Twitch Bitrate & OBS Settings Calculator
Pick your resolution, frame rate and encoder to get the ideal bitrate plus a complete OBS config. Add upload speed and get warned before it buffers.
What is the Twitch bitrate calculator?
Bitrate is how much video data you send to Twitch every second, measured in kbps. Too low and your stream looks blocky; too high and viewers on slower connections buffer. This calculator picks the right bitrate for your setup and hands you a complete OBS configuration.
Enter your upload speed too and it checks whether your connection can sustain that stream, then suggests a safer tier if it cannot.
Recommended Twitch bitrates
- 720p30: about 3,000 kbps. The safe floor for slower uploads or busy scenes.
- 720p60 / 1080p30: about 4,500 kbps. The reliable all-round choice for new streamers.
- 900p60: about 5,000 kbps. A middle ground between 720p and 1080p at 60fps.
- 1080p60: about 6,000 kbps. Crisp and smooth, but right at Twitch's ceiling.
Twitch caps non-Partners at roughly 6,000-6,500 kbps. Going above that does not improve quality; it risks throttling and buffering.
The OBS settings that matter
- Rate control: CBR. Constant bitrate keeps your stream steady.
- Keyframe interval: 2 seconds. Required by Twitch.
- Encoder: NVENC or x264. NVENC offloads to an NVIDIA GPU; x264 on veryfast can work well when your CPU has spare cores.
- Audio: 160 kbps. Clean voice and game audio without wasting bandwidth.
Sources and freshness
Official platform assumptions were last reviewed on July 20, 2026. Prices, program rules and platform limits can change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best bitrate for Twitch?
1080p60 should use about 6,000 kbps, 1080p30 or 720p60 about 4,500 kbps, and 720p30 about 3,000 kbps. Twitch's practical ceiling for non-Partners is about 6,000-6,500 kbps.
What are the best OBS settings for Twitch?
Use Output Mode Advanced, Rate Control CBR, Keyframe Interval 2s, Audio 160 kbps, and the recommended bitrate for your resolution and fps.
How much upload speed do I need?
Roughly bitrate divided by 650 in Mbps, so about 9-10 Mbps for a 6,000 kbps stream. The calculator tells you whether your upload is safe, tight, or too low.
CBR or VBR: which should I use?
Use CBR. A constant bitrate keeps playback stable for viewers; VBR can spike and cause buffering.
A clean stream deserves an audience
Nailing your settings is half the battle. The other half is getting people in the room.