Internet shoppers often see two similar-looking speed units: Mbps and MB/s. The distinction matters because a bit is the smallest unit of computing data, while a byte is a group of eight bits, roughly enough to encode one character. The prefix "mega" means one million, so Mbps tracks millions of bits per second and MB/s tracks millions of bytes per second.
Providers and speed tests typically quote Mbps for connection speeds. The FCC currently defines broadband as 100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up, and Ookla's median U.S. household speeds in August 2026 were 307 Mbps down and 63 Mbps up. MB/s is more common for file transfers, such as moving a document to cloud storage or reading from a hard drive.
To compare the two, divide megabits by eight: 100 Mbps equals 12.5 MB/s. Multiply by eight to convert in the other direction. Confusing the units can make a connection look eight times faster or slower than it actually is, so checking the label matters when evaluating plans and transfer times.