Megabit to Gigabit Converter
Convert megabits to gigabits with our free online data storage converter.
Quick Answer
1 Megabit = 0.001 gigabits
Formula: Megabit × conversion factor = Gigabit
Use the calculator below for instant, accurate conversions.
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All conversion formulas on UnitsConverter.io have been verified against NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) guidelines and international SI standards. Our calculations are accurate to 10 decimal places for standard conversions and use arbitrary precision arithmetic for astronomical units.
Megabit to Gigabit Calculator
How to Use the Megabit to Gigabit Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Megabit).
- The converted value in Gigabit will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
- Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Data Storage category.
- Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
How to Convert Megabit to Gigabit: Step-by-Step Guide
Converting Megabit to Gigabit involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Megabit = 0.001 gigabitsExample Calculation:
Convert 10 megabits: 10 × 0.001 = 0.01 gigabits
Disclaimer: For Reference Only
These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.
Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.
Need to convert to other data storage units?
View all Data Storage conversions →What is a Megabit and a Gigabit?
A megabit (Mb or Mbit) is a multiple of the bit unit for digital information or computer storage. The prefix mega- (symbol M) is defined in the International System of Units (SI) as a multiplier of 106 (1 million). Therefore, 1 megabit = 1,000,000 bits (or 1000 kilobits).
A gigabit (Gb) is a unit of digital information equal to 109 bits, or 1,000,000,000 bits. It uses the standard SI decimal prefix 'giga-'. It is commonly used to measure data transfer rates.
Note: The Megabit is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Gigabit belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Megabit and Gigabit
As data transfer speeds increased beyond the kilobit range, the megabit became a common unit, particularly in networking and telecommunications. Like the kilobit, it generally adheres to the SI standard (106 bits) rather than the binary interpretation sometimes used for bytes (which would be 220 bits, correctly termed a mebibit). The introduction of binary prefixes like 'mebi-' aimed to resolve this potential ambiguity.
The prefix 'giga-' originates from the Greek word "gigas," meaning "giant," and was adopted as an SI prefix in 1960 to denote a factor of 109 (one billion). In computing and telecommunications, the gigabit became prominent with the rise of high-speed networking technologies like Gigabit Ethernet in the late 1990s and early 2000s. While 'giga-' strictly means 109, its usage sometimes caused confusion with binary multiples (230), leading to the creation of the IEC binary prefix 'gibi-' (Gib).
Common Uses and Applications: megabits vs gigabits
Explore the typical applications for both Megabit (imperial/US) and Gigabit (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for megabits
- Measuring data transfer rates (e.g., internet connection speeds in Mbps - megabits per second).
- Quantifying network bandwidth.
- Specifying the capacity of older storage media or certain types of memory chips.
- Video and audio bitrates (e.g., streaming quality often measured in Mbps).
When to Use gigabits
- Measuring data transfer rates, especially network speeds (e.g., Gigabit Ethernet at 1 Gbps, internet connection speeds).
- Specifying the bandwidth of communication channels.
- Sometimes used in the context of memory chip density or storage capacity, although Gigabyte (GB) is far more common for storage.
- Calculating download/upload times based on file size (in GB or GiB) and network speed (in Gbps).
Additional Unit Information
About Megabit (Mb)
How many bits are in a megabit?
There are exactly 1,000,000 bits (or 106 bits) in 1 megabit (Mb), based on the standard SI definition of the prefix 'mega-'.
What is the difference between a megabit (Mb) and a megabyte (MB)?
- A megabit (Mb) measures bits and equals 1,000,000 bits. It's often used for data transfer rates.
- A megabyte (MB) measures bytes. According to SI standards, it equals 1,000,000 bytes. (Note: Historically, MB was sometimes used informally for 1,048,576 bytes, which is correctly termed a mebibyte (MiB)).
Since 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 megabyte (1,000,000 bytes) is equal to 8,000,000 bits. Therefore, a megabyte represents 8 times more data than a megabit.
What is the difference between a megabit (Mb) and a mebibit (Mib)?
- A megabit (Mb) uses the decimal SI prefix 'mega-' and equals 106 bits (1,000,000 bits).
- A mebibit (Mib) uses the binary IEC prefix 'mebi-' and equals 220 bits (1,048,576 bits).
A mebibit is approximately 4.86% larger than a megabit (1 Mib ≈ 1.0486 Mb). Using Mib provides clarity when specifically referring to 1,048,576 bits.
