Restream recommends at least 10 Mbps of upload speed, and 25 Mbps or more—especially for Full HD. If you send a stream through an external encoder such as OBS, Restream’s rule of thumb is to keep the video bitrate at or below half of the upload speed measured to a suitable Restream server. These are recommendations, not guarantees: a stable continuous stream also depends on connection quality, server route, and available network capacity.
Upload speed and stream bitrate are different
Upload speed is the capacity your internet connection can deliver, measured in Mbps. Video bitrate is the data rate you configure for the stream, also commonly expressed in Mbps or Kbps. The bitrate is part of the upload capacity—not a substitute for measuring it.
Restream recommends that an external encoder’s video bitrate not exceed half the measured upload speed. For example, a 10 Mbps upload result corresponds to a maximum 5 Mbps stream bitrate under this rule. A bitrate that only just fits within a speed-test result leaves little room for fluctuations or other network use.
Restream’s upload-speed recommendations
| Situation | Restream guidance | How to apply it |
|---|---|---|
| General minimum | At least 10 Mbps upload | Restream presents this as a minimum recommendation, not a universal YouTube requirement. |
| Full HD or more demanding use | 25 Mbps or higher, especially for Full HD | Use this as a stronger target; actual stability still depends on the connection and route. |
| External encoder bitrate | Video bitrate at or below half of measured upload speed | An 8 Mbps bitrate implies at least 16 Mbps upload; a 10 Mbps bitrate implies at least 20 Mbps. These are arithmetic applications of Restream’s rule. |
Restream’s guidance is service-specific advice, not an independently measured performance guarantee or a statement of YouTube’s universal minimum speed. It does not set one speed threshold that guarantees an uninterrupted stream.
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Choose bitrate for resolution and frame rate
Resolution and frame rate affect the video bitrate you need. Restream’s YouTube bitrate article gives these recommended video bitrates, alongside the lower automatic settings used by Restream Studio:
| Resolution and frame rate | Restream’s YouTube video-bitrate recommendation | Restream Studio bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 60 fps | 12 Mbps | Not listed in the Studio settings guidance |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 10 Mbps | 6 Mbps |
| 720p at 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 5 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | 4 Mbps | 4 Mbps |
A separate Restream settings guide lists bitrate ranges of 3–8 Mbps for 1080p30 and 4–10 Mbps for 1080p60. Those are ranges from that guide, not replacements for the specific recommendations above. Restream also gives a broad video-bitrate span of 3,000–40,000 Kbps depending on resolution and frame rate; do not treat the entire span as suitable for every stream.
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Restream Studio versus an external encoder
Restream Studio
Studio automatically adjusts bitrate to the selected quality. Its documented quality choices include 720p at 30 or 60 fps and 1080p at 30 fps. Restream says Full HD in Studio requires Professional plan or higher; check current plan availability before relying on that requirement, since plan details can change.
External encoder such as OBS
With an external encoder, you choose the output settings. Restream says it does not change the quality selected in the streaming software. Set the resolution and frame rate, choose a suitable bitrate for YouTube, and check that bitrate against upload speed using Restream’s half-speed recommendation.
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Encoder settings Restream lists for YouTube
Restream’s connection guidance lists H.264 video, resolutions from 240p to 2160p, up to 60 fps, CBR rate control, and a recommended 2-second keyframe interval (4 seconds maximum). For audio, it lists AAC or MP3. Select a bitrate appropriate to the resolution and frame rate rather than assuming any bitrate within the broad listed range will work well.
Measure upload speed to a Restream server
- Open Restream’s bandwidth test and test two or three server locations.
- Wait for each graph to settle. Prefer a server with a low ping and a strong upload result.
- Compare the result with your configured video bitrate. Keep the bitrate at or below half the measured upload speed, following Restream’s recommendation.
- If other devices or applications share the connection, account for that competing traffic. Restream does not specify one universal headroom percentage.
Restream recommends a wired connection over Wi-Fi for increased stability. Ethernet does not increase the upload capacity supplied by your ISP; it can reduce variability associated with a wireless connection.
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Does multistreaming through Restream need more upload speed?
Restream says streaming to multiple channels through its service does not require extra upload bandwidth from you for the same incoming stream: Restream’s servers replicate that stream to the destinations. Your own encoder still needs enough upload capacity for the incoming stream you send to Restream.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Continuous streaming: connection reliability and YouTube archives
Restream says YouTube has no stream-duration limit, but YouTube archives only streams under 12 hours. The archive limit is separate from connection reliability: it does not mean a stream is guaranteed to stay connected, nor that a stream lasting longer than 12 hours cannot be live.
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Troubleshoot an unstable stream
- Upload result is too low for the selected bitrate: lower the bitrate, or reduce resolution or frame rate, then recheck the connection against the half-speed rule.
- Speed varies between tests or the stream drops: test other Restream server locations and choose one with a stronger upload result and low ping. Prefer Ethernet to Wi-Fi.
- Settings are unsupported or mismatched: check the encoder’s codec, rate control, keyframe interval, resolution, frame rate, and audio format against Restream’s YouTube guidance.
- The streaming device is overloaded: check whether the encoder is struggling, then lower demanding output settings as needed.
- Speeds remain low: reboot the modem or router. If poor speeds persist, Restream advises contacting your ISP.
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