Recommended Bitrate Settings for Live Streaming by Platform

Choose your bitrate for the destination, codec, resolution and frame rate you actually use. There is no single bitrate that gives the recommended quality on every platform. When multistreaming with one shared output, all destinations must accept that output’s settings (same bitrate for all).

Units: 1 Mbps = 1,000 kbps. The figures below are video bitrate, with audio added separately. A recommended target is not the same as a minimum or a maximum.

YouTube, Twitch, Kick, Rumble, LinkedIn and X sources checked October 5, 2026. Recheck the linked guides before an important broadcast.

Quick reference

YouTube

YouTube’s recommended video bitrate depends on the input codec:

Use CBR and a 2-second keyframe interval. Stereo audio guidance is 128 kbps at 44.1 kHz. These are recommended video targets, not hard caps. YouTube lists separate minimum settings. Confirm that your encoder and connection method support your chosen codec.

Source: YouTube live encoder settings.

Twitch

For the standard H.264 workflow:

Use CBR and a 2-second keyframe interval. Twitch recommends 96 kbps AAC audio for maximum compatibility and allows up to 160 kbps.

Enhanced Broadcasting is a separate workflow. Twitch’s 2K rollout for Partners and Affiliates supports up to 9,000 kbps at 1440p with HEVC and 7,500 kbps at 1080p with AVC. Do not apply those settings to an ordinary shared RTMP feed unless your actual workflow supports them. Multiple encoded tracks can also increase total upload usage.

Sources: Standard broadcasting guidelines, 2K and Enhanced Broadcasting announcement.

Kick

Kick supports H.264, CBR, a 2-second keyframe interval, up to 1080p60, and a maximum video bitrate of 8,000 kbps. Its encoder guide lists 1,000–8,000 kbps; choose within that range for your resolution, content and connection. Kick does not support H.265 on this workflow.

Source: How to stream on Kick.

Rumble

Rumble lists an 8,000 kbps maximum. Use H.264, CBR, a 2-second keyframe interval and 128 kbps stereo AAC at 44.1 kHz. Its guide specifies H.264 level 4.1 for 30 fps and 4.2 for 60 fps, with zero B-frames.

Source: Rumble livestream settings.

LinkedIn Live

LinkedIn recommends 720p30 at 3,500 kbps, with maximums of 1080p and 6,000 kbps. Use H.264 video, 128 kbps AAC audio at 48 kHz, and a 2-second keyframe interval. Confirm that your account has LinkedIn Live access.

Source: LinkedIn Live encoder settings.

X Media Studio Producer

For this specific workflow, X recommends 9,000 kbps video and lists 12,000 kbps as the maximum. Its recommended format is 720p60, with 1080p30 listed as the maximum. Use H.264/AVC and AAC-LC audio up to 128 kbps. The guide specifies a 3-second keyframe interval for OBS, so do not assume the 2-second setting used by other platforms applies here.

Source: X Media Studio Producer specifications.

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and custom RTMP destinations

Check the encoder guidance shown by your destination’s live dashboard for the exact account and connection method. Do not copy a YouTube target into these destinations by default. Confirm video bitrate, resolution, orientation, frame rate, codec, audio and keyframe interval before testing.

Facebook’s official specification page could not be verified during this review, so this article does not present a Facebook bitrate as current. Consult Meta’s live video specifications and your live dashboard.

What bitrate should I use for multistreaming?

A shared output needs compatible settings across every destination. Compare more than bitrate: frame rate, codec, keyframes and audio requirements can differ too.

For example, a 6,000 kbps H.264 feed at 1080p60 matches Twitch’s standard recommendation and Rumble’s recommended range, and is below Kick’s maximum. It is below YouTube’s 17,000 kbps recommendation. This can be a deliberate quality compromise, but it does not meet every platform’s recommended quality target.

If the requirements do not overlap, use separately configured outputs where your setup supports them. Do not assume that relaying a stream automatically converts its codec or bitrate for each destination.

See How to Multistream to Multiple Platforms for Upstream setup steps.

How much upload speed do I need?

For a local encoder such as OBS, a useful planning estimate is:

(video Mbps + audio Mbps) × number of outbound feeds × 1.5

The 1.5 multiplier provides 50% headroom. It is a planning allowance, not a platform requirement or a guarantee of stability. A 17 Mbps video feed plus 128 kbps audio needs about 25.7 Mbps with that allowance. Three separate 6 Mbps feeds need about 27.6 Mbps.

Count feeds sent by your computer. Sending one feed to a cloud relay does not multiply your local upload by the number of destinations. For pre-recorded content streamed from the cloud, your home connection is not continuously sending the broadcast after the files are uploaded.

What if I see a low-bitrate warning or stuttering?

1. Check the affected platform’s stream-health message and the actual output codec, resolution, frame rate and bitrate.
2. Compare those settings with the appropriate guide above. A low-bitrate recommendation warning and network instability are different problems.
3. If you use OBS, check dropped network frames and encoding overload. Raising bitrate can make an unstable connection worse.
4. Test representative video and audio before the main broadcast. For a shared stream, retest every destination after a settings change.

If you need help, contact Upstream support with your stream ID, destination, output settings and the exact error message. Never include your stream key.

Updated on: 08/10/2026