A 24/7 YouTube Live promo loop uses about 10.8 decimal GB of outbound upload data per day for every 1 Mbps of continuously transmitted bitrate. At YouTube’s H.264 recommendation of 10 Mbps for 1080p30, that is an estimated 108 GB a day or 3.24 TB over 30 days.
Those figures are calculations, not measured totals or a bill from your internet provider. They estimate the store’s upload to YouTube; viewers’ playback data is separate. Actual use can differ because of audio, network overhead, bitrate changes, interruptions and any backup feed.
What the estimate measures
A live stream encoder sends a continuing data feed from your store to YouTube. For a fixed promo loop, the upload keeps going while the broadcast is active, even if the video itself repeats. Replaying the same file does not make the feed free after its first pass: the encoder still transmits the video and audio as a live stream.
The estimate in this article measures that outbound feed, based on an assumed average bitrate and 24 hours of active streaming each day. It does not estimate all internet use at the shop, nor does it tell you how much data customers use watching the stream. YouTube says it transcodes a live stream into different output formats for viewers, so playback traffic is generated separately on YouTube’s side. See YouTube’s live encoder settings and guidance before choosing the settings for your own broadcast.
Bitrate is the useful starting point because the amount of data rises in direct proportion to it. A 5 Mbps feed, for example, carries half the encoded data of a 10 Mbps feed over the same streaming hours, before overhead and other factors. This is a planning estimate: the configured video bitrate alone does not describe every byte that leaves your router.
The bitrate-to-data calculation
The conversion follows from the units. A bitrate of 1 megabit per second sends 1,000,000 bits each second. Divide by eight to convert bits to bytes, then multiply by the number of seconds in the period. For a day of continuous streaming, the calculation is:
1 Mbps × 60 × 60 × 24 ÷ 8 = 10,800,000,000 bytes
Using decimal units, 1 GB is 1,000,000,000 bytes, so the result is 10.8 GB per day. For a 30-day month, multiply by 30: 324 GB. The same calculation scales with bitrate: multiply the Mbps by 10.8 for a daily estimate, or by 324 for 30 days.
For a 10 Mbps feed, the daily calculation is 10 × 10.8 = 108 GB. The 30-day calculation is 10 × 324 = 3,240 GB, or 3.24 TB in decimal units. This arithmetic assumes that the feed continuously transmits at the stated average rate throughout the full period. It is not a YouTube-published monthly data figure.
A data dashboard may show GiB or TiB rather than decimal GB or TB. Binary units use powers of 1,024, not 1,000, so its displayed total can look slightly lower for the same underlying bytes. Check the unit label before treating a small difference between this estimate and your router’s meter as a problem.
Estimate usage per Mbps per day and month
The per-Mbps rule gives you a quick way to test a bitrate or streaming schedule without recalculating from bits each time. Use it for the active stream bitrate and the hours you expect to broadcast. A 24/7 schedule uses the full-day estimate; if you stream fewer hours, scale the daily result by the fraction of the day that the feed is active.
| Continuous bitrate | Approx. per day | Approx. per 30 days |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mbps | 10.8 GB | 324 GB |
| 4 Mbps | 43.2 GB | 1.296 TB |
| 6 Mbps | 64.8 GB | 1.944 TB |
| 8 Mbps | 86.4 GB | 2.592 TB |
| 10 Mbps | 108 GB | 3.24 TB |
| 12 Mbps | 129.6 GB | 3.888 TB |
These rows are arithmetic estimates from the stated bitrate and hours, not measurements. For a 12-hour daily schedule, halve the daily value in the relevant row; the 30-day estimate should then use the actual number of streaming days. If you broadcast every day for 30 days, the per-Mbps estimate is 324 GB. A calendar month with more or fewer than 30 days will produce a different total.
This linear rule is also useful when you are weighing quality against an ISP data allowance. Lowering the bitrate reduces the encoded upload estimate in the same proportion, but it may also reduce picture quality. Do not choose a lower setting from data arithmetic alone: view the promo loop on the display customers will use and check that text, product details and motion remain clear. For settings context, see this guide to YouTube Live bitrate settings for a pre-recorded video.
Apply the estimate to 1080p30
YouTube’s current H.264 live encoder table recommends 10 Mbps for 1080p30. Applying the continuous-use calculation gives approximately 108 GB of outbound upload per day and 3.24 TB per 30 days. The recommendation is a video bitrate, not a promised total for every byte transmitted by a real store setup.
For a shop showing a 1080p30 loop all day, the estimate is useful when comparing an ISP allowance or deciding whether a connection’s data policy needs further checking. It does not mean every store will record exactly 108 GB each day. The encoder may not maintain the same average bitrate constantly, and audio and transport overhead are not included in the simple calculation. Nor does the value establish that your upload connection can sustain the stream reliably.
YouTube’s table lists recommendations for particular codec and resolution/frame-rate combinations. Use the row that matches the encoder output, not merely the resolution of the source file. A video file may be 1080p, but if your live encoder sends a different resolution, frame rate or bitrate, the corresponding estimate changes. You can learn more about fitting recorded footage to the live frame in this aspect-ratio guide for regional videos.
Before using any table for a data plan decision, check YouTube’s current official settings. The recommendations may change, and YouTube lists separate values for H.264, AV1 and H.265. This article’s comparison uses the H.264 recommendations recorded in the research for this page; it does not imply identical data use across codecs or quality settings.
