Which bitrate should you choose for your stream?

Radio guide · 3 min read · updated October 22, 2026

The bitrate determines how much data your stream sends per second. Higher sounds better in theory, but uses more data, for you and for your listeners. The best choice depends on your music and on where people listen.

What does kbps mean?

Kbps stands for kilobits per second. A 128 kbps stream sends roughly 58 MB per hour. At 320 kbps that is about 144 MB per hour, at 64 kbps about 29 MB. For a listener on a mobile data plan, that difference is very noticeable.

What do you actually hear?

• 64 kbps AAC: fine for talk shows and listeners on the go. With HE-AAC, music sounds surprisingly full at this bitrate.
• 128 kbps MP3 or 96–128 kbps AAC: the sweet spot. On phones, laptops and most speakers you hear little difference from higher quality.
• 192–320 kbps MP3: worthwhile for stations with very dynamic music (classical, jazz, electronic) and listeners with a good sound system.

Do the maths for your server too

Your server sends the stream to every listener separately. A hundred listeners at 128 kbps need around 12.8 Mbit/s of upload capacity in total. Streaming packages often limit the number of listeners or the amount of traffic, so a lower bitrate means more listeners for the same money.

MP3 or AAC?

MP3 really works everywhere, including on old devices. AAC usually sounds better at the same bitrate and is supported by all modern browsers, phones and smart speakers. For a new stream, AAC at 64 to 128 kbps is therefore often the smartest choice, possibly with an MP3 stream alongside it.