Megabits vs. Megabytes: What You Need to Know

Internet terminology is often maddeningly confusing. Case in point: Megabits and megabytes. Both refer to units of digital information, but the difference is subtle enough to cause plenty of confusion. Knowing the difference between the two terminologies can make all the difference when picking out an internet plan or figuring out how quickly you can download a file. Don’t worry -- we’ll clear it all up so you never get scolded on Reddit again. Megabits vs. Megabytes It all starts with bits and bytes. A bit is a single binary data point and the most basic unit of information in computing; it's typically either a one or a zero. A byte is a collection of eight bits. Why eight? It takes eight bits to produce one unit of text, like a “J” or “#”. Bytes are used primarily to measure size or storage, like files of movies, images or documents. Bits are also measures of size, but they’re used in relation to speed. You’ll almost never hear someone talk about “bits” unless there’s a “per second ... Read full article.