What Is Bitrate? Live Streaming Bitrate Explained
What bitrate is
Bitrate is the amount of data a stream uses each second, usually written in kilobits per second (kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps); 1 Mbps is 1,000 kbps. A live stream has a video bitrate and an audio bitrate, and your upload connection has to carry both. A higher bitrate can carry more detail, and it needs more upload bandwidth and a faster connection for viewers. HLS makes the idea concrete: in an HLS Master Playlist, each version of the video declares its BANDWIDTH as its peak segment bit rate in bits per second (see what is an M3U8 file).
What the platforms publish
| Platform | Video bitrate guidance | Rate control | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | 1080p at 30fps: 5 to 14 Mbps (H.264); 1080p at 60fps: 6 to 17 Mbps; 720p: 3 to 8 Mbps | CBR | YouTube Help: live encoder settings |
| Twitch | 1080p at 60fps: 6,000 kbps; 1080p at 30fps and 720p at 60fps: 4,500 kbps; 720p at 30fps: 3,000 kbps | CBR suggested | Twitch Broadcasting Guidelines |
| Facebook Live | 1080p at 30fps: 3,000 to 6,000 kbps; 720p at 30fps: 1,500 to 4,000 kbps | CBR | Meta Live Video API reference |
| Kick | 1,000 to 8,000 kbps; 8,000 kbps is the maximum; up to 1080p at 60fps | CBR only | Kick Help Center |
| LinkedIn Live | 3.5 Mbps recommended, 6 Mbps maximum (720p recommended, 1080p maximum) | Not specified | LinkedIn Help |
| Instagram Live Producer | 720x1280 at 30fps: 2,250 to 6,000 kbps | Not specified | Instagram (November 2022) |
CBR vs VBR
CBR (constant bitrate) keeps the data rate steady; VBR (variable bitrate) lets it rise and fall with the picture. For live streams, the platforms we reviewed ask for CBR: YouTube and Facebook list CBR in their encoder settings, Twitch suggests all broadcasters use CBR, and Kick states that VBR is not supported, so the encoder must be set to CBR.
Audio bitrate is small but counts
Audio adds a little to the total. YouTube lists 128 kbps for stereo (and 384 kbps for 5.1), Twitch recommends 96 kbps with 160 kbps as the maximum, Facebook prefers 128 kbps with 256 kbps as the maximum, and LinkedIn lists 128 kbps at 48 kHz. Add it to the video bitrate when you size your connection.
How much upload you need
Add video and audio bitrate, then leave headroom. For example, 6,000 kbps video and 128 kbps audio is 6,128 kbps, about 6.1 Mbps. The guide bandwidth and bitrate requirements explains headroom and the cost of sending several copies from your own encoder; the bandwidth calculator does the sum for you, and the bitrate recommender shows each platform's published settings with sources. Bitrate and the keyframe interval are the two settings every platform asks about first.
Try it with Multistream Platform. Send one RTMP or SRT stream and relay it to YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Kick, TikTok and custom endpoints. Start on the free Starter plan (2 channels, 20 streaming hours a month) and see the pricing page for paid plans.
Sources
- YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions
- Twitch Help: Broadcasting Guidelines
- Meta for Developers: Live Video API reference
- Kick Help Center: How to stream on KICK.com (May 22, 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: LinkedIn Live Video encoder settings
- Instagram: Live Producer (published November 2, 2022)
- RFC 8216: HTTP Live Streaming (R. Pantos and W. May, August 2017; Informational)
Platform figures were checked on October 5, 2026. Platforms change their recommendations, so confirm against the current documentation before you go live.
Frequently asked questions
Keep learning
How to work out the upload speed you need, with worked examples and official bitrate guidance from YouTube, Twitch and Facebook.
Read the guideWhat it is, what each platform asks for, and how to convert seconds to frames.
Read the guide
HTTP Live Streaming explained: playlists, segments, adaptive bitrate, and how HLS differs from RTMP and SRT.
Read the guide
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