# Average 'payload' size per pageview (to calculate bandwidth needs)

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/average-payload-size-per-pageview-to-calculate-bandwidth-needs/28600>\
**Category:** Self-hosting\
**Tags:** hosting\
**Created:** [10.Май.2015 22:16:58 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/average-payload-size-per-pageview-to-calculate-bandwidth-needs/28600 "2015-05-10T22:16:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![purldator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@purldator](https://meta.discourse.org/u/purldator)\
**Post date:** [10.Май.2015 22:16:58 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/average-payload-size-per-pageview-to-calculate-bandwidth-needs/28600/1 "2015-05-10T22:16:58Z")

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I, in my constant yak shaving, have mentally conjured a hypothetical formula to ballpark a possible bandwidth figure. This is so I can anticipate bandwidth costs. For me, it’s better to get some idea of what I _may_ be up against than nothing at all.

To use the formula, one needs to find the median of a single Discourse instance’s average payload size. Then use it to divide the bandwidth one is allowed each month by one’s VPS provider. The solution shows how many pageloads/payloads would have to happen to reach the bandwidth cap.

x = bandwidth cap  
y = average view/payload size  
z = average number of views/payloads to reach the bandwidth cap

**x/y = z**

(I am absolutely terrible at math but I can write these out since it’s basic problem solving for me. If I’m wrong with the stuff above then please correct.)

My question is **how would one go about determining the average size of a payload?** Furthermore, **what determines a payload for Discourse?**

I know the JavaScript framework needs to be loaded first. After that it’s only calling things from the database then serve onto the JavaScript.

I also have tried finding through google ways to determine bandwidth size needs. I haven’t found much; this is my concrete way of getting a solid ballpark figure so I have a simple idea of what to possibly expect.

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_[View the full topic](https://meta.discourse.org/t/average-payload-size-per-pageview-to-calculate-bandwidth-needs/28600)._