Find out exactly how much mobile data you need each month. Adjust your daily habits below — the calculator updates instantly.
Estimate based on off-Wi-Fi usage.
Wi-Fi usage does not count against your allowance.
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Know how much data you need? Check which network actually covers your postcode before you pick a plan.
Scan my postcode →How much data does each activity actually use? These figures represent typical UK mobile usage at standard quality settings. Actual consumption varies with quality setting and connection speed.
Netflix at SD (480p): ~1 GB/hr. HD (1080p): ~3 GB/hr. 4K Ultra HD: up to 7 GB/hr. YouTube defaults to 1080p on fast connections — 30 min of YouTube HD uses ~1.5 GB. TikTok/Reels compressed video: ~750 MB/hr of active scrolling.
Instagram photo browsing: ~150 MB/hr. Instagram Reels / video content: up to 600 MB/hr. Facebook mixed feed: ~200 MB/hr. Twitter/X (text-heavy): ~50 MB/hr. Messaging apps (WhatsApp, iMessage): negligible — under 5 MB/hr text only.
Spotify at Normal quality: ~40 MB/hr. High quality: ~70 MB/hr. Very High: ~150 MB/hr. Apple Music Lossless: up to 240 MB/hr. Podcasts at standard quality: ~50 MB/hr. Downloaded content doesn't count against your allowance.
Using your phone as a mobile hotspot consumes data significantly faster than phone-only usage. Light laptop browsing: ~200 MB/hr. Video calls via tethered laptop: up to 1.5 GB/hr. Downloads via hotspot count in full against your mobile allowance.
Mostly Wi-Fi user. Occasional browsing and messaging on mobile. No streaming away from home. Suits basic SIM-only plans from ~£5/month.
Typical UK usage. Social media, occasional streaming, maps and browsing. The sweet spot for most users — good value on EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three SIM plans.
Regular video streaming, work calls and hotspot use. Consider a 30–50 GB or unlimited data plan. EE and Vodafone offer good 5G unlimited options.
Daily Netflix, heavy tethering, 4K streaming. Unlimited plans from all four UK MNOs typically include throttling policies — check the small print for true unlimited speed.
No. When connected to Wi-Fi, all data usage goes through your broadband connection — not your mobile plan. This calculator estimates mobile-only consumption (i.e., away from Wi-Fi).
At Spotify's High quality setting (~70 MB/hr), 1 hour of streaming per day adds up to ~2.1 GB/month. Switching to Spotify's Normal quality (~40 MB/hr) reduces that to ~1.2 GB/month.
Yes — 4K Ultra HD streaming uses 7–8 GB per hour. Just 30 minutes of 4K Netflix per day would consume ~112 GB/month. Most mobile plans are not suitable for regular 4K streaming; downloading content on Wi-Fi first is recommended.
Ofcom reports the average UK adult uses approximately 6.7 GB of mobile data per month (Connected Nations 2024). Usage has grown 15–20% year-on-year, driven by short-form video apps and higher-resolution content.
