Key takeaways
- Streaming video uses far more data than music. An hour of YouTube uses roughly 0.5GB at 480p and 1.5GB to 3GB at 1080p. An hour of Netflix uses up to 0.3GB at low quality, up to 0.7GB at medium, up to 3GB in HD and up to 7GB in 4K.
- Spotify uses very little data. An hour of music uses about 45MB at Normal quality and about 145MB at Very high quality, which is roughly the data used in a few minutes of HD video.
- Quality settings make a big difference. Dropping video from HD to standard quality cuts data use by around two-thirds or more.
You're out and about with 5G switched on and a long train ride ahead. You'd like to watch something, or at least stream music, without your data running out by Thursday.
Will one episode make a dent? Is it safe to leave music on all day? How long does 10GB last? This guide answers those questions for YouTube, Netflix and Spotify, so you can press play without the maths.
How much data does YouTube use?
YouTube uses about 0.5GB an hour at 480p and about 1.5GB to 3GB an hour at 1080p. The higher the quality, the more data you use, and YouTube often picks the quality for you.
| Video quality | Data per hour |
|---|---|
| 144p | About 80MB |
| 360p | About 300MB |
| 480p | About 500MB |
| 720p | About 1GB to 1.5GB |
| 1080p (Full HD) | About 1.5GB to 3GB |
| 4K | About 5GB to 14GB or more |
How much data does Netflix use?
Netflix uses up to 0.3GB an hour at low quality, up to 0.7GB at medium, up to 3GB in HD and up to 7GB in 4K Ultra HD. These figures come from Netflix's help page.
| Netflix quality | Data per hour |
|---|---|
| Low | Up to 0.3GB |
| Medium | Up to 0.7GB |
| Standard definition | Up to 1GB |
| HD | Up to 3GB |
| 4K Ultra HD | Up to 7GB |
How many gigabytes is a film?
A two-hour film streamed on Netflix is about 6GB in HD, or about 0.3GB with Save Data switched on.
| Netflix setting | Two-hour film |
|---|---|
| Save Data (mobile) | About 0.3GB |
| Automatic (mobile) | About 0.5GB |
| Low | Up to 0.6GB |
| Medium | Up to 1.4GB |
| HD | Up to 6GB |
| 4K Ultra HD | Up to 14GB |
How much data does Spotify use?
Spotify uses about 45MB an hour at Normal quality and about 145MB an hour at Very high quality. That's a fraction of what video needs. We've calculated these figures from the quality levels listed on Spotify's audio quality page.
| Spotify streaming quality | Data per hour | One 3-minute song |
|---|---|---|
| Low | About 10MB | About 0.5MB |
| Normal | About 45MB | About 2MB |
| High | About 70MB | About 4MB |
| Very high | About 145MB | About 7MB |
How long will 5GB, 10GB or 20GB last?
A 10GB allowance covers about 20 hours of YouTube at 480p, or about 70 hours of Spotify at very high quality. Video in HD is what drains it.
| What you're doing | 5GB | 10GB | 20GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify at Very high quality | About 35 hours | About 70 hours | About 140 hours |
| Netflix with Save Data | About 30 hours | About 60 hours | About 120 hours |
| YouTube at 480p | About 10 hours | About 20 hours | About 40 hours |
| Netflix in HD | About 1 hour 40 minutes | About 3 hours 20 minutes | About 6 hours 40 minutes |
| YouTube at 1080p | About 2 to 3 hours | About 3 to 7 hours | About 7 to 13 hours |
If you've already decided, head to our all plans page to choose a size. Still not sure? Our guide on how much data you need can help you decide.
Five easy ways to use less data
- Lower the video quality. Dropping from HD to standard quality can cut data usage by around two-thirds or more.
- Use each app's data settings. Netflix has a Save Data option in its mobile data settings, and YouTube and Spotify have their own quality and data saver options.
- Download over WiFi first. Netflix, YouTube Premium and Spotify Premium all offer downloads, and playing a download doesn't use mobile data.
- Turn off autoplay. One video can quickly turn into five.
- Be careful when sharing your data. Using your phone as a hotspot for a TV or laptop can use much more data.
Not sure which app is using the most? Our guide to checking your data usage shows you how.
What if you use more than you planned?
Streaming is the easiest way to burn through data, and most of us only find out afterwards. The good news for SMARTY customers is that plans run month to month with no lengthy contract, so a wrong guess doesn't last long. If you're on SMARTY, you can switch to a different size at your next renewal, or add extra data if you run short before then.
If counting gigabytes isn't your idea of fun, there's also an unlimited plan. Every size is on our all plans page.
FAQs
Does YouTube use a lot of data?
YouTube uses a lot of data at high quality, roughly 1.5GB to 3GB an hour at 1080p. At 480p, it uses about 0.5GB an hour, so lowering the quality setting is the quickest way to save data.
How much data does Netflix use per hour?
According to Netflix, data usage is up to 0.3GB per hour at low quality, 0.7GB at medium, 3GB in HD and 7GB in 4K Ultra HD. On a phone, the Netflix app's Automatic mobile data setting provides about four hours of viewing per 1GB.
Does Spotify use a lot of data?
No. Spotify uses about 45MB an hour at Normal quality and about 145MB per hour at Very high quality, far less than video.
