Data Transfer Rate Converter
Mbps to MB/s and back — the bits-versus-bytes confusion that makes downloads look 8× slower than the internet plan promised.
Real-world download speeds
| Connection | Plan speed | Real download rate | 1 GB takes… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic broadband | 25 Mbps | ~3 MB/s | ~5.5 min |
| Fast broadband | 100 Mbps | 12.5 MB/s | ~80 s |
| Gigabit fiber | 1 Gbps | 125 MB/s | ~8 s |
| 5G (good signal) | ~300 Mbps | ~37 MB/s | ~27 s |
Frequently asked questions
Why is my 100 Mbps plan "only" downloading at 12 MB/s?
Nothing's wrong — ISPs sell megabits, download managers show megabytes, and there are 8 bits in a byte. 100 Mbps ÷ 8 = 12.5 MB/s, and that's exactly what you're getting.
Big B or small b — how do I tell?
Capital B is bytes, lowercase b is bits, everywhere: MB/s is megabytes per second, Mbps megabits. Network gear and ISPs speak bits; files and storage speak bytes.
How long will my download take?
File size in MB ÷ (plan speed in Mbps ÷ 8). A 50 GB game on 200 Mbps: 50,000 ÷ 25 = 2,000 seconds ≈ 33 minutes — plus whatever the server and Wi-Fi shave off in practice.
Last updated: 2026-07-13