to Bitrate for a size, enter an upload limit like 25 MB, and see the video bitrate that fits.
Video file size chart
How big is a video, by resolution
File sizes at YouTube's recommended upload bitrates for H.264, with 128 kbps audio. Screen recordings usually come out smaller.
| Quality | 1 min | 5 min | 10 min | 1 hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 480p · 30 fps2.5 Mbps | 19.9 MB | 99.5 MB | 199 MB | 1.19 GB |
| 720p · 30 fps5.0 Mbps | 38.8 MB | 194 MB | 388 MB | 2.33 GB |
| 720p · 60 fps7.5 Mbps | 57.8 MB | 289 MB | 578 MB | 3.47 GB |
| 1080p · 30 fps8.0 Mbps | 61.6 MB | 308 MB | 616 MB | 3.69 GB |
| 1080p · 60 fps12.0 Mbps | 91.9 MB | 459 MB | 919 MB | 5.51 GB |
| 1440p · 30 fps16.0 Mbps | 122 MB | 611 MB | 1.22 GB | 7.33 GB |
| 1440p · 60 fps24.0 Mbps | 183 MB | 914 MB | 1.83 GB | 10.97 GB |
| 4K · 30 fps40.0 Mbps | 304 MB | 1.52 GB | 3.04 GB | 18.24 GB |
| 4K · 60 fps60.0 Mbps | 455 MB | 2.28 GB | 4.55 GB | 27.33 GB |
Tips for smaller video files
Bitrate decides the size. These habits keep it low without making the video look worse.
Screen recordings compress well
A mostly still screen needs far less than these camera-footage bitrates. Try half and check that text stays sharp.
30 fps is enough for most tutorials
Clicks and typing look fine at 30 fps, at about two thirds of the 60 fps bitrate. Keep 60 fps for smooth scrolling and motion.
Cut before you compress
Trimming dead air and waiting saves more space than any setting, and makes the video better too.
Need a clip, not a video?
For a few seconds in a doc or a README, a GIF can be simpler. The video to GIF converter makes one in your browser.
From app to video
Need the video itself? Let SayScreen make it
SayScreen makes narrated tutorials of your web app from one sentence. The AI drives a real browser, writes and voices the narration, and edits in zooms, a gliding cursor and captions.
You get an MP4 at 1080p and 60 fps, in widescreen or vertical, plus an .srt caption file.
Frequently asked questions
File size = (video bitrate + audio bitrate) × length ÷ 8. Bitrates are in bits per second, so divide by 8 for bytes. For example, 12 Mbps video and 128 kbps audio for 2 minutes is 12.128 × 120 ÷ 8 ≈ 182 MB. The calculator adds about 1% for the MP4 container.
At YouTube's recommended upload bitrates, about 62 MB at 30 fps (8 Mbps) and about 92 MB at 60 fps (12 Mbps), with 128 kbps audio. Phone and screen recordings often use different bitrates, so check yours in the file's details and enter it here.
At 40 Mbps (the middle of YouTube's 35–45 Mbps range for 4K at 30 fps), about 300 MB a minute, or around 18 GB an hour. At 60 fps, about 450 MB a minute.
Switch to Bitrate for a size and enter 25. A 1-minute video fits at about 3.2 Mbps with 128 kbps audio; a 2-minute video at about 1.5 Mbps. Shorter clips, lower resolution or no audio all leave more room.
Most exports use a variable bitrate, so simple scenes take less space and busy ones more; the bitrate you set is an average or a ceiling. A still screen recording often comes out well under the estimate, and fast motion over it.
This calculator uses 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes, the way macOS and most upload limits count. Windows counts in 1,024s, so it shows the same file about 5% smaller in MB.
Much less than camera footage, because most of the screen doesn't change between frames. 1080p screen tutorials often look sharp at 3 to 6 Mbps; check that small text stays readable before you go lower.
No. It's arithmetic in your browser; nothing you type leaves the page.
Something missing or not working? hey@sayscreen.com
Skip the recording. Describe the lesson instead.
Point SayScreen at your app, say what to teach, and get a narrated, edited video back.
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