How much mobile data do I need?
Most people overestimate the data they need. If you’re on WiFi at home and at work, you may use far less mobile data than you’re paying for.
Typical data use per hour
These are the rates our data calculator uses:
- Messaging, email and web browsing: about 0.06GB
- Maps and navigation: about 0.02GB
- Music and podcasts: about 0.07GB
- Video calls: about 0.5GB
- Social media with video (TikTok, Instagram): about 0.6GB
- Streaming video: about 1GB in standard definition, 3GB in HD
Worked examples
- Mostly WiFi: 30 minutes of messaging and browsing plus 15 minutes of maps a day is about 0.04GB a day, or roughly 1GB a month.
- Commuter: an hour of social media and an hour of music a day is about 0.67GB a day, or roughly 20GB a month.
- Streamer: an hour of standard-definition video a day adds about 30GB a month on its own. In HD it’s closer to 90GB, which is where unlimited plans start to make sense.
Rough guide by user type
- Light (under 2GB): messaging, maps, email
- Moderate (5–10GB): daily social media and music
- Heavy (20GB+): regular video streaming away from WiFi
- Very heavy: consider an unlimited plan
Get a personalised estimate with our data usage calculator.
What each amount of data costs right now
The cheapest plan we list in each range, by monthly price:
- Up to 5GB: from $8 a month (2degrees $8 Monthly Plan (Prepay), 150MB/mo)
- 5GB to 20GB: from $25 a month (Mighty Mobile Starter Plan, 5GB/mo)
- 20GB to 80GB: from $40 a month (CloudLink Mobile 20, 20GB/mo + endless)
- 80GB or more: from $49 a month (Gecko Mobile Mobile100, 100GB/mo + endless)
- Unlimited (10Mbps+): from $40 a month (Mighty Mobile Fast Plan, Unlimited (10Mbps))
Tips to use less data
- Set streaming apps to lower quality on mobile data
- Turn off video autoplay in social apps
- Download music, podcasts and maps on WiFi
- Choose a plan with rollover so unused data isn’t wasted