Complete collection of data storage and transfer rate converters at KBMB.net. Convert between bits, bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB, PB with decimal (SI) and binary (IEC) options. 50+ popular converters trusted by professionals worldwide.
Data storage units and data transfer converters which are most used.
Convert bytes. Byte is the base unit of data. 1 byte = 8 bits.
1 B = 8 bits1 KB = 1024 B (binary) or 1000 B (decimal)Convert kilobytes.
1 KB = 1000¹ bytes in SI1 KB = 1024¹ = 2¹⁰ bytes in binaryConvert megabytes.
1 MB = 1000² bytes in SI1 MB = 1024² = 2²⁰ bytes in binaryConvert gigabytes.
1 GB = 1000³ bytes in SI1 GB = 1024³ = 2³⁰ bytes in binaryConvert terabytes.
1 TB = 1000⁴ bytes in SI1 TB = 1024⁴ = 2⁴⁰ bytes in binaryConvert petabytes.
1 PB = 1000⁵ bytes in SI1 PB = 1024⁵ = 2⁵⁰ bytes in binaryConvert data transfer rate units. Gbps, Mbps, kbps, MB/s, kB/s.
1 MB/s = 8 Mbps1 Gbps = 1000 MbpsBits (b), Kilobits (kbit), Megabits (Mbit), Gigabits (Gbit)
1 byte = 8 bits1 Mbit = 1000 kbitKibibytes (KiB), Mebibytes (MiB), Gibibytes (GiB), Tebibytes (TiB)
1 KiB = 1024 bytes1 MiB = 1024 KiB1 GiB = 1024 MiBBy KBMB.net Experts • Updated 2026 • Trusted by 50,000+ users monthly
At the most fundamental level, all digital data is stored and transmitted as bits. A bit (short for binary digit) is the smallest unit of information in computing and can have only two values: 0 or 1. These two states represent off/on, false/true, or no/yes in digital circuits. When you combine eight bits together, you get one byte. A single byte can represent 256 different values (2⁸), which is enough to store a single character like 'A', '7', or '&'. Every file on your computer — from text documents to high-definition videos — is ultimately a long sequence of bits and bytes. Understanding this foundation is crucial because all larger storage units (KB, MB, GB, TB, PB) are simply multiples of bytes.
Digital storage units follow a hierarchical structure. Here's the complete breakdown from smallest to largest:
One of the most confusing aspects of digital storage is the existence of two different measurement systems. The decimal system (also called SI, after the International System of Units) uses powers of 1000. This is simpler: 1 KB = 1,000 bytes, 1 MB = 1,000 KB, 1 GB = 1,000 MB. Storage manufacturers (hard drives, SSDs, USB flash drives) and cloud storage providers use the decimal system because it yields larger, more marketable numbers.
The binary system (also called IEC, after the International Electrotechnical Commission) uses powers of 1024. This aligns with how computers actually work, since they operate in binary (base-2). In this system: 1 KiB = 1,024 bytes, 1 MiB = 1,024 KiB, 1 GiB = 1,024 MiB. Most operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux) use the binary system but unfortunately display "MB" and "GB" when they actually mean MiB and GiB. This is why your "256 GB" smartphone shows only about 238 GB of available space — the manufacturer advertises decimal gigabytes, but the operating system reports binary gibibytes.
To put these units into perspective, here are typical file sizes for common content types:
When you buy a 1 TB external hard drive, plug it into your computer, and see only 931 GB available, you might think something is wrong. This is completely normal and expected. The manufacturer uses decimal measurements: 1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Your operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux) uses binary measurements: 1 TiB = 1,099,511,627,776 bytes. When you divide the manufacturer's decimal bytes by the OS's binary bytes, you get about 0.909 or 90.9% of the advertised capacity. This same calculation applies to all storage devices: a 256 GB SSD shows about 238 GB, a 512 GB SSD shows about 476 GB, a 2 TB drive shows about 1.81 TB. Additionally, the operating system reserves some space for file system overhead and recovery partitions.
Another common source of confusion is the difference between MBps (Megabytes per second) and Mbps (Megabits per second). Remember: 1 byte = 8 bits. Therefore, 1 MB/s = 8 Mbps. Internet service providers (ISPs) advertise their speeds in Megabits per second (Mbps) because the numbers look larger and more impressive. A "100 Mbps" internet plan actually downloads files at a maximum of 12.5 MB per second. File transfer utilities (like your browser's download manager) typically show speeds in MB/s. So when you're downloading a 1 GB file on a 100 Mbps connection, the math is: 1,000 MB ÷ 12.5 MB/s = 80 seconds (theoretical maximum). Real-world speeds are often lower due to network congestion, distance from server, and other factors.
Choosing the right storage depends on how you use your devices. Here are practical recommendations:
Q: How many MB are in 1 GB? A: In decimal (SI): 1 GB = 1,000 MB. In binary (IEC): 1 GiB = 1,024 MiB (often displayed as GB by operating systems).
Q: Is 1 KB equal to 1000 bytes or 1024 bytes? A: Both are correct depending on context. Storage manufacturers use 1,000 bytes. Operating systems use 1,024 bytes (but call it KB).
Q: Why does my 64 GB USB flash drive show only 59 GB? A: Same decimal vs binary gap plus formatting overhead. 64,000,000,000 bytes ÷ 1,073,741,824 bytes per GiB ≈ 59.6 GiB.
Q: How much storage do I need for 1,000 photos? A: At 5 MB per photo (typical smartphone), 1,000 photos take about 5 GB of space.
Q: What's the difference between GB and GiB? A: GB (Gigabyte) uses decimal (1,000,000,000 bytes). GiB (Gibibyte) uses binary (1,073,741,824 bytes).
Q: How long does it take to download a 50 GB game on 100 Mbps internet? A: 50 GB = 50,000 MB. 100 Mbps = 12.5 MB/s. 50,000 ÷ 12.5 = 4,000 seconds ≈ 67 minutes (theoretical).
Q: Are cloud storage providers using decimal or binary? A: Most cloud providers (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive) use decimal (SI) units for billing and storage quotas.
Q: What is the largest storage unit commonly used? A: For consumers, terabytes (TB) are common. For enterprise, petabytes (PB) and exabytes (EB) are used. 1 Exabyte = 1,000 Petabytes.