Formats & specs
Bitrate: definition and examples
What is Bitrate?
Bitrate is the amount of data used to encode each second of video, typically measured in kilobits or megabits per second (kbps or Mbps). A higher bitrate preserves more visual detail but produces a larger file, while a lower bitrate reduces file size at the cost of image quality.
When you'd use it
- 1When a video looks soft or blocky after export and you need to diagnose the cause.
- 2When choosing export settings to balance file size against visual quality.
- 3When a platform has a maximum file size limit and a long clip needs to stay under it.
- 4When uploading to a platform and want to avoid transcoding artifacts from recompression.
Example
An editor exports a color-graded travel reel at 5 Mbps and notices the sky gradients look banded when uploaded to Instagram. Re-exporting at 15 Mbps before upload eliminates the banding, even though Instagram compresses the final delivery to around 3.5 Mbps.
Use cases
- 1Setting a higher bitrate for a product close-up where fine texture detail matters.
- 2Reducing bitrate on a talking-head clip to cut file size for faster upload.
- 3Matching a platform's recommended bitrate so the upload pass does not degrade the image.
FAQ
What is the difference between bitrate and resolution?
Resolution sets the pixel dimensions of the frame. Bitrate determines how much data is used to encode what those pixels look like each second. You can have a 4K file with a low bitrate that looks worse than a 1080p file with a high bitrate.
Make on-brand short-form video from the footage you already have.