Multiplayer Tick Rate and Bandwidth Calculator for Unity
Calculate bandwidth requirements for your multiplayer game based on tick rate, packet size, and player count.
Tick rate determines how often your game server sends updates to clients. Higher tick rates feel more responsive but consume more bandwidth and CPU. This calculator helps you find the right balance by showing exactly how much bandwidth each tick rate costs per player, per session, and per month.
30 Hz
1 Hz128 Hz
128 bytes
32 bytes1024 bytes
256 bytes
64 bytes4096 bytes
10
2100
Bandwidth Estimates
Upstream per player
3.75 KB/s
Downstream per player
67.50 KB/s
Total per player
71.25 KB/s
Per player per session
62.62 MB
Server bandwidth per session
626.22 MB
Monthly (1,000 concurrent sessions)
1761245.73 GB
Packet Flow Visualisation
Upstream (client to server)Downstream (server to client)
Recommended Tick Rates by Genre
| Genre | Tick Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Turn-based | 1-5 Hz | State changes only |
| MMORPG | 10-20 Hz | Area of interest filtering essential |
| Co-op PvE | 20-30 Hz | Responsive but forgiving |
| Action PvP | 30-60 Hz | Standard for competitive shooters |
| Fighting games | 60 Hz | Frame-precise input needed |
| Competitive FPS | 60-128 Hz | CS2 uses 64 Hz; some servers run 128 Hz |
Related Tools
Frequently asked questions
What tick rate should my multiplayer game use?
Turn-based or slow-paced PvE: 5-10 Hz. MMOs and casual co-op: 15-20 Hz. Action games and shooters: 30-60 Hz. Competitive shooters: 60-128 Hz. Higher tick rates feel more responsive but cost proportionally more bandwidth and CPU per player.
How do I calculate bandwidth per player?
Multiply tick rate (Hz) by average packet size (KB) by 2 (one direction in, one direction out) by session length in seconds. A 30 Hz shooter at 1.5 KB packets uses about 90 KB/s per player, or roughly 5.4 MB per minute, in each direction.
Does a higher tick rate always mean better gameplay?
Up to a point. Going from 20 to 60 Hz is hugely noticeable in shooters; going from 60 to 128 is noticeable to enthusiasts but not most players. Bandwidth and server CPU costs scale linearly, so doubling tick rate doubles your hosting bill.
How do tick rate and frame rate interact in Unity?
Frame rate is local rendering; tick rate is network simulation steps per second. They are independent. Run physics in FixedUpdate at your network tick rate (set Time.fixedDeltaTime to 1f / tickRate) so simulation matches what you send to clients.
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