Streaming at UltraHD 4K resolution requires between 15 Mbps and 50 Mbps download bandwidth.
This range applies for a single user. We’ve built a calculator to provide a more accurate number depending on the application (e.g. Netflix), number of users and time duration for which the streaming service is used.
The calculator gives
- total bandwidth required
- total data consumed per month based on daily usage.
How to use the Calculator
Enter the
- Number of users for each streaming service
- Number of hours per day that 4K media is streamed
The tool will provide
- Total bandwidth consumption
- Data usage per day and month
Streaming requirements
This table shows the bandwidth requirements that are consistent with 4K streaming.
| Service | Bandwidth UPLOAD (Mbps) | Bandwidth DOWNLOAD (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | – | 15 |
| Disney+ | – | 25 |
| HBO | – | 50 |
| Netflix | – | 15 |
| YouTube | – | 20 |
At the time of writing video conferencing tools like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet and Skype don’t support 4K operation.
Example Calculations
Bandwidth Requirement
- Assuming two users watch Netflix at 4K setting, the download bandwidth requirement is 30 Mbps.
- If three users are online at the same time:
- One watching Netflix
- One watching Disney Plus
- One watching HBO
- The total bandwidth consumption is 90 Mbps on the downlink when the UHD 4K video setting is selected.
Data Usage
In the second case above with three users online, assuming each user watches 1 hour of streaming 4K content a day the total data usage is 1215 GB or 1.2 Terabyte.
Notes
- Streaming video services (such as Netflix) consume a negligible amount of upload bandwidth
- Streaming speed is measured in Megabits per second (Mbps or Mb/s)
- Data usage is measured in Megabytes/Gigabytes/Terabytes. (Use this calculator to convert from Megabit per second to Megabyte per second).
Related Calculators
- How much internet speed do I need to work from home?
- Bandwidth calculator per user – what’s my max speed for a fixed total bandwidth and a shared connection?
- How much bandwidth do I need for 1080p streaming?
- WhatsApp Data Usage
- Zoom Data Usage
- Teams Data Usage
References
[1] Disney+ Bandwidth Requirements
[2] Netflix Internet Speed Recommendations