How much mobile data do I need?

The short answer is that you need as much data as you typically use in a month – no more, no less. But it’s not always easy to know in advance. Here you can use our quick data calculator to estimate the number of gigabytes (GB) you may need. You can also read about how much data different apps and services use and what you can do to save on data usage.

Calculate how much data you need

Choose data based on your average usage

How much data you should choose for your bill pay SIM only, prepay plan or mobile broadband depends on what you use the internet for and how often you use it.

Take some time to review your actual data usage, either directly on your mobile, on your recent bills or via your account on the provider’s app or website, to guide your decision. This simple bit of research can save you a considerable amount of money.

If you sign up for more data than you use, you’ll incur unnecessarily high monthly costs. On the other hand, if you buy too little and frequently need to top up with extra data boosters, you will rack up additional charges.

Low, medium and heavy data user: Which one are you?

Low data user

• You occasionally browse the internet and check your emails.
• You regularly check your Facebook, Instagram or X account.
• You don’t usually play many online games and you rarely download music directly to your phone.
• You might chat on WhatsApp, send the occasional voice note, and watch the odd video clip now and then.
• You rarely use mobile data for more than an hour a day.

Medium data user

• You download emails to your phone every day.
• You use a fair amount of data browsing the web and download a few games or apps each month.
• You watch videos on platforms like YouTube or TikTok quite frequently and you tend to stream music daily.

Heavy data user

• You receive and send emails every day, often with large attachments.
• You watch high-definition videos online several times a week and frequently download apps and games.
• You regularly use various streaming services, such as Netflix, Disney+ and Spotify.
• You use the internet on your mobile for several hours every day.
• You rely on mobile data both for work and to stay in touch with family and friends.

When should you choose unlimited data?

Unlimited data can be a cost-effective option for users who require large amounts of data each month. With an unlimited plan, you never have to worry about your data suddenly running out. A SIM only plan with unlimited data can also be a smart solution if you don’t have fixed fibre broadband at home and intend to use your mobile as a hotspot for your other devices.

Something to consider is that some Irish providers may still apply a “Fair Usage Policy” (FUP) to unlimited plans. This means they might restrict your speed if your usage is exceptionally high (often 1,000 GB). However, for your usage to trigger these limits, it must be very high indeed.

Please note! Keep in mind that if you travel within the EU, your ‘unlimited’ data will be subject to a specific roaming limit, which is usually significantly lower than your domestic allowance.

What is the data allowance sufficient for?

You might be aware that data is measured in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB), but it can still be tricky to know how far 1 GB of data will actually go in 2026. 

In the table below, you can see approximately what 1 GB equates to today.

How much data does browsing use?

When it comes to general web browsing, a good rule of thumb is roughly 2 MB per page or 4 MB per minute of active browsing, which totals about 240 MB in an hour. In 2026, websites are more media-rich than before, so 1 GB will typically last for about 4 hours of constant browsing.

How much data do popular apps and services use?

Facebook and X 

Facebook and X consume approximately 150–200 MB per hour. Both platforms have shifted heavily toward high-definition video and AI-generated media in your feed, which drives up data usage compared to older versions of the apps. If you frequently watch live streams or high-res video clips on these platforms, your usage can easily double. 

To keep consumption in check, it’s a good idea to disable “Autoplay” for videos in the apps’ media settings.

Instagram

While Instagram doesn’t publish official figures, measurements show that with the high-resolution Reels and images of 2026, it can use up to 500 MB in an hour. This means that your data usage could reach approximately 15 GB per month if you use the app for just one hour a day.

TikTok

As you’d expect, TikTok is a major data consumer. The advantage of the app, however, is the ‘Data Saver’ option, which can more than halve your consumption. In economy mode, data usage is around 400 MB per hour, while in normal high-definition mode, it’s closer to 1.2 GB.

Snapchat

Without video and filters, a single snap uses about 1 MB of data, but adding AR lenses and video filters increases this significantly. Just like TikTok, Snapchat offers a way to reduce usage through the ‘Data Saver’ setting. Once enabled, stories and snaps won’t load automatically when you’re using mobile data.

How to adjust Data Saver on an iOS device

1. Tap your Bitmoji or profile icon in the top left.
2. Tap the Settings (cogwheel icon) in the top right.
3. Scroll down to Additional Services and select Manage.
4. Toggle Data Saver on or off.

How to adjust Data Saver on an Android device

1. Tap your Bitmoji or profile icon.
2. Open Settings via the cogwheel icon.
3. Scroll down to the Privacy Controls section and select Data Saver.
4. Tap to turn Data Saver on or off.

Spotify

Streaming music on Spotify uses approximately 120 MB per hour on high-quality settings, meaning you can listen for about 8 hours with 1 GB of data. The exact amount of data consumed will vary depending on whether you’ve selected ‘Normal’, ‘High’, or ‘Very High’ sound quality in the app.

YouTube

Watching a YouTube video in standard quality now uses about 500 MB per hour, so 1 GB will last you roughly two hours. If you watch YouTube for an hour every day, your monthly usage will be around 15 GB.

However, consumption varies heavily depending on your video quality settings. You can adjust this directly in the YouTube player. Below is the estimated consumption per hour:

Netflix

No matter which service you use, streaming films and series consumes a significant amount of data. On Netflix, you can expect a consumption of approximately 400 MB per hour at the lowest quality. If you’re streaming in UHD (4K) quality – the highest possible – it will use up to 10 GB per hour.

Google Maps

Since different features in Google Maps consume varying amounts of data, your usage depends on whether you’re using simple navigation or satellite view. On average, it uses about 10 MB per hour during active use.

To keep usage low, you can download “Offline Maps” for the areas you travel in regularly or disable the satellite view when it’s not strictly necessary.

WhatsApp, FaceTime and Teams 

When using video calling apps, data consumption varies significantly between voice and video. Voice-only calls use approximately 50–80 MB per hour, while high-definition video calls on WhatsApp or FaceTime can use between 300 MB and 500 MB per hour depending on your connection speed. On Teams, especially during group meetings with multiple video feeds active, usage can climb even higher

How much data does a film consume?

Whether you’re watching films or series on your mobile, data usage depends entirely on the selected quality level. The higher the resolution, the more data you’ll burn through. Regardless of the streaming service, watching a film in the lowest quality consumes about 400 MB per hour. Choosing HD or UHD resolution will consume approximately 3 GB and 8 GB per hour, respectively.

How to save on data

• Check for 5G standalone (5G+): Some Irish networks now offer 5G+ which can be more efficient, but the high speeds might tempt you to download larger files more often.
• Choose a plan with data rollover: Look for Irish providers that let you keep your unused data for the following month.
• Get to know your apps: Regularly check your phone’s settings to see which apps are the heaviest data users.
• Adjust your settings: Lower the audio and video quality in your streaming apps and turn off “Autoplay” for videos.
• Close background apps: Make sure to close apps and browser tabs when you’re finished with them.
• Connect to Wi-Fi: Use home or office Wi-Fi whenever possible. While many Irish towns offer free public Wi-Fi, always ensure the network is secure before connecting.