Download time calculator — Mbps to minutes

Plan how long a file could take to download. Enter the actual available speed when you know it.

The formula

Seconds = file bytes × 8 ÷ (Mbps × 1,000,000 × usable fraction)

Example: 1 GB at 20 Mbps

At full throughput, the calculation is 400 seconds (6 minutes 40 seconds). At an illustrative 80%, it becomes 500 seconds (8 minutes 20 seconds).

Mbps is not MB/s

Eight bits make a byte. A 20 Mbps connection has a theoretical transfer rate of 2.5 MB/s before limitations. Server speed, Wi-Fi contention, packet loss and other activity may reduce throughput.

This calculator does not test your connection or promise an app download speed. At fluctuating speeds, use a conservative average.