Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the amount of data a network connection can carry over a period of time.

Format
Performance & CDN
Updated
Updated
Glossary Performance & CDN
Bandwidth Aliases: network capacity, data transfer rate.

Definition

Bandwidth is the amount of data a network connection can carry over a period of time.

How it works

Bandwidth is usually quoted in bits per second for a connection, or as a monthly transfer allowance in gigabytes on hosting plans. More of it lets you serve more visitors and bigger files at once — but it will not make a slow application faster or shorten the distance data has to travel.

Example: A 100 Mbps connection can move ten times as much data per second as a 10 Mbps connection.

Often confused: Bandwidth is how much can flow at once; latency is how long each trip takes.

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-07-19.