What is Bandwidth?
Bandwidth is the amount of data transferred when listeners download your episodes, measured in gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB). More downloads mean more bandwidth usage, which directly affects hosting costs at scale.
Bandwidth Calculation
Bandwidth = File Size × Number of Downloads
Example:
- 50 MB episode
- 10,000 downloads
- Bandwidth: 500 GB per episode
Bandwidth Usage by Episode Length
| Episode Length | ~File Size (128kbps) | Per 10K Downloads |
|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 14 MB | 140 GB |
| 30 minutes | 29 MB | 290 GB |
| 45 minutes | 43 MB | 430 GB |
| 60 minutes | 58 MB | 580 GB |
| 90 minutes | 86 MB | 860 GB |
Bandwidth for Different Show Sizes
| Weekly Downloads | Monthly Bandwidth (60-min episodes) |
|---|---|
| 1,000 | ~232 GB |
| 5,000 | ~1.16 TB |
| 10,000 | ~2.32 TB |
| 50,000 | ~11.6 TB |
| 100,000 | ~23.2 TB |
Assumes 4 episodes per month
Factors Affecting Bandwidth
| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Episode length | Longer = more bandwidth |
| Bitrate | Higher quality = larger files |
| Mono vs stereo | Stereo = ~2× bandwidth |
| Download volume | More listeners = more bandwidth |
| Back catalog | Old episodes continue using bandwidth |
Bandwidth Optimization
| Strategy | Impact |
|---|---|
| Use mono for speech | 50% reduction |
| Optimize bitrate | 20-50% reduction |
| Trim episode length | Proportional reduction |
Why It Matters
Bandwidth directly impacts hosting costs, especially as your show grows. Understanding bandwidth helps you choose appropriate hosting plans and optimize for cost without sacrificing quality.
Why bandwidth matters:
-
Hosting costs: Most plans have bandwidth limits or charge for overages.
-
Scaling economics: Bandwidth costs grow with success—plan accordingly.
-
Back catalog impact: Every download of every episode uses bandwidth.
-
Optimization opportunity: Smart audio settings reduce bandwidth without quality loss.
The back catalog multiplier:
| Scenario | Monthly Downloads | Bandwidth |
|---|---|---|
| New show (10 episodes) | 5K per episode | 2.9 TB |
| Established (100 episodes) | 1K per episode (tail) | 5.8 TB |
| Mature (500 episodes) | 500 per episode (tail) | 14.5 TB |
Back catalog bandwidth adds up—shows with large archives need plans that accommodate ongoing downloads of old episodes.
Bandwidth cost awareness:
| Hosting Type | Bandwidth Model |
|---|---|
| Fixed plans | Included up to limit |
| Usage-based | Pay per GB |
| Unlimited* | Soft limits often exist |
| Enterprise | Negotiated rates |
Optimization ROI: Switching from stereo to mono for a speech podcast at 50K weekly downloads saves ~1.5 TB/month—potentially significant cost savings with zero listener impact.
How to Use This in Dispatch
View bandwidth usage in your Analytics dashboard:
Bandwidth monitoring:
- Total bandwidth used (monthly, all-time)
- Per-episode bandwidth breakdown
- Trend analysis over time
- Projections for current month
Plan management:
- See your plan's bandwidth allocation
- Notifications approaching limits
- Upgrade options if needed
Optimization tips: We show recommendations for reducing bandwidth without impacting quality:
- Bitrate optimization suggestions
- Mono vs stereo recommendations based on content
- Episode length impact analysis