Frame rate (FPS)
Also called FPS, frames per second, frame rate
What is frame rate?
Frame rate is the number of still images, or frames, a video displays each second, measured in frames per second (FPS). Film traditionally uses 24 FPS, most online and social video uses 30, and fast action or gaming footage often uses 60. Higher rates make motion look smoother but create larger files.
Frame rate shapes the feel of footage. 24 FPS has a slightly soft, cinematic motion blur. 30 FPS looks natural and is the safe default for social. 60 FPS looks very smooth and suits screen recordings with scrolling, sports and product spins. Shooting at 60 or 120 and playing back at 24 or 30 creates slow motion.
Some broadcast rates are fractional, such as 29.97 and 23.976, for historic TV reasons. Mixing rates in one edit can cause stutter, so editors usually pick one project frame rate and convert other clips to match.
Why frame rate matters
Choppy or stuttering motion looks amateur, and in a product demo it can make an app look laggy. A consistent frame rate keeps scrolling screens, text animations and animated captions smooth.
Frame rate also affects file size and bitrate needs. A 60 FPS file needs more data for the same quality, which matters when platforms compress uploads. For most marketing video, 30 FPS is the practical balance.
How to choose a frame rate
- Use 30 FPS as the default for social and marketing video.
- Use 24 FPS if you want a filmic look and the footage has little fast motion.
- Use 60 FPS for screen recordings with scrolling, gameplay or fast product motion.
- Record at a higher rate (60 or 120) if you plan to slow clips down.
- Set the project and export to the same rate as most of your footage.
Frame rate FAQ
What FPS is best for Instagram and TikTok?
30 FPS is the common choice and is accepted everywhere. Both platforms also accept 60 FPS, which can help with fast motion or screen recordings.
Is 60 FPS better than 30 FPS?
Smoother, not always better. 60 FPS suits fast motion and screens. For talking and product shots, 30 FPS looks natural and keeps files smaller.
Why do movies use 24 FPS?
24 FPS became the film standard in the sound era as the lowest rate that gave smooth motion and clear audio while saving film stock. Audiences now associate its motion blur with a cinematic look.
Related terms
Video resolution is the number of pixels in each frame, written as width x height or a shorthand like 1080p or 4K. More pixels means more detail.
Bitrate is how much data a video or audio file uses per second, usually in Mbps or kbps. Higher bitrate usually means better quality and bigger files.
A codec is software that compresses and decompresses video or audio. H.264 is the most widely supported; H.265 (HEVC) and AV1 are newer and more efficient.
MP4 is the most common video file format: a container that holds video, audio and subtitles, accepted by almost every platform, browser and phone.
A screen recording is a video capture of what happens on a computer or phone screen, often with a voiceover, used for demos and tutorials.