Bitrate calculator for IRL streaming
Pick your resolution, frame rate, codec and network and get the bitrate to start at, the ceiling for adaptive bitrate, the SRT latency and the thresholds for automatic scene switching. Every number comes from a published source, linked below.
It all runs in your browser: nothing you choose here is sent or stored.
Your video
H.265 (HEVC) needs less bitrate for the same picture, but only use it if your server and whatever reads your feed accept it.
Your connection
The network decides how much of that bitrate you can actually keep up.
On the move, the bitrate that survives the worst stretch of your route is the one that gives a stable stream.
The maximum your server or plan accepts. 9,000 kbps is the cap of Stream Key Lite and Stream Key. Leave it empty if there is none.
How it is calculated
- Quality range. The minimum and recommended bitrate for each resolution, frame rate and codec come from YouTube’s official live-stream bitrate table, the only public table from a major platform that gives separate figures for H.264 and H.265.
- Ceiling. The recommended bitrate, or your server’s cap if it is lower. That is also the maximum to set if your app has adaptive bitrate: it climbs down from there when coverage gets bad.
- On the move, half. On a phone, start at half the ceiling and only climb if a test walk stays flat. A bitrate that holds beats a high one that drops.
- Protocol and latency. RTMPS on a wired connection; SRT at 2000 ms on wifi or one mobile connection; SRTLA at 3000 ms when bonding, because the links arrive with different delays.
- Thresholds. Low bitrate at 30% of what you stream, offline at half of that and high RTT at 1500 ms: the ratios that hold up for automatic scene switching.
Figures from YouTube’s table checked on 29 October 2026. YouTube: choose live encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions
Questions
What bitrate should I use for IRL streaming from a phone?
Start at half of what your resolution and your server allow, then do a test walk along your usual route. If the bitrate on your dashboard stays flat, climb; if it dips, stay or go lower. On a single mobile connection, 1080p30 in H.264 rarely holds; 720p30 usually does.
Is H.265 worth it for IRL?
It gives the same picture with less bitrate, which matters on a mobile network. Use it only if your server and whoever reads your feed accept H.265; many platforms and older setups still expect H.264.
What SRT latency should I set?
2000 ms over SRT from a phone or weak wifi, 3000 ms over SRTLA when bonding. More latency means more room to recover lost packets and more delay on screen.
Why are my thresholds different from the defaults?
Thresholds should follow the bitrate you actually stream at, not your plan’s cap. The usual defaults (900 and 450 kbps) fit a stream of around 3,000 kbps; this calculator scales them to yours.
Let the thresholds work for you
On the Stream Key plan, automatic scene switching watches your bitrate and latency and moves between your Normal, Low bitrate and Offline scenes on its own. Paste these thresholds into the dashboard and that is it.
€9a month · VAT included · cancel any time
Start with Stream KeyOnly need the relay? Stream Key Lite is €5 a month. See all plans