One byte per second is exactly 0.008 kilobits per second, so converting bytes per second to kilobits per second is a single multiplication. Enter any figure and the result appears as you type — the arithmetic runs in your browser, so nothing is sent anywhere.
Kilobits per second is the unit of audio bitrates and the old modem speeds. In networking a kilobit is exactly 1,000 bits, not 1,024. One byte per second is eight bits per second. File transfer tools report bytes, which is the single most common source of confusion about whether a connection is running at its rated speed.
Bits and bytes. Network speeds are sold in bits per second and file transfers are reported in bytes per second, and there are eight bits to a byte, so a 100 Mbps line downloads at about 12 MB/s. A connection is not underperforming by a factor of eight; it is being measured in different units. Below the calculator there is a step table for the values people look up most, and a second table putting real how much data moves per second figures into kilobits per second so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
bytes per second- The amount you are converting, in bytes per second
0.008- The exact number of kilobits per second in one byte per second
kilobits per second- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in bytes per second.
- It is multiplied by 0.008, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in kilobits per second, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
SD video stream: 3.75e+05 B/s in kilobits per second
Take sd video stream, roughly 3.75e+05 B/s. The conversion is a single multiplication — 3.75e+05 × 0.008 — giving 3000 kbit/s. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 6000 kbit/s.
MP3 audio, 320 kbps: 4e+04 B/s in kilobits per second
Take mp3 audio, 320 kbps, roughly 4e+04 B/s. The conversion is a single multiplication — 4e+04 × 0.008 — giving 320 kbit/s. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 640 kbit/s.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many kilobits per second are in one byte per second?
Exactly 0.008. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert bytes per second to kilobits per second?
kilobits per second = bytes per second × 0.008. Reversed, bytes per second = kilobits per second ÷ 0.008, which is the same as multiplying by 125.
Which is the bigger unit, the byte per second or the kilobit per second?
The kilobit per second. One byte per second is only 0.008 of a kilobit per second, so it takes 125 bytes per second to make one kilobit per second.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure how much data moves per second. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a byte per second?
One byte per second is eight bits per second. File transfer tools report bytes, which is the single most common source of confusion about whether a connection is running at its rated speed.
What is a kilobit per second?
Kilobits per second is the unit of audio bitrates and the old modem speeds. In networking a kilobit is exactly 1,000 bits, not 1,024.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Is there a quick way to do B/s to kbit/s in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: divide by 120 instead of using the exact factor 0.008. At 100 that shortcut gives 0.83333333 kilobits per second, off by 0.03333 kilobits per second or about 4.17%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Bytes Per Second to kilobits per second reference tables
| Bytes Per Second | Kilobits Per Second |
|---|---|
| 0.5 B/s | 0.004 kbit/s |
| 1 B/s | 0.008 kbit/s |
| 2 B/s | 0.016 kbit/s |
| 3 B/s | 0.024 kbit/s |
| 5 B/s | 0.04 kbit/s |
| 10 B/s | 0.08 kbit/s |
| 20 B/s | 0.16 kbit/s |
| 25 B/s | 0.2 kbit/s |
| 50 B/s | 0.4 kbit/s |
| 75 B/s | 0.6 kbit/s |
| 100 B/s | 0.8 kbit/s |
| 250 B/s | 2 kbit/s |
| 500 B/s | 4 kbit/s |
| 1000 B/s | 8 kbit/s |
| 5000 B/s | 40 kbit/s |
Exact factor: 1 byte per second = 0.008 kilobits per second.
| Quantity | B/s | kbit/s |
|---|---|---|
| MP3 audio, 320 kbps | 4e+04 B/s | 320 kbit/s |
| SD video stream | 3.75e+05 B/s | 3000 kbit/s |
| HD video stream | 1e+06 B/s | 8000 kbit/s |
| 4K video stream | 3.125e+06 B/s | 2.5e+04 kbit/s |
| Wired gigabit Ethernet | 1.25e+08 B/s | 1e+06 kbit/s |
| Wi-Fi 6 link rate | 1.5e+08 B/s | 1.2e+06 kbit/s |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.