Data Storage Converter — bits, bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB
Convert data storage units between bits, bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB, and PB. Shows both binary (1024) and decimal (1000) conversions side by side.
Quick convert:
—
Decimal (base-10)
—
Binary (base-2, IEC)
Decimal (1 KB = 1,000 B)
Binary (1 KiB = 1,024 B)
Storage Size Quick Reference
| Unit | Decimal (1000) | Binary (1024) | IEC Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 KB | 1,000 bytes | 1,024 bytes | KiB (Kibibyte) |
| 1 MB | 1,000,000 bytes | 1,048,576 bytes | MiB (Mebibyte) |
| 1 GB | 1,000,000,000 bytes | 1,073,741,824 bytes | GiB (Gibibyte) |
| 1 TB | 10¹² bytes | 2⁴⁰ bytes | TiB (Tebibyte) |
| 1 PB | 10¹⁵ bytes | 2⁵⁰ bytes | PiB (Pebibyte) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between binary (1024) and decimal (1000) storage?
Hard drive manufacturers use decimal (1 KB = 1,000 bytes, 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes), while operating systems use binary (1 KiB = 1,024 bytes, 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes). This is why a "500 GB" hard drive shows as about 465 GB in Windows.
How many MB is 1 GB?
In decimal (used by storage manufacturers): 1 GB = 1,000 MB. In binary (used by operating systems): 1 GiB = 1,024 MiB. For everyday purposes and internet data plans, 1 GB = 1,000 MB is used.
How much data does streaming use in Nigeria?
Standard definition (SD) streaming uses about 700 MB per hour. High definition (HD) uses 3 GB per hour. YouTube at 1080p uses about 1.5 GB per hour. MTN, Airtel and other Nigerian ISPs often sell data in GB bundles.
What is a bit vs a byte?
A bit is the smallest unit of data — it is either 0 or 1. A byte = 8 bits. Internet speeds are measured in bits per second (Mbps), while storage is measured in bytes (MB, GB). So 100 Mbps internet speed = 12.5 MB/s download speed.
How big is a Petabyte?
One Petabyte (PB) = 1,000 Terabytes = 1,000,000 GB = 1,000,000,000 MB. To put it in context, 1 PB could hold about 500 billion pages of text, or 20 million 4-drawer file cabinets full of documents.