If my internet speed is 100 Mbps, how fast is that in MBps?
To convert Mbps (megabits per second) to MBps (megabytes per second), you divide by 8 (since 1 byte = 8 bits). So, 100 Mbps / 8 = 12.5 MBps. This means you can theoretically download 12.5 megabytes of data per second.
About Gigabit (Gb)
How many bits are in a gigabit?
There are exactly 1,000,000,000 (one billion or 109) bits in 1 gigabit (Gb).
What is the difference between a gigabit (Gb) and a gigabyte (GB)?
A gigabit (Gb) measures data in bits, while a gigabyte (GB) measures data in bytes. Assuming the standard 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 gigabyte (GB) is equal to 8 gigabits (Gb). Network speeds are usually in Gbps (gigabits per second), while file sizes are usually in GB (gigabytes).
What is the difference between a gigabit (Gb) and a gibibit (Gib)?
A gigabit (Gb) uses the decimal prefix 'giga-' and equals 109 (1,000,000,000) bits. A gibibit (Gib) uses the binary prefix 'gibi-' and equals 230 (1,073,741,824) bits. A gibibit is approximately 7.37% larger than a gigabit.
Is Gbps the same as GBps?
No. Gbps stands for gigabits per second, while GBps stands for gigabytes per second. Since 1 byte = 8 bits, a transfer rate of 1 GBps is eight times faster than a transfer rate of 1 Gbps. Network speeds are almost always advertised in Gbps.
Conversion Table: Megabit to Gigabit
| Megabit (Mb) | Gigabit (Gb) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.001 |
| 1 | 0.001 |
| 1.5 | 0.002 |
| 2 | 0.002 |
| 5 | 0.005 |
| 10 | 0.01 |
| 25 | 0.025 |
| 50 | 0.05 |
| 100 | 0.1 |
| 250 | 0.25 |
| 500 | 0.5 |
| 1,000 | 1 |
People Also Ask
How do I convert Megabit to Gigabit?
To convert Megabit to Gigabit, enter the value in Megabit in the calculator above. The conversion will happen automatically. Use our free online converter for instant and accurate results. You can also visit our data storage converter page to convert between other units in this category.
Learn more →What is the conversion factor from Megabit to Gigabit?
The conversion factor depends on the specific relationship between Megabit and Gigabit. You can find the exact conversion formula and factor on this page. Our calculator handles all calculations automatically. See the conversion table above for common values.
Can I convert Gigabit back to Megabit?
Yes! You can easily convert Gigabit back to Megabit by using the swap button (⇌) in the calculator above, or by visiting our Gigabit to Megabit converter page. You can also explore other data storage conversions on our category page.
Learn more →What are common uses for Megabit and Gigabit?
Megabit and Gigabit are both standard units used in data storage measurements. They are commonly used in various applications including engineering, construction, cooking, and scientific research. Browse our data storage converter for more conversion options.
For more data storage conversion questions, visit our FAQ page or explore our conversion guides.
Helpful Conversion Guides
Learn more about unit conversion with our comprehensive guides:
📚 How to Convert Units
Step-by-step guide to unit conversion with practical examples.
🔢 Conversion Formulas
Essential formulas for data storage and other conversions.
⚖️ Metric vs Imperial
Understand the differences between measurement systems.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Learn about frequent errors and how to avoid them.
All Data Storage Conversions
Other Data Storage Units and Conversions
Explore other data storage units and their conversion options:
- Bit (b) • Megabit to Bit
- Byte (B) • Megabit to Byte
- Kilobit (kb) • Megabit to Kilobit
- Kilobyte (KB) • Megabit to Kilobyte
- Megabyte (MB) • Megabit to Megabyte
- Gigabyte (GB) • Megabit to Gigabyte
- Terabit (Tb) • Megabit to Terabit
- Terabyte (TB) • Megabit to Terabyte
- Petabit (Pb) • Megabit to Petabit
- Petabyte (PB) • Megabit to Petabyte
Verified Against Authority Standards
All conversion formulas have been verified against international standards and authoritative sources to ensure maximum accuracy and reliability.
International Electrotechnical Commission — Binary prefixes for digital storage (KiB, MiB, GiB)
International Organization for Standardization — International standards for quantities and units
Last verified: December 3, 2025