How much data does TV streaming use?

Pick a service, a quality and how long you watch, and this works out the data in gigabytes: per hour, per day and per month. Useful if you are on a capped connection, a mobile hotspot, or just wondering why the bill went up after you bought a 4K TV.

The calculator needs JavaScript to run. The full reference table below works without it, so you can read the per-hour figures for every service and quality directly.

Service

Quality

Hours a day

3 GB per hour

6 GB in 2 hours a day

180 GB per month

Data per hour, by service and quality

Approximate gigabytes per hour, from the providers' own published figures and independent measurements. Bitrate varies with the content, so treat these as typical rather than exact.

Service	SD 480p	HD 720p	Full HD 1080p	4K	4K HDR
Netflix	0.7 GB	1.5 GB	3 GB	7 GB	7 GB
YouTube	0.6 GB	1.5 GB	3 GB	10 GB	13 GB
Disney+	0.7 GB	1.4 GB	2.5 GB	7.7 GB	7.7 GB
Prime Video	0.4 GB	1.4 GB	3 GB	6.8 GB	6.8 GB

What this calculator can and cannot tell you

Data figures are always approximate. Here is why, and what is solid.

The per-hour figures

Typical, not exact. Streaming is variable bitrate: a slow drama uses less than a fast action scene at the same quality setting. These are representative averages, good to within perhaps 20 percent.

4K really does cost more

Solid. The jump from Full HD to 4K roughly doubles the data, and HDR on YouTube can push it higher still. If your bill changed after a new 4K TV, this is usually why.

Your actual usage

Measured by your provider, not us. Nothing here talks to your connection. For your real figure, check your router or your internet provider's usage page. Our speed test measures the connection itself.

Audio-only and downloads

Not covered. Music streaming is a fraction of video, and downloads for offline viewing use the same data as streaming once, then none after.

Newer codecs use less

Worth knowing. A service delivering AV1 or HEVC to a capable TV can send the same picture in noticeably less data than the older H.264 figures here assume.

Cutting your streaming data

Drop the quality where it does not show

On a phone or a small bedroom TV, Full HD is indistinguishable from 4K at normal distance but uses less than half the data. Most services let you cap the quality per profile.

Set a data-saver on mobile

Every major app has a cellular data-saver or a per-quality limit. On a hotspot or a capped plan, this is the single biggest lever.

Download on WiFi, watch anywhere

Downloading a film over home WiFi and watching it later uses no mobile data at all. It is the cheapest way to watch away from home.

Check what your TV defaults to

A 4K TV on a fast connection will stream 4K by default, whether or not you can tell the difference from where you sit. If your data is limited, cap it in the app settings.

Questions people ask

How much data does streaming use per hour?

Roughly 0.7 GB per hour for SD, 3 GB for Full HD 1080p, and about 7 GB for 4K on most services. YouTube in 4K HDR can reach 13 GB per hour. These are typical figures; the real number varies with the content, because streaming adjusts its bitrate to what is on screen.

How much data does Netflix use?

Netflix uses about 0.7 GB per hour on SD, around 3 GB per hour on HD, and up to 7 GB per hour on Ultra HD 4K. You can cap this per profile in the playback settings if you are on a limited connection.

Does 4K use a lot more data than 1080p?

Yes, roughly double. Full HD 1080p is about 3 GB per hour on most services, while 4K is around 7 GB per hour, and 4K HDR can be higher. If your data usage jumped after buying a 4K TV, this is almost always the reason.

Will streaming use up my monthly data cap?

It can. Two hours of 4K a day is about 420 GB a month from one TV, which is a large slice of a 1 TB cap before anything else in the house is counted. At Full HD the same viewing is around 180 GB. The calculator above works out your own figure.

How do I use less data when streaming?

Cap the quality in each app, since Full HD instead of 4K roughly halves the data with little visible difference on smaller screens. Turn on the cellular data-saver on mobile, and download over home WiFi to watch later. Newer codecs like AV1 also cut the data for the same picture where your TV supports them.

Is this my actual data usage?

No, it is an estimate from typical bitrates. For your real figure, check your internet provider's usage page or your router. This tool is for planning and for understanding where the data goes, not for measuring your line.