Audio File Size Calculator - Uncompressed & Compressed
Audio & Music
Estimate WAV/AIFF and compressed audio file sizes, compare common bitrates, and see how long a recording fits on storage.
File size units
Bytes
52,920,000 bytes
Kibibytes
51,679.7 KiB
Mebibytes
50.468 MiB
Gibibytes
0.0493 GiB
Data rate and recording size
- Data rate
- 1,411.2 kbps
- Per minute
- 10.09 MiB/min
- Per hour
- 605.62 MiB/hr
Compare formats for this duration
Estimates use 5 min 0 sec and your current PCM settings. The selected mode is marked.
| Format / bitrate | Size (MiB) | Of WAV size | Per minute (MiB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAV / AIFF · current PCM settingsCurrent | 50.468 | 100% | 10.09 |
| CBR · 64 kbps | 2.289 | 4.5% | 0.46 |
| CBR · 96 kbps | 3.433 | 6.8% | 0.69 |
| CBR · 128 kbps | 4.578 | 9.1% | 0.92 |
| CBR · 160 kbps | 5.722 | 11.3% | 1.14 |
| CBR · 192 kbps | 6.866 | 13.6% | 1.37 |
| CBR · 256 kbps | 9.155 | 18.1% | 1.83 |
| CBR · 320 kbps | 11.444 | 22.7% | 2.29 |
| FLAC · broad estimate | 20.187–35.328 estimate | 40–70% | 4.04–7.07 |
CBR rows use bitrate arithmetic and omit small container headers; actual variable-bitrate files vary. FLAC is content-dependent, so its 40–70% of WAV range is only a planning estimate.
How long fits on this storage?
Uses the current audio settings and assumes the full stated capacity is available.
Approximate recording time: 50 hr 23 min
Binary sizes use 1 KiB = 1,024 bytes; decimal sizes use 1 KB = 1,000 bytes. Storage labels on drives and memory cards usually use decimal GB.
How to use this tool
- Choose uncompressed (WAV/AIFF) or compressed (MP3/AAC) mode.
- Set the audio settings and duration to see the size and compare common bitrates.
- Choose binary or decimal units and enter a storage capacity to estimate recording time.
Uncompressed audio formula
Size (bytes) = Sample Rate × Bit Depth × Channels × Duration / 8
Example: 44,100 Hz × 16-bit × 2 channels × 60 s / 8 = 10,584,000 bytes, or about 10.09 MiB per minute. A WAV or AIFF header adds a small amount beyond the PCM audio data.
Compressed audio
Size (bytes) = Bitrate (bps) × Duration / 8
A 128 kbps MP3 uses about 1 MB per minute. Higher bitrates produce better quality but larger files. Compressed mode treats the selected bitrate as the total stream rate, including every channel; the sample-rate and channel controls do not multiply this estimate again. The formula assumes constant bitrate (CBR), so variable-bitrate encodes can be smaller or larger.
Compare formats and plan storage
The live comparison uses your current duration and PCM settings to show uncompressed WAV/AIFF, several common constant bitrates, and a broad FLAC estimate. Compressed rows use bitrate × duration ÷ 8, so they are useful for planning even when the final codec, tags, and container headers add small differences. FLAC is lossless, but its compression ratio depends on the recording; the displayed 40–70% range is an estimate rather than a promise about a particular file.
The data-rate summary converts the current settings into an estimated amount per minute and hour. The storage-fit panel reverses the calculation: it divides the capacity you enter by bytes per second to estimate recording time. For example, a 128 kbps stream needs about 57.6 MB per hour using decimal units. Real cards and drives reserve some space for formatting and other files, so the full capacity may not be available for audio.
Choose binary units (KiB, MiB, GiB) or decimal units (KB, MB, GB) without changing the underlying byte estimate. A mebibyte is 1,048,576 bytes; a megabyte is 1,000,000 bytes. Storage products usually advertise decimal GB, while software may display either convention. The storage-fit input makes its own unit explicit so a 32 GB card and 32 GiB of usable space are not treated as identical.
Audio format comparison
| Format | Type | Typical bitrate | 4-minute song size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAV (PCM 44.1 kHz / 16-bit) | Lossless uncompressed | 1,411 kbps | ≈42 MB | Studio standard; no quality loss |
| FLAC | Lossless compressed | ~700–1,400 kbps | ≈20–40 MB | Bit-perfect; ~50% smaller than WAV |
| MP3 (320 kbps) | Lossy | 320 kbps | ≈9.6 MB | High-quality lossy; near-transparent |
| MP3 (128 kbps) | Lossy | 128 kbps | ≈3.8 MB | Acceptable quality for casual listening |
| AAC (256 kbps) | Lossy | 256 kbps | ≈7.7 MB | iTunes / Apple Music default; better than MP3 at same bitrate |
| OGG Vorbis (q5) | Lossy | ≈160 kbps | ≈4.8 MB | Open-source; efficient; used in games |
| Opus (96 kbps) | Lossy | 96 kbps | ≈2.9 MB | Best lossy codec for low bitrates; used in WebRTC |
Storage planning guide
| Storage | MP3 128 kbps (~4 MB/song) | MP3 320 kbps (~10 MB/song) | FLAC (~25 MB/song) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | ≈250 songs | ≈100 songs | ≈40 songs |
| 32 GB | ≈8,000 songs | ≈3,200 songs | ≈1,280 songs |
| 128 GB | ≈32,000 songs | ≈12,800 songs | ≈5,120 songs |
| 1 TB | ≈250,000 songs | ≈100,000 songs | ≈40,000 songs |
Streaming bandwidth requirements
| Service / Quality tier | Bitrate | Data per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Spotify Normal | 96 kbps | ≈43 MB |
| Spotify High | 160 kbps | ≈72 MB |
| Spotify Very High | 320 kbps | ≈144 MB |
| Apple Music Lossless (AAC) | 256 kbps | ≈115 MB |
| Apple Music Hi-Res Lossless (ALAC) | up to 9,216 kbps | ≈4 GB |
| Tidal HiFi (FLAC) | ≈1,411 kbps | ≈635 MB |
Frequently asked questions
What determines uncompressed audio file size?
PCM file size is sample rate × bit depth × channels × duration ÷ 8. For example, 44.1 kHz, 16-bit stereo audio is 1,411.2 kbps and about 10.09 MiB per minute before a small file header.
Why does compressed size depend on bitrate rather than sample rate or channels?
A chosen compressed bitrate describes the total encoded audio stream, including all channels. Estimated size is bitrate in bits per second × duration ÷ 8; changing sample rate or channel count matters only if it changes the encoder bitrate.
Will a variable-bitrate audio file match this estimate?
Not exactly. The compressed calculation assumes constant bitrate (CBR). Variable-bitrate files use more or fewer bits depending on the audio, and tags or container headers also add a small amount.
Can this calculator predict an exact FLAC file size?
No. Lossless compression depends on the audio content. The live comparison shows a broad 40–70% of WAV planning range, not an encoder result; silence and simple signals can compress much more than complex music.
What is the difference between MB and MiB?
Decimal MB uses 1,000,000 bytes, while binary MiB uses 1,048,576 bytes. The unit switch keeps the same byte estimate and changes only how the size is displayed. Drive labels commonly use decimal GB.
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