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CNN Parameter Count Calculator

Calculate the number of trainable parameters in a convolutional layer.

About CNN Parameter Count Calculator

A convolutional layer has K×K×C_in×C_out weight parameters (kernel size squared times input channels times output filters) plus C_out bias terms. Conv layers are far more parameter-efficient than dense layers due to weight sharing across spatial positions.

Formula

Conv2D Parameters

params = kernel_size^2 × in_channels × out_channels + out_channels

kernel_size
Height/width of the convolution kernel

Worked example

With the default values below, CNN Parameter Count Calculator returns Total Parameters of 73,856. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Kernel Sizeminimum 1
3
Input Channelsminimum 1
64
Output Channels (Filters)minimum 1
128
Include Biasone of Yes, No
Yes

Results

Total Parameters
73,856
Weight Parameters
73,728

Step by step

  1. 1Weights: K² × C_in × C_out= 73,728
  2. 2Biases= 128
  3. 3Total= 73,856

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to whole numbers, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are conv layers more efficient than dense layers?

A conv layer reuses the same small kernel across all spatial positions (weight sharing), requiring far fewer parameters than connecting every input pixel to every output neuron.

Does kernel size affect parameter count?

Yes — parameters scale with K². A 5×5 kernel has 2.78× more parameters than a 3×3 kernel. This is why modern architectures prefer stacking multiple 3×3 layers over using larger kernels.

Related Calculators

CNN Parameter Count Calculator – Calculate Total Parameters