What is Bitrate?
A plain-English definition, and the tools that work with it.
Bitrate is how much data is used per second of audio or video, measured in kbps or Mbps. A higher bitrate means more detail and a larger file. A lower bitrate means a smaller file with more compression. It's the main dial for the quality-versus-size trade-off.
- For audio: ~128 kbps is fine for speech, 256–320 kbps is good for music.
- For video, lowering the bitrate (or the resolution) is the main way to shrink a file for email or upload.
- Beyond a point, more bitrate adds size without audible or visible improvement. Match it to the content.
Tools for Bitrate
Free, private and in your browser. No sign-up.
Video Compressor
Compress video in your browser with FFmpeg, shrink MP4, MOV, WebM and MKV files with a simple quality slider, see the exact bytes and percentage saved next to a live preview, then download. Nothing is uploaded.
MP3 Converter
Convert any audio to MP3 in your browser, WAV, M4A, AAC, OGG, FLAC and more to a clean, universally-playable MP3 with a bitrate you choose. Preview the waveform, encode locally with lamejs, then download. Nothing is uploaded.
Audio Compressor
Compress audio and reduce file size in your browser, lower the MP3 bitrate and sample rate to shrink a WAV, MP3, M4A, FLAC or OGG down to a fraction of its size. See the exact before/after weight, preview the waveform, then download. Nothing is uploaded.
Video Resizer
Resize video resolution in your browser with FFmpeg: scale MP4, MOV, WebM and MKV to 1080p, 720p, 480p or a custom width and height, lock the aspect ratio or fit-and-pad, then download. Nothing is uploaded.
Bitrate problems we solve
Hit one of these? Here's the fix.
- My video is too large to send or uploadPhone videos get huge fast. Compress, resize or trim to fit an email or upload limit without a cloud service.
- I need to convert an audio file to MP3Got a WAV, M4A or OGG that won't play or upload? Convert it to MP3. The format that works everywhere.
- My email attachment is too largeGmail, Outlook and most providers reject attachments over ~25MB. Compress the file to the right type and send it normally. No cloud links needed.
Frequently asked questions
Related terms
- MP3MP3 is the most universal audio format. It uses lossy compression to shrink sound files to a fraction of their original size with little audible difference, which is why it plays on virtually every device, player and phone.
- MP4MP4 is the most widely supported video format, a container that holds video and audio together. Because virtually every device, editor, browser and platform plays MP4, it's the safe default for sharing, uploading and playing video anywhere.
Keep exploring
Problems we solve
Definitions
From the blog
- Audio Bitrate and Sample Rate Explained: Quality vs. File Size
- How to Convert Audio to MP3 (And Pick the Right Bitrate)
- How to Trim Audio Online (Cut the Start, End or Middle, Privately, No Upload)
- How to Remove Silence From Audio (Tighten Recordings and Podcasts)
- What Is an Audio Waveform? How to Read and Use It
Try Video Compressor
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