The right allowance depends on what you do on your phone, and where you are when you do it. Video is the big spender, and most other things are small.
Ofcom’s figures show how fast habits are changing. Across all UK mobile users, average use in 2025 was 10.7GB a month, and UK mobile data traffic as a whole grew by 18% that year. Your own figure may be far above or below that. This guide helps you find it.
Start with what you already use
Your provider’s app or account usually shows data used each month. Look at the last three months and take the highest. If you have no history, use the sum further down.
What common activities use
| Activity | Typical use per hour |
|---|---|
| Music, normal quality | About 40MB |
| Music, high quality | About 70MB to 150MB |
| Video, lowest quality | About 0.3GB |
| Video, standard definition | About 0.7GB to 1GB |
| Video, high definition | About 3GB |
| Video, 4K | About 7GB |
| Video calls | About 1GB to 2GB |
The video figures come from Netflix’s own settings. Other apps vary, and YouTube and social video depend on the quality your phone picks. Maps, messaging and browsing use far less, so they matter little unless you do them all day.
Turn it into a monthly figure
Multiply the hourly figure by the hours you use each day, then by 30.
- Half an hour of music a day at normal quality uses well under 1GB a month.
- One hour of high definition video a day uses about 90GB a month.
- Ten minutes of video calls a day uses around 5GB to 10GB a month.
Add your own numbers together, then keep a small margin for the months when you travel or stay somewhere without Wi-Fi.
Where most people land
| Profile | What it looks like | Common monthly range |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Messages, email, maps, a little browsing, mostly on Wi-Fi | 1GB to 5GB |
| Moderate | Social media, music and some video, with Wi-Fi at home | 5GB to 15GB |
| Heavy | Regular video, a long commute, little Wi-Fi, or hotspot use | 15GB to 50GB or more |
These are rules of thumb. Treat your own figure as the guide.
Is unlimited worth it?
Unlimited suits you if you stream a lot away from Wi-Fi, or use your phone as your main connection. Before you choose it, check the terms for a fair use policy and any download speed limit. Both vary between providers.
If your use is modest, a smaller plan is usually enough. If your use changes a lot, a plan you can change each month is safer, and our guide to pay as you go bundles shows how those work.
What happens if you go over
Some providers stop your data when the allowance runs out. Others charge for the extra. Ofcom says to check this before you sign, because charges can be high. Ask for a spending limit, which providers must offer on contracts started since 1 October 2018. Once a limit is reached, the provider cannot charge beyond it unless you have agreed.
If you keep going over, change plan or buy extra data in advance. Our guide to SIM only plans sized by data explains your options when you are on a fixed term.
Ways to use less
- Use Wi-Fi whenever you can, and set large downloads and updates to wait for it.
- Lower the video quality in your streaming apps.
- Turn on Low Data Mode on an iPhone, or Data Saver on Android, to cut background use.
- On Android, set a data warning and a limit under Data warning and limit in the network settings.
- On an iPhone, check your use in Settings, then Mobile Data.
- Watch roaming. Data abroad is billed differently, so read about keeping data costs down when travelling before you go.
Does 5G change the sum?
No. A video at the same quality uses the same data on 5G and 4G. The difference is speed, and faster connections can nudge people to watch more, or at higher quality, without noticing. Ofcom reported that 5G data use grew by more than half in 2025. Read what 5G changes about data use for the detail.
Where to go next
Once you know your number, filter the list to plans with the data you need on our comparison page.
FAQs
Does Wi-Fi calling use my data?
No. A call over Wi-Fi goes through your broadband, so it does not touch your mobile data allowance. It still takes minutes from your plan, as an ordinary call would.
Does tethering count towards my allowance?
Yes. A hotspot draws on the same data as your phone. Some plans also cap hotspot data separately or slow it, even when the plan is unlimited, so check the terms if you share your connection.
Where do I check my use on an iPhone?
Open Settings, then Mobile Data. For a limit, ask your provider to set a spending cap or data cap on your account.