Audio Bitrate & File Size Estimator
Calculate estimated audio file size in MB and GB across MP3, WAV, FLAC, and AAC formats based on duration, bitrate, and sample rate.
1. Audio Duration
2. Audio Format & Quality
At 128 kbps (Stereo), total duration: 3 mins 30 secs
Format & Quality Comparison (Same Duration)
| Format / Preset | Bitrate | Estimated Size | Quality Level |
|---|
How Much Audio Fits on Storage Media?
About this tool
How to use it
- Enter the audio recording duration in hours, minutes, and seconds, or choose a quick preset (Song, Podcast, Album, Audiobook).
- Select your target audio codec and bitrate quality preset (such as MP3 128-320 kbps, AAC, FLAC, or uncompressed WAV).
- Choose the channel configuration (Mono, Stereo, or 5.1 Surround).
- Click Calculate File Size to review total megabytes, streaming bandwidth consumption, and comparison against all standard audio formats.
Why it matters
Uncompressed audio can quickly consume gigabytes of storage, while streaming over cellular requires predictable bandwidth. Calculating file size in advance prevents unexpected disk exhaustion during field recording sessions and ensures podcast uploads comply with RSS hosting limits.
When to use it
Use this estimator before mastering podcast episodes, planning SD card capacity for location sound shoots, configuring audio assets for mobile games, or setting upload limits on media servers.
Good to know
Calculations assume constant bitrates (CBR) or industry-standard average bitrates (ABR). Variable bitrate (VBR) files vary with audio complexity, typically yielding 5-10% smaller files depending on silence and frequency density.
Common questions
How does audio duration affect file size?
Audio file size scales linearly with duration. A 10-minute MP3 at 128 kbps takes exactly twice as much storage space as a 5-minute file at the same bitrate.
What is the difference between MP3 and WAV file sizes?
WAV stores uncompressed pulse-code modulation (PCM) audio, requiring ~10.6 MB per minute for CD quality (44.1 kHz 16-bit stereo). MP3 discards psychoacoustically redundant data, reducing file size by roughly 90% down to ~0.94 MB per minute at 128 kbps.
Why is FLAC smaller than WAV if both are lossless?
FLAC applies lossless mathematical compression without discarding audio data. When decoded, FLAC reconstructs the identical PCM waveform while saving 40% to 60% of disk space.
Does recording in mono cut the file size in half?
For uncompressed WAV, yes: 1 channel requires exactly half the data of stereo. For lossy MP3 and AAC, mono encoding typically saves around 45% of bit budget while preserving voice intelligibility.