Download Time Calculator
Enter a file size and a connection speed and see how long the download or upload takes, with a table of the same transfer at other speeds. You can also work backward: the speed you need to move a file in a set time, or how much data a connection moves in that time. The tool keeps bits and bytes, and decimal and binary sizes, straight. Everything runs in your browser.
| At this speed | It takes |
|---|---|
| 1 Mbps | 2 h 13 min 20 s |
| 5 Mbps | 26 min 40 s |
| 10 Mbps | 13 min 20 s |
| 25 Mbps | 5 min 20 s |
| 50 Mbps | 2 min 40 s |
| 100 Mbps | 1 min 20 s |
| 300 Mbps | 27 s |
| 500 Mbps | 16 s |
| 1 Gbps | 8 s |
| 2.5 Gbps | 3.2 s |
| 10 Gbps | 0.8 s |
Download time is the file size in bits divided by the speed in bits per second. Internet speeds are quoted in bits (Mbps), and file sizes in bytes (MB), and a byte is 8 bits, so a 100 MB file at 100 Mbps takes 8 seconds, not 1. The tool also keeps decimal sizes (1 GB is 1,000,000,000 bytes) apart from binary ones (1 GiB is 1,073,741,824 bytes), which is why a gibibyte takes about 7% longer. Real transfers rarely reach the full speed because of protocol overhead, server limits and congestion, so enter the share you usually get, such as 90, to allow for it. Everything is worked out in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
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Math & MoneyAbout the Download Time Calculator
The time is the file size in bits divided by the speed in bits per second. The two sides of that division use different units: connection speeds are quoted in bits (Mbps, megabits per second) and file sizes in bytes (MB), and a byte is 8 bits. So a 100 MB file on a 100 Mbps line takes 8 seconds, not 1, and 1 GB at 100 Mbps takes 80 seconds. The tool also separates decimal sizes, where 1 GB is 1,000,000,000 bytes, from binary ones, where 1 GiB is 1,073,741,824 bytes, which takes about 7 percent longer: 1 GiB at 100 Mbps takes 1 minute 26 seconds. Speeds can be entered in kbps, Mbps, Gbps, KB/s, MB/s, GB/s or MiB/s. Real transfers rarely reach the full speed because of protocol overhead, server limits and congestion, so an optional box takes the share of the speed you usually get, such as 90 percent, and stretches the time to match. The results are shown as days, hours, minutes and seconds, and the table lists the same file at speeds from 1 Mbps to 10 Gbps. Nothing is uploaded.
How do I calculate download time?▾
Convert the file size to bits by multiplying bytes by 8, then divide by the speed in bits per second. A 1 GB file is 8,000,000,000 bits, and at 100 Mbps, which is 100,000,000 bits per second, it takes 80 seconds.
Why is my download slower than the calculator says?▾
Because the advertised speed is a ceiling. Protocol overhead, the server's own limits, Wi-Fi quality and other devices all take a share. Enter the share you usually get, such as 80 or 90 percent, to see a more realistic time.
What is the difference between Mbps and MB/s?▾
Mbps is megabits per second, and MB/s is megabytes per second. One byte is 8 bits, so 100 Mbps is 12.5 MB/s. Internet plans are sold in Mbps, and download windows often show MB/s.
What is the difference between GB and GiB?▾
A gigabyte (GB) is 1,000,000,000 bytes and a gibibyte (GiB) is 1,073,741,824 bytes, about 7.4 percent more. Drive makers use GB, and many operating systems report in GiB. A GiB takes proportionally longer to transfer.
Can I find the speed I need?▾
Yes. Choose Speed needed, enter the file size and the time in minutes, and the tool gives the speed. For 10 GB in 10 minutes it is about 133 Mbps. Nothing you enter is uploaded.