Free tool by StreamNeeds
Run your whole stream from one place
Overlays, one chat bot for Kick, Twitch and Discord, bonus hunts, giveaways and a viewer store. This tool is free. Your StreamNeeds account adds the rest.
Free to start. No card needed.
Free tool
Streaming bitrate calculator
Pick your platform, resolution and frame rate, type your upload speed, and get the video bitrate to put in OBS, with the reason for every number.
Short answer:For 1080p at 60 fps, use 6,000 kbps on Twitch and 6,000 to 8,000 kbps on Kick, with 160 kbps audio and a 2 second keyframe interval. Keep the total under about 75% of your upload speed.
From a speed test on your streaming PC.
Video bitrate
6,000 kbps
Rate control: CBR.
Audio bitrate
160 kbps
AAC, 48 kHz.
Upload you need
8.3 Mbps
For this picture with headroom to spare.
- Set the keyframe interval to 2 seconds.
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How the bitrate is worked out
Each resolution and frame rate has a bitrate where the picture stays clean: the same figures Twitch's and YouTube's own guides use. Fast games need more bits and slow scenes need fewer, so the motion setting moves it up or down.
Then two limits apply. Twitch's guide stops at 6,000 kbps and Kick allows up to 8,000 kbps. And your upload speed caps it: stream at more than about three quarters of your upload and any dip drops frames.
Where the settings go in OBS
Open Settings, then Output, and set Output Mode to Advanced. Put the video bitrate in Bitrate, set Rate Control to CBR and Keyframe Interval to 2. Audio bitrate is under the Audio tab. Your resolution and frame rate are under Video.
How to use it
- Pick the platform you stream to.
- Type your upload speed from a speed test, and pick resolution, frame rate and how fast your content moves.
- Copy the bitrate, audio and keyframe settings into OBS.
Related free tools
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Common questions
What bitrate should I use for 1080p 60fps on Twitch?
- 6,000 kbps, the top of Twitch's guidelines, if your upload speed is at least about 8 Mbps.
What is the best bitrate for Kick?
- Kick allows up to 8,000 kbps. 1080p60 looks good from 6,000 kbps, and fast games benefit from going higher.
How much upload speed do I need to stream?
- About a third more than your total bitrate. A 6,000 kbps stream with audio needs about 8.2 Mbps upload to stay smooth.
Should I stream at 720p or 1080p?
- If your upload or PC struggles, 720p60 at 4,500 kbps looks cleaner than a starved 1080p stream. The calculator suggests a lower setting when your upload can't keep up.
Does a higher bitrate always look better?
- Only up to a point, and only if viewers can play it. Past the platform's limit the stream may be rejected or buffer for viewers on slower connections.
Made by StreamNeeds
Everything else your stream needs
This tool is one small part of StreamNeeds. A free account adds the tools you run live, on Kick, Twitch and YouTube.
Overlay editor
Design scenes and widgets for OBS in your browser and switch them while you're live.
One chat bot everywhere
Commands, points and a viewer store across Kick, Twitch and Discord.
Bonus hunt tracker
Track slot results live and share a page your viewers can follow.
Giveaways and raffles
Run giveaways in chat and on Discord, with draws anyone can check were fair.
Points and a viewer store
Viewers earn points for watching and chatting and spend them in your own store.
Stream Pad
One-tap buttons for your phone or Stream Deck that switch scenes and run your stream.
Stream setup calculators
- Stream schedule time zone converterYour weekly schedule in every viewer's time zone, with a link that converts itself.
- Twitch channel points calculatorPoints per hour, week and month with sub multipliers, and what a reward costs in hours.
- Stream countdown timerA free "starting soon" countdown for OBS: set minutes or a start time, pick a colour, copy one link.
- Twitch account age checkerSee the exact date any Twitch account was made and how old it is, straight from Twitch.
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