How much data does streaming video use per hour?
Netflix publishes per-hour figures for each quality setting and YouTube publishes the connection speed each resolution needs. Here is what those numbers mean for a travel data plan, and how to keep video from eating it.
Netflix lists up to 0.3 GB an hour on Low, 0.7 GB on Medium, up to 3 GB for HD and up to 7 GB for 4K, and its mobile Save Data setting gives about 6 hours per GB. YouTube's speeds cap 720p at about 1.1 GB an hour. Typical use varies by app and screen.
How much data does an hour of Netflix use?
Netflix is one of the few services that publishes per-hour figures. Its help centre lists the account playback settings below. They are maximums for one device. A cartoon or a dark, slow drama can come in under them, and an action film close to them.
| Netflix setting | Netflix's figure | One hour | Example: 10 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low (basic quality) | up to 0.3 GB per hour | ≤ 0.3 GB | ≤ 3 GB |
| Medium (standard quality) | up to 0.7 GB per hour | ≤ 0.7 GB | ≤ 7 GB |
| High, standard definition | up to 1 GB per hour | ≤ 1 GB | ≤ 10 GB |
| High, HD | up to 3 GB per hour | ≤ 3 GB | ≤ 30 GB |
| High, Ultra HD (4K) | up to 7 GB per hour | ≤ 7 GB | ≤ 70 GB |
| Mobile: Save Data | about 6 hours per GB | ≈ 0.17 GB | ≈ 1.7 GB |
| Mobile: Automatic | about 4 hours per GB | ≈ 0.25 GB | ≈ 2.5 GB |
| Mobile: Maximum Data | 1 GB per 20 minutes or more | ≥ 3 GB | ≥ 30 GB |
The mobile settings matter most when you travel. They live in the app, not in your account: in the Netflix app, open My Netflix → profile → App Settings → Cellular Data Usage. If Automatic is on, the other options are greyed out until you turn it off.
How much data does YouTube use?
YouTube doesn't publish data per hour. It publishes the recommended sustained connection speed for each resolution. You can turn a speed into a ceiling: 1 Mbit/s held for an hour moves 0.45 GB. Real playback usually comes in under the ceiling, because the recommended speed leaves headroom.
| YouTube resolution | Recommended speed | Ceiling per hour (× 0.45) |
|---|---|---|
| SD 360p | 0.7 Mbps | ≈ 0.32 GB |
| SD 480p | 1.1 Mbps | ≈ 0.5 GB |
| HD 720p | 2.5 Mbps | ≈ 1.1 GB |
| HD 1080p | 5 Mbps | ≈ 2.25 GB |
| 4K UHD | 20 Mbps | ≈ 9 GB |
On mobile data, the YouTube app has a video quality preference. Choose Data saver for mobile networks, or pick a resolution by hand from the gear icon on each video. A phone screen rarely needs more than 480p or 720p to look sharp.
Why does the same show use different amounts on different phones?
Streaming apps adjust the stream all the time. Four things decide the number you actually see:
- The setting you chose. Account playback settings and in-app mobile settings both apply. On Netflix, the lower of the two wins on mobile.
- The screen and the device. Apps often cap resolution on small screens. A laptop on your phone's hotspot may be served a much larger stream than the phone itself.
- The network. On a fast 5G or LTE connection, automatic settings move up to higher quality. On a weaker signal they move down. On an iPhone, Apple notes that the Allow More Data on 5G data mode lets apps use more cellular data for higher-quality video.
- The content. Fast motion and fine detail compress less well than talking heads.
How do I make streaming use less mobile data?
- Download before you leave Wi-Fi. Films and episodes saved on hotel or home Wi-Fi play with no mobile data at all. Turn on the app's Wi-Fi-only download switch so a download doesn't start on the eSIM by mistake.
- Set the in-app mobile quality. Netflix: Save Data. YouTube: Data saver on mobile networks. This is the biggest single lever.
- Set the travel line to Standard or Low Data Mode. On iPhone, pick the travel line under Settings → Cellular, then Data Mode. Apple says Low Data Mode generally reduces the quality of streaming content.
- Watch on the phone, not the laptop. If you must watch on a laptop over a hotspot, also lower the account-level playback setting, because the browser may otherwise ask for HD.
- Turn off autoplay previews. Previews and the next episode that starts by itself all use data you didn't choose to spend.
Worked example: one hour a day for a week
A traveller watches about one hour of video a day for 7 days on the phone.
- Netflix mobile Save Data (about 6 hours per GB): 7 hours ≈ 1.2 GB.
- Netflix mobile Automatic (about 4 hours per GB): 7 hours ≈ 1.75 GB.
- Netflix mobile Maximum Data (1 GB per 20 minutes or more): 7 hours ≥ 21 GB.
The setting alone moves the week from about 1 GB to more than 20 GB. That is why we ask for the setting, not only the hours, in the GB estimator.
What happens to video on a plan with a daily cap?
Some travel plans sold as "unlimited" give a set amount of full-speed data per day and then slow the line. Video is the activity that hits that ceiling first. Convert both sides to the same unit to see why:
| Speed after the cap | Most it can carry in an hour | Netflix Low needs (average) |
|---|---|---|
| 128 kbit/s | ≈ 58 MB | ≈ 670 kbit/s |
| 256 kbit/s | ≈ 115 MB | ≈ 670 kbit/s |
| 512 kbit/s | ≈ 230 MB | ≈ 670 kbit/s |
| 1 Mbit/s | ≈ 450 MB | ≈ 670 kbit/s |
A stream may still start at the lowest resolution on a slowed line, but it will buffer more. If watching video every evening matters to you, size the full-speed daily amount for your viewing, or plan to watch downloads. The fair-use reading guide shows where to find these figures on a plan.
How can I measure my own streaming use?
Published figures are maximums. The most accurate figure is your own, and measuring it takes about 20 minutes:
- Turn off Wi-Fi and make sure the phone is on mobile data.
- Note the app's current usage. On iPhone: Settings → Cellular, scroll to the app. On Pixel: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → App data usage.
- Watch 20 minutes at the setting you plan to use abroad.
- Read the counter again and multiply the difference by three for an hourly figure.
Do it at home before the trip, with your real apps and settings. Then put that number into the estimator in place of ours.
Frequently asked questions
Does streaming on a phone use less data than on a TV?
Often, yes. The app picks a stream for the screen and the connection, and phones are frequently served lower resolutions than TVs. But a phone set to the highest quality can still use HD amounts: Netflix says its Maximum Data mobile setting can use 1 GB per 20 minutes or more.
Does downloading a film use less data than streaming it?
A download still moves the file over the network, so do it on Wi-Fi. The saving comes from where you download, not from the download itself. Netflix has a Wi-Fi Only switch for downloads in its app settings.
Can I stream video after my daily full-speed data runs out?
Usually not in any comfortable way. Netflix Low is up to 0.3 GB an hour, which averages about 670 kbit/s. A plan that slows to 256 kbit/s after its daily cap can carry at most about 115 MB an hour, well below that.
Does Low Data Mode on iPhone lower video quality?
Apple says Low Data Mode generally reduces the quality of streaming content, but each app decides how it reacts. Set the quality inside the streaming app too, so you are not relying on one switch.
Sources and how we checked
- Netflix Help Center: How to control how much data Netflix uses
- YouTube Help: system requirements and recommended speeds
- Apple Support: Use Low Data Mode on your iPhone and iPad
- Apple Support: Use 5G with your iPhone
Figures were read from these pages on 6 November 2026. Apps change their settings and rates; if a number here disagrees with the app on your phone, trust your phone's own data counter. See how we get our figures.