What this calculator does
An upload calculator answers a simple practical question: given a file of a certain size and an upload speed, how long will the upload actually take. The main source of confusion is units, internet speeds are quoted in megabits per second (Mbps), while file sizes are shown in megabytes or gigabytes (MB or GB), and a megabyte is eight megabits.
This calculator does that unit conversion for you: enter the file size in MB or GB and the upload speed in Mbps, and it works out the time in seconds and in a clock format. Real-world uploads are usually a little slower than the theoretical figure, since upload speed is shared with other traffic and rarely runs at the full advertised rate, so treat the result as a best case.
The formula
Convert the file size to megabits by multiplying by eight, converting gigabytes to megabytes first if needed, then divide by the upload speed in megabits per second to get the time in seconds.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mbps | Megabits per second, the standard unit internet plans quote speed in. |
| MB / GB | Megabytes and gigabytes, the standard units file sizes are shown in. One gigabyte is 1,000 megabytes here. |
| Megabit vs megabyte | A byte is eight bits, so a file size in megabytes must be multiplied by eight before it can be divided by a speed quoted in megabits per second. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| File size | The size of the file you want to upload. |
| Size unit | Whether the size above is in megabytes or gigabytes. |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | Your upload speed in megabits per second, as shown by a speed test or your internet plan. |
When to use it
Uploading a large video file
Video files run into gigabytes quickly. Checking the expected upload time before starting a large upload sets realistic expectations, especially on a slower or shared connection.
Comparing internet plans
Providers advertise download speed prominently but upload speed is often much lower, particularly on older connections. Running the same file size at different upload speeds shows the practical difference a plan upgrade would make.
Backing up files to the cloud
Before starting a bulk backup, estimating the total upload time from the combined file size and your connection speed avoids leaving a device running far longer than expected.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How long does a 2 GB file take to upload at different speeds?
The same 2 gigabyte file, uploaded at a range of upload speeds.
| Upload speed | Upload time | In seconds |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Mbps | 53:20 | 3,200 s |
| 10 Mbps | 26:40 | 1,600 s |
| 25 Mbps | 10:40 | 640 s |
| 50 Mbps | 5:20 | 320 s |
| 100 Mbps | 2:40 | 160 s |
| 200 Mbps | 1:20 | 80 s |
How long do different file sizes take at 50 Mbps?
A fixed 50 Mbps upload speed, applied to a range of file sizes.
| File size | Upload time | In seconds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 2:40 | 160 s |
| 5 GB | 13:20 | 800 s |
| 10 GB | 26:40 | 1,600 s |
| 20 GB | 53:20 | 3,200 s |
| 50 GB | 2:13:20 | 8,000 s |
| 100 GB | 4:26:40 | 16,000 s |
Questions
Why is my upload so much slower than my download speed?
Most home internet plans, especially cable and older DSL connections, are asymmetric: they allocate far more bandwidth to downloads than uploads, since typical browsing downloads more than it sends. Fibre plans are more likely to offer matched, or symmetric, speeds.
Why does the actual upload take longer than the calculated time?
The calculated time assumes the full advertised speed is available and dedicated entirely to that one upload. In practice, other devices on the network, background syncing, and the destination server all affect the real speed achieved.
Is a megabit the same as a megabyte?
No. A byte is eight bits, so a megabyte is eight times larger than a megabit. Internet speeds are quoted in megabits per second (Mbps) while file sizes are quoted in megabytes (MB), which is why the two need converting before comparing.
Does this work for downloads too?
The same formula applies to downloads: divide the file size in megabits by your download speed in Mbps. Just use your download speed instead of your upload speed.
To convert battery, storage or other capacity units used elsewhere on this site, see the battery capacity unit converter. For video files specifically, the video file size calculator estimates size from bitrate and duration first.