Data Transfer Rate Conversion Calculator
Written by Thierno Sadou Diallo, formula verified per our methodology • Last checked on 9/3/2026
To convert a data rate from bits to bytes per second, divide by 8 (1 byte = 8 bits). Example: a 100 Mbps internet plan corresponds to a real download speed of about 12.5 MB/s.
Explanation
Data transfer rates come in two unit families that should never be confused: bits per second (bps, kbps, Mbps, Gbps), used by internet service providers and network hardware makers to advertise a connection speed, and bytes per second (B/s, KB/s, MB/s, GB/s), used by browsers and download managers to display a file transfer speed. Since one byte equals 8 bits, you need to divide by 8 to go from one to the other: a plan advertised at 100 Mbps never downloads at 100 MB/s, but at 12.5 MB/s at best (100 ÷ 8). This is the most common source of confusion on an internet bill or plan, often wrongly perceived as false advertising when it's simply a unit difference, universal across the industry. This calculator uses the standard decimal networking prefixes (1 kbps = 1,000 bps), not the binary prefixes (1,024) sometimes used for computer memory — see our data conversion calculator for a stored data quantity rather than a rate.
Example: a 100 Mbps connection
Inputs
Value: 100. Starting unit: Mbps. Target unit: MB/s.
Calculation
First convert to bits per second: 100 Mbps = 100,000,000 bps. Then divide by 8,000,000 (the MB/s factor in bps): 100,000,000 ÷ 8,000,000 = 12.5.
Result
A 100 Mbps connection downloads at a maximum of 12.5 MB/s.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my displayed download speed 8 times smaller than my plan?
Because your internet provider advertises a speed in bits per second (Mbps), the convention in the telecommunications industry, while your browser or download manager shows a speed in bytes per second (MB/s), the natural unit for a file size. Since one byte equals 8 bits, a 100 Mbps plan caps out at 12.5 MB/s of real download speed, under ideal conditions.
Does the real speed always reach this theoretical maximum?
No: this calculation gives the theoretical ceiling. The real speed also depends on line quality, distance to the server, the number of devices connected at the same time, and how fast the remote server can send data as quickly as your connection can receive it.
Why isn't the 'kilo' prefix 1,024 here like it is for computer memory?
For network data rates, the telecommunications industry consistently uses the decimal International System prefixes (1 kbps = 1,000 bps), unlike computer memory, where 1 KB has long meant 1,024 bytes. This calculator follows the networking convention; for a stored data quantity with its own conventions, see our data conversion calculator.