For a local recording, plan on about 10.8 decimal GB per day for every 1 Mbps of average recording bitrate. Use storage (GB) ≈ bitrate (Mbps) × 10.8 × days retained. For example, a 10 Mbps recording takes about 108 GB per day, or 3.24 TB for 30 days, before allowing for overhead and other files.
Estimate storage from the recording bitrate
A 24/7 stream runs for 24 hours a day, so its recording size is driven mainly by the local file’s average bitrate and how long you keep it. The estimate uses decimal units: 1 GB is 1,000,000,000 bytes and 1 TB is 1,000 GB.
Storage (GB) ≈ average recording bitrate (Mbps) × 10.8 × retention days
The factor 10.8 comes from converting megabits per second into gigabytes over 86,400 seconds in a day. It is a planning estimate, not a guaranteed file size. Allow additional capacity for the file container, bitrate variation, other files, and operating headroom; the amount depends on your recording workflow.
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Daily and monthly examples
| Average recording bitrate | Approximate storage per day | Approximate storage for 30 days |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Mbps | 64.8 GB | 1.94 TB |
| 10 Mbps | 108 GB | 3.24 TB |
| 12 Mbps | 129.6 GB | 3.89 TB |
| 30 Mbps | 324 GB | 9.72 TB |
These figures are calculated estimates before extra capacity. A drive’s advertised capacity and the space available to your recording workflow may not be identical, so compare usable capacity with the amount you expect to retain.
Use the local recording bitrate, not just YouTube’s ingest setting
The bitrate sent by your encoder to YouTube is the ingest bitrate. It does not automatically tell you the bitrate or size of a separate recording saved on your computer or storage device. For a local archive, use the average bitrate of that recording. If your recording software reports a different bitrate from the encoder’s YouTube output, calculate with the recording figure.
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YouTube says it transcodes a live stream into multiple output formats so viewers can watch on different devices and networks. That processing is separate from the size of a local recording. The cited YouTube guidance does not state a per-stream storage allocation for YouTube’s own archive, so a local-disk estimate should not be treated as a figure for YouTube storage. YouTube’s live encoder settings guidance describes ingest settings and transcoding.
What YouTube’s recommended bitrates imply for planning
YouTube’s H.264 encoder guidance lists the following recommended ingest rates by resolution and frame rate. The storage column applies the calculation above only if a local recording averages the same rate; these are not guarantees of local file size.
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| Resolution and frame rate | YouTube recommended H.264 ingest rate | Estimated local storage per day at that rate |
|---|---|---|
| 720p at 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 64.8 GB |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 10 Mbps | 108 GB |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 12 Mbps | 129.6 GB |
| 1440p at 30 fps | 15 Mbps | 162 GB |
| 1440p at 60 fps | 24 Mbps | 259.2 GB |
| 2160p at 30 fps | 30 Mbps | 324 GB |
| 2160p at 60 fps | 35 Mbps | 378 GB |
For a 30-day archive at 35 Mbps, for example, the estimate is 11.34 TB before extra capacity. Your actual local file can be smaller or larger if its average bitrate differs from the ingest rate.
Plan capacity for the retention period you need
- Find the local recording’s average bitrate. Check the recording settings or the file’s media information. Use the average bitrate for the saved file, not a YouTube recommendation unless the recording actually averages that rate.
- Choose how many days to keep. Multiply the daily estimate by the retention period. A 30-day archive requires about 30 times the one-day estimate.
- Add workflow headroom. Reserve space for container overhead, bitrate fluctuations, other files, and normal operating needs. There is no fixed reserve percentage in YouTube’s encoder guidance.
- Check the storage workflow. Compare usable capacity, the retention period, the drive connection, and sustained-write needs. Consider separately whether you need a backup; this calculation does not prescribe a backup design.
YouTube advises testing encoder settings with audio and movement similar to the intended stream, monitoring stream health, and reviewing messages during the event. Its documented settings recommend constant bitrate encoding and a two-second keyframe interval, not exceeding four seconds. These settings help configure the YouTube feed; they do not establish the size of a separate local recording. See YouTube’s encoder guidance.
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Streaming and keeping an archive are different needs
A storage drive is needed for a local recording or archive, not simply to send a live feed to YouTube. If you only need the channel to stay live, the local recording formula does not describe YouTube’s storage allocation or determine whether a stream can run. If you need an archive, calculate from the saved file’s average bitrate and retention period.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a YouTube channel live around the clock from uploaded videos, StreamNeo runs the loop in the cloud: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home. Each slot streams the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month.
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