📁 Audio File Size Calculator
Estimate an audio file's size from uncompressed PCM settings or from a compressed bitrate and duration — perfect for planning storage, exports, and uploads.
📦 Estimate File Size
What is an Audio File Size Calculator?
An audio file size calculator predicts how many megabytes a recording or export will take up. Feed it uncompressed PCM settings — sample rate, bit depth, channels, and length — or simply a compressed bitrate and duration, and it returns the size in both megabytes and bytes.
It's the quick check producers and engineers reach for when bouncing stems, archiving sessions, emailing rough mixes, or making sure a master fits a distributor's upload limit.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How do I estimate an audio file's size?
For uncompressed audio, multiply sample rate × bit depth × channels × seconds and divide by eight to get bytes. For a compressed file, multiply the bitrate in kbps by 1,000, then by the seconds, and divide by eight. This calculator handles both modes and reports the result in megabytes.
How big is a typical MP3 versus a WAV?
A three-minute stereo WAV at 44.1 kHz / 16-bit is around 30 MB, while the same track as a 320 kbps MP3 is closer to 7 MB and at 128 kbps roughly 3 MB. Compression trades some fidelity for dramatically smaller files — exactly the gap the two modes here let you compare.
Why doesn't my exported file exactly match the estimate?
The calculator estimates the raw audio payload. Real files add a little for container structure, headers, and metadata like cover art and tags. Variable-bitrate encoders also adapt the rate to the material, so the final size lands near — but not exactly on — the figure shown.
Which bitrate should I export at for distribution?
For lossy delivery, 320 kbps is transparent for most listeners and a safe default for downloads, while 256 kbps AAC is common for streaming. For mastering, archiving, or sending to a label, keep an uncompressed WAV or AIFF and use this tool to confirm it fits your upload limits.