How Much Data Does Streaming Actually Use?

Streaming data usage scales almost entirely with video quality. Higher resolution looks better, but it also pulls a lot more data per hour, which matters if your home internet or mobile plan has a cap.

Typical data usage per hour

• Standard definition: roughly 0.7 GB per hour
• High definition (1080p): roughly 1.5–3 GB per hour
• 4K: roughly 7 GB or more per hour

Why this adds up faster than people expect

A household with two devices streaming in HD for a few hours each evening can burn through data quickly. If that sounds like your household, our guide on matching a plan to your household can help you plan the device side of things.

Keeping usage in check

Lowering playback quality in the app's settings is the most direct way to cut data usage. On mobile specifically, our guide on saving mobile data while streaming covers a few more options.