Download Time Calculator
Estimate how long a file will take to download at a given internet speed.
Assumptions used in this calculation
- Theoretical maximum speed: Assumes a steady, uninterrupted connection at the full stated speed, real-world downloads are usually slower due to network overhead, server limits, and contention.
About this calculator
Internet speeds are advertised in megabits per second (Mbps) but file sizes are shown in gigabytes (GB), and mixing bits and bytes is a classic source of confusion, since there are 8 bits in a byte, meaning a '100 Mbps' connection downloads at roughly 12.5 megabytes per second, not 100. This calculator converts your file size in GB to bits, then divides by your connection speed in Mbps, to estimate download time in seconds, saving you from doing that bits-to-bytes conversion and division yourself. It's a theoretical maximum based on your stated connection speed running steadily and uninterrupted, real downloads are usually slower due to server-side speed limits, network congestion, and protocol overhead, so treat the result as a best-case floor rather than a guaranteed time, useful for gauging whether a large download is a 5-minute job or an overnight one.
Worked example
5 GB at 100 Mbps
Result: ≈ 6 min 40 sec
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