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Internet Speed Converter (Mbps ↔ MB/s, Download Time)

Convert internet connection speed between Mbps and MB/s, and estimate how long a file will take to download at that speed.

How this calculator works

Enter your connection’s advertised download speed in megabits per second (Mbps) and the size of a file in megabytes (MB). The calculator converts your speed to megabytes per second, the unit most download managers and file browsers use, and estimates how long that file will take to download at full speed.

Scope note: this calculator uses decimal megabytes (1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes), the same convention ISPs use when advertising Mbps speeds and that most operating systems and browsers use when showing file sizes and download progress. It does not use binary mebibytes (1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes), so the numbers here should line up with what you see in your own download manager.

The formula

MB/s = Mbps / 8                        (1 byte = 8 bits)

download time (seconds) = (file size in MB x 8) / Mbps

Worked example

A 500 MB file on a 50 Mbps connection:

  • Speed in MB/s: 50 / 8 = 6.25 MB/s
  • Download time: 500 x 8 / 50 = 80 seconds, or 1 minute 20 seconds

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why is my download speed in MB/s so much lower than my internet plan’s advertised Mbps?

ISPs advertise speed in megabits per second (Mbps), but file sizes and download managers show megabytes per second (MB/s). Since 1 byte equals 8 bits, your real transfer rate in MB/s is roughly your Mbps figure divided by 8. A "100 Mbps" plan tops out around 12.5 MB/s, not 100 MB/s.

What is the difference between Mbps and MB/s?

Mbps means megabits per second and is the unit ISPs use to advertise connection speed. MB/s means megabytes per second and is how file sizes and download progress are usually displayed. Since a byte is 8 bits, MB/s is always Mbps divided by 8, a much smaller number.

Does this calculator use MB (megabytes) or MiB (mebibytes)?

This calculator uses decimal megabytes (1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes), the convention ISPs use for speed and that most download managers and file browsers use for file size. It does not use binary mebibytes (1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes), so its numbers should match what you see in your browser’s download manager.

Why does my actual download speed not match this calculator’s estimate exactly?

This calculator assumes you get the full advertised speed with no overhead. In practice, network protocol overhead, Wi-Fi conditions, server-side limits, and other devices sharing your connection all reduce real-world throughput below the theoretical maximum, so actual downloads are often a bit slower than the estimate.

How long will a 10 GB file take to download on a 100 Mbps connection?

A 10 GB file is about 10,000 MB. At 100 Mbps (12.5 MB/s), that works out to 10,000 x 8 / 100 = 800 seconds, or about 13 minutes 20 seconds. Enter 10000 for file size and 100 for connection speed in the calculator above to see this worked out.

Why do ISPs advertise speed in Mbps instead of MB/s?

Bits per second has been the standard unit for network and data-transmission speed since early telecommunications, and the convention stuck for consumer internet marketing. It also produces a larger, more attractive-looking number than MB/s would for the same connection, since Mbps is 8 times the MB/s figure.

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