Mobile Data Usage Calculator
An estimate of your monthly mobile data from the hours you spend on video, music, social media, video calls, gaming and maps — and whether a plan’s allowance covers it.
Each activity has a typical data rate: HD video streams about 1.
How the mobile data usage calculator works
Each activity has a typical data rate: HD video streams about 1.5 GB an hour, standard-definition 0.7, music 0.07, social feeds and browsing about 0.15, video calls 0.8, online gaming 0.05, navigation 0.01. Multiply your daily hours by those rates and by the days in a month. Rates are editable because apps vary — 4K video is 7 GB an hour, and a data-saver setting halves most of them.
Formula: GB per month = Σ (hours per day × GB per hour) × days
Worked examples
| Inputs | Estimated use per month | Note |
|---|---|---|
| An hour of HD video, music and social daily | 72.6 GB | 71.6 GB — over a 50 GB plan |
| Light user: music and browsing only | 8.9 GB | 8.9 GB |
| Commuter streaming SD video an hour a day, 22 days | 19.5 GB | 19.5 GB |
FAQFrequently asked questions
How much data does video really use?
It depends on resolution: about 0.3 GB an hour at 480p, 0.7 at 720p, 1.5 at 1080p, 3 at 1440p and 7 at 4K. Streaming apps default to the highest your connection allows on mobile unless you set a data-saver option.
Does Wi-Fi count?
No — only what goes over the mobile network. Count the hours you are away from Wi-Fi; a phone that streams at home on Wi-Fi and browses on the train uses far less than the same hours would suggest.
What about background data?
App updates, photo backups and email sync can add a few gigabytes a month. If your bill is consistently above the estimate, check the phone’s data-usage screen for the apps responsible.
How accurate is this?
Within about 30% for typical use. The rates are averages; your phone’s own usage screen over a month is the ground truth, and this calculator is for choosing a plan before you have that.
Where these figures come from
- International Energy Agency — Energy Efficiency — appliance consumption and standby power context
- Ofgem — the UK energy regulator
Last checked: September 2026. Appliance power figures are typical ratings; check the label on your own equipment, which is authoritative for it.