Compare the 1080p60 example
YouTube’s H.264 recommendation for 1080p60 is 12 Mbps. That is 20 per cent higher than 10 Mbps, so its arithmetic estimate is also 20 per cent higher: about 129.6 GB per day and 3.888 TB per 30 days. Rounded for planning, that is about 130 GB a day or 3.89 TB over a 30-day month.
The difference is not a separate “60 frames” fee. It comes from applying the higher recommended video bitrate to a stream that remains active for the same number of hours. If your promo loop has little motion, you may decide after testing that a different setting looks acceptable, but do not assume that motion content and static product cards will behave identically at a given quality. YouTube’s recommended bitrate is a starting point, while the encoder’s actual configured output determines the input to this estimate.
| H.264 example | Recommended video bitrate | Approx. daily upload estimate | Approx. 30-day upload estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p30 | 10 Mbps | 108 GB | 3.24 TB |
| 1080p60 | 12 Mbps | 129.6 GB | 3.888 TB |
Both rows estimate the store’s feed to YouTube, not customer playback. YouTube handles output renditions for viewers, whose download activity depends on whether they watch and at what quality. Do not multiply the store’s upload estimate by an expected audience size to estimate the store’s own outbound data.
Account for audio, overhead and fluctuations
The table begins with video bitrate because that is the value in YouTube’s recommendation table. A live feed may also include audio, and the simple arithmetic does not add an audio bitrate, protocol overhead or other network traffic. If your encoder configuration shows separate video and audio bitrates, their combined transmitted rate is a more complete starting point for calculating the encoded stream, though network overhead still remains outside the basic formula.
Actual use may be above or below the estimate. Variable bitrate encoding can send more data during complex scenes and less during simpler ones; an average bitrate over time matters more than a brief peak for a monthly estimate. A promo loop with rapid cuts, moving footage or fine detail can produce different encoder behaviour from a nearly static image. The available official guidance does not quantify the overhead for a particular store, router, ISP or encoder, so a precise billable total cannot be derived from the recommendation alone.
Active hours matter as well. If the stream is offline for part of a day, the upload estimate falls in proportion to the time it was not sending, all else equal. Reconnects and retries can alter use, but the research does not provide a universal amount to add for them. If a second backup ingest is configured, it can create additional outbound upload. YouTube’s developer documentation describes primary and optional backup ingestion addresses; check the liveStreams resource documentation if you are configuring that arrangement.
Codec can change the bitrate needed for a given visual result, but do not turn general codec guidance into a guaranteed data saving for your particular loop. YouTube’s HLS ingestion guide says HEVC generally provides 25% to 50% more compression than H.264 at the same video quality. That is broad guidance, not a promise that a store can reduce its upload by that amount while preserving the same picture. The encoder, content and chosen quality all matter. See YouTube’s HLS ingestion guidance and verify what your own account and workflow support.
Plan upload capacity and data allowance for the store
Start with the quality you actually need on the shop display, then read the encoder’s configured output bitrate. Use the per-Mbps formula for the data allowance estimate, and separately test whether the store’s connection can sustain that stream. A connection’s advertised download speed is not its upload capacity; check the upload service and terms with the provider rather than inferring either from a download test alone.
Run a representative test using the intended resolution, frame rate, bitrate, audio and content. YouTube recommends testing with conditions similar to the live event and monitoring stream health. For a store loop, that means including the movement, captions and audio you intend to broadcast rather than testing a blank screen. Watch the stream long enough to see whether the picture and connection remain stable, and consider other shop internet use occurring at the same time.
Then compare the arithmetic estimate with a router or ISP data meter over a representative period. That local reading is the best evidence of how a particular installation is behaving, but make sure you are measuring the right connection and period. A meter may include staff browsing, point-of-sale traffic, security cameras, or other devices, so it will not automatically isolate the broadcast. If there is substantial other use, do not assume the entire total belongs to YouTube Live.
A bitrate table does not provide a universal upload-speed headroom multiplier. Keep enough capacity for the stream and the store’s other use based on your own tests rather than applying an unsupported percentage. If the connection is shared or inconsistent, reducing the output setting can be a sensible test, but inspect the result for legibility and motion artefacts. This guide on lowering OBS resolution without interrupting a 24/7 stream is relevant if OBS is your encoder.
For an always-on channel, the operational question is also whether a computer and encoder need to remain running at the shop. StreamNeo removes that specific need by turning an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream that keeps running with your computer switched off. The bandwidth arithmetic still applies to the outbound feed; a managed workflow does not make viewer playback or network data allowances disappear.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Does the estimate include viewers watching the promo loop?
No. It estimates the store’s outbound stream upload to YouTube. Viewers’ playback is separate traffic, and YouTube transcodes the incoming stream into output formats for them.
Is 108 GB per day the exact use for 1080p30?
No. It is the arithmetic estimate from YouTube’s 10 Mbps H.264 recommendation for 1080p30, assuming continuous transmission for 24 hours. Audio, overhead, bitrate fluctuations and other factors can change a router or ISP meter’s reading.
Should I use a different estimate for 1080p60?
Yes, if your encoder sends YouTube’s recommended H.264 1080p60 bitrate of 12 Mbps. The corresponding continuous-use calculation is about 129.6 GB per day and 3.888 TB per 30 days, again as an estimate rather than a measured total.
How can I know what my store actually uses?
Test the intended stream settings and compare the calculated estimate with a router or ISP data meter over a representative period. Remember that the meter may include other devices and shop activity, and check whether it reports decimal GB or binary GiB.