Data Usage Calculator
Adjust the sliders to match your usual online activity and get an estimate of how much data you use each month. It can help when comparing mobile data, roaming use, or capped internet packages.
Streaming TV
SD - 0.8GB per hour
HD - 2.5GB per hour (mid-range estimate; published figures range from 1.5GB to 3GB per hour depending on service and content)
4K - 7GB per hour
This slider can also be used for any other streaming service not listed individually below.
BBC iPlayer
Downloading programmes for offline viewing uses a similar amount per episode.
BBC iPlayer now supports 4K on compatible smart TVs and streaming sticks. If you watch in 4K, use the Streaming TV slider above and select 4K there instead.
YouTube
SD (up to 720p) - 0.7GB per hour
HD (1080p) - 1.5GB per hour
4K (2160p) - 7GB per hour
Amazon Prime Video
For 4K Prime content, use the Streaming TV slider above and select 4K.
Disney+ / Apple TV+
Disney+ HD (Moderate setting) - approximately 2GB per hour, per Disney's published figures
Disney+ Automatic (4K with Dolby Atmos) - approximately 7.7GB per hour, per Disney's published figures
Apple TV+ HD - approximately 2GB per hour
This calculator uses 7GB per hour for 4K as a general estimate across all services. Disney+ at full Automatic quality may use slightly more than this figure. For 4K content on either service, use the Streaming TV slider above and select 4K.
Film downloads
4K films are considerably larger. For 4K film viewing, use the Streaming TV slider above and select 4K.
Spotify & podcasts
Spotify published data rates (source: Spotify app)
Normal (96 kbps) - 0.04GB per hour
High (160 kbps) - 0.07GB per hour
Very High (320 kbps) - 0.14GB per hour
Lossless (up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC) - up to 1GB per hour
This calculator uses 43MB per hour for Normal and 635MB per hour for Lossless as conservative mid-range estimates. Actual lossless usage is often significantly lower than the 1GB per hour ceiling published by Spotify.
Apple Music (AAC 256 kbps)
If you use Apple Music Lossless or Hi-Res Lossless, select FLAC on the Spotify & podcasts slider above instead, as data usage increases substantially at those quality levels.
Web browsing
If you regularly watch video through a browser, use the dedicated sliders above for those hours instead, as video uses significantly more data.
Social media / TikTok
Text-only social media browsing uses considerably less data than this figure, so only include time spent watching video content in feeds.
If you regularly send or receive emails with documents, photos or video attached, your actual usage will be higher than this estimate.
Online meetings (Zoom / Teams)
Audio-only calls use considerably less data. If you regularly join calls with your camera off, your actual usage will be lower than this estimate.
Online gaming
Online gaming itself uses relatively little data. Game downloads, updates and patches are not included here as they can be 50GB or more per title. Use the App downloads / updates slider below to account for those separately.
App downloads / updates
Large games and console style mobile titles can be 1GB or more each. If you regularly download full games or large updates, your actual usage will be higher than this estimate.
Your data usage results
Usage estimateEstimate
Adjust the sliders to see your estimate.
Adjust the sliders to see your results
Once you start adjusting the sliders, the calculator will estimate your monthly data usage based on your selected activities.
How our data usage calculator works
Our data usage calculator gives you an instant estimate of how much data you are likely to use each month. Rather than asking a series of broad questions, it lets you dial in the detail yourself by adjusting individual sliders for each activity until the combination reflects how you actually use the internet day to day.
Each slider represents a specific type of online activity. As you move them, the calculator applies published and estimated data consumption figures to build up a picture of your monthly total. The five bars in the results panel break that total down into TV and video, music, browsing, video calls and general downloads, so you can see at a glance where most of your data goes.
TV streaming quality explained
SD (Standard Definition)
Approximately 0.8GB per hour on mainstream services and 0.7GB per hour on YouTube.
HD (High Definition)
Published figures from streaming providers range from 1.5GB to 3GB per hour depending on the service and content type. Netflix, for example, publishes a ceiling of 3GB per hour for HD. This calculator uses 2.5GB per hour as a mid-range estimate.
4K (Ultra HD)
Generally up to 7GB per hour across most services. Disney+ publishes 7.7GB per hour for its Automatic setting (4K with Dolby Atmos) slightly above the general estimate used in this calculator. Check if your broadband speed is fast enough for 4K TV.
HD streaming often works well at around 5 Mbps, although some providers like Apple TV+ recommend 8 Mbps.
Music streaming quality explained
Data usage for music streaming varies considerably depending on the quality tier. The figures below are taken directly from the Spotify app and reflect Spotify's own published rates.
Normal (96 kbps) - 0.04GB per hour
High (160 kbps) - 0.07GB per hour
Very High (320 kbps) - 0.14GB per hour
Lossless (up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC) - up to 1GB per hour
Apple Music at standard AAC quality (256 kbps) uses approximately 115MB per hour.
This calculator uses 43MB per hour for normal quality and 635MB per hour for Lossless as conservative mid-range estimates. Spotify's published ceiling for lossless is 1GB per hour. Actual usage is often significantly lower than this figure.
Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV+
Amazon Prime Video HD - approximately 1.8GB per hour
Disney+ HD (Moderate setting) - approximately 2GB per hour, per Disney's published figures
Disney+ Automatic (4K with Dolby Atmos) - approximately 7.7GB per hour, per Disney's published figures
Apple TV+ HD - approximately 2GB per hour
For 4K content on any of these services, the 4K setting on the Streaming TV slider will give a close estimate. Disney+ at full Automatic quality may use slightly more than the general 7GB per hour figure applied here.
What does my result mean?
The monthly estimate is a guide based on the activity levels you have set, not a precise measurement of your actual usage. It is intended to help you understand whether your habits put you in the light, average, moderate or heavy user range, and whether your current broadband or mobile package is likely to be sufficient.
The suggested speed alongside your result reflects the kind of connection likely to suit that level of use. If you want to check what your current connection is capable of, our broadband speed test can give you a live reading. If you are ready to compare packages, our broadband comparison page can help.
Data usage rates used in this calculator
TV & Streaming
SD streaming - 0.8GB per hour
HD streaming - 2.5GB per hour (mid-range estimate; published figures range from 1.5GB to 3GB per hour)
4K streaming - 7GB per hour
YouTube SD - 0.7GB per hour | YouTube HD - 1.5GB per hour | YouTube 4K - 7GB per hour
BBC iPlayer HD - 1.5GB per hour
Amazon Prime Video HD - 1.8GB per hour
Disney+ / Apple TV+ HD - 2GB per hour
Film downloads (HD, approximately 100 minutes) - 2.5GB per film
Music & Audio
Normal quality (96 kbps) - 43MB per hour
Apple Music AAC (256 kbps) - 115MB per hour
Lossless / FLAC - 635MB per hour (conservative estimate; Spotify publishes a ceiling of up to 1GB per hour)
Browsing & Communication
Web browsing - 150MB per hour
Social media / TikTok (video feeds) - 700MB per hour
Email - 270KB per email
Online meetings, Zoom / Teams HD - 0.9GB per hour
Downloads & Gaming
Online gaming (active play) - 50MB per hour
App downloads / updates - 290MB per app
Data usage calculator small print
This calculator is intended as a guide only. Figures are based on 2026 published provider data and mid-range estimates where precise figures vary by service or content type. Your actual data usage will depend on your specific devices, services and usage patterns. All values entered remain anonymous, are not stored, and are used solely to generate your estimate.