What is Bitrate?
Bitrate describes how much data is used per second of audio. It strongly affects file size and can affect quality, especially with lossy formats.
What bitrate means
Bitrate is the amount of data used to store or transmit one second of audio. It is usually shown in kbps, meaning kilobits per second.
A 320 kbps MP3 uses more data per second than a 128 kbps MP3, so it usually sounds better and creates a larger file.
Bitrate and lossy audio
For lossy codecs such as MP3, AAC, and Opus, bitrate is one of the biggest quality settings. Lower bitrate means smaller files, but the codec has to throw away more information.
Higher bitrate gives the codec more room to preserve detail.
Bitrate and lossless audio
With lossless formats like FLAC and ALAC, bitrate is not a direct quality setting in the same way. Lossless files preserve the source audio, and the bitrate depends on the music, bit depth, sample rate, and compression efficiency.
Common bitrate examples
| Bitrate | Typical use |
|---|---|
| 96–128 kbps | Small files, voice, low-bandwidth streaming |
| 192–256 kbps | Good everyday lossy music quality |
| 320 kbps | High-quality MP3-style listening |
| 700+ kbps | Common for lossless CD-quality audio |
Frequently asked questions
Does higher bitrate always sound better?
Not always. Higher bitrate helps most with lossy audio, but the codec, source master, playback equipment, and listener all matter.
What does kbps mean?
kbps means kilobits per second. It measures how much data is used for each second of audio.
Is 320 kbps lossless?
No. 320 kbps MP3 is still lossy. It may sound very good, but it is not the same as FLAC, ALAC, or WAV.
Why does FLAC bitrate change from song to song?
FLAC is lossless compression, so the bitrate depends on how complex the audio is and how efficiently it can be compressed.