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Data Transfer Rate Converter

Convert network and data transfer rates between bits per second (bps, Mbps, Gbps) and bytes per second (MB/s).

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Quick answer

Data Rate is a free, private online tool that lets you convert data transfer rates between bps, kbps, Mbps, Gbps and MB/s. It runs entirely in your browser, so nothing you enter is uploaded to a server.

How to use the Data Rate

  1. Enter the number you want to convert in the Value field.
  2. Pick the unit you're converting From and the unit you want To.
  3. Read the converted result, or use to swap the two units.
  4. Check the All units table to see your value expressed in every supported unit at once.

Privacy: this tool runs entirely in your browser. Your input is never sent to, received by, or stored on any server — there are no uploads and no tracking of what you enter.

About Data Rate

Bits vs bytes

Internet speeds are quoted in bits per second (Mbps) but downloads are measured in bytes per second (MB/s). Since 1 byte = 8 bits, a 100 Mbps connection downloads at about 12.5 MB/s.

The units

bps, kbps, Mbps and Gbps measure bits; B/s, KB/s and MB/s measure bytes, which are 8x larger.

Where it helps

Estimating download times, comparing ISP plans, and planning bandwidth.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my download speed 1/8 of my plan?
Plans are in megabits (Mbps); download managers show megabytes (MB/s). Divide Mbps by 8.
How long to download a file?
File size in MB divided by speed in MB/s gives seconds.
Is 100 Mbps fast?
It downloads at about 12.5 MB/s — good for HD streaming and most homes.

Understanding Data Rate in depth

What data transfer rate means

A data transfer rate is how fast data moves, measured as an amount of data per unit of time. Network and internet speeds are almost always quoted in bits per second and its multiples — kbps, Mbps, Gbps — while file managers and download tools usually show bytes per second (KB/s, MB/s). This converter translates between the two.

Bits versus bytes — the 8× gap

The single biggest source of confusion is that there are eight bits in a byte. So a '100 Mbps' internet plan (megabits per second) downloads at a maximum of about 12.5 MB/s (megabytes per second) — divide the megabit figure by eight. People often think their connection is 'slower than advertised' purely because of this units mismatch.

How the conversion works

Every unit is expressed relative to bits per second, and the tool converts to and from that base. Bit-based units (bps, kbps, Mbps, Gbps) use factors of 1000; byte-based units (B/s, KB/s, MB/s) are 8× larger because each byte is eight bits. Switching a megabit figure to megabytes is just a division by eight, which the converter handles instantly.

Estimating download times

A practical use is predicting how long a download will take: divide the file size (in megabytes) by your real speed (in megabytes per second). A 1 GB file over a 100 Mbps connection (~12.5 MB/s) takes roughly 80 seconds at best — before overhead. Converting your plan's Mbps to MB/s first makes the maths simple.

Everyday uses

Compare ISP plans on equal terms, estimate download and upload times, size streaming and video-call bandwidth, and explain why a download speed looks like one eighth of the advertised number. Everything runs locally in your browser.

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