The short version
For each app, we use a published data rate (where the company has one) or a community-measured average (where they don't). We multiply the rate by your estimated hours per day, sum across apps, multiply by trip length, and apply a ±20% range to account for the fact that real usage varies.
The recommended plan size targets the upper end of that range. We'd rather you buy a slightly larger plan than run out mid-trip — eSIM top-ups exist but are usually more expensive per GB than the original plan.
Why a range, not a single number
Two people with identical app habits can use very different amounts of data over a week. Network conditions affect streaming quality, autoplay behaviour varies, and one Reels rabbit-hole can add a GB. A ±20% band reflects this.
If your trip is short or you're cost-sensitive, plan for the lower end. If you're working remotely or you hate running out, plan for the upper end.
Per-app data rates
All values are megabytes per hour of active use. "Active" means foreground — apps in the background generally use far less.
| App | Variant | MB / hour | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | SD 480p | 500 | Google: video resolution data use |
| YouTube | HD 1080p | 1,500 | Google: video resolution data use |
| YouTube | 4K 2160p | 7,000 | Google: video resolution data use |
| Netflix | SD | 1,000 | Netflix Help Center: data usage per stream |
| Netflix | HD | 3,000 | Netflix Help Center: data usage per stream |
| Netflix | Ultra HD | 7,000 | Netflix Help Center: data usage per stream |
| TikTok | Default feed | 700 | Independent measurements (community-reported, ~600–840 MB/h) |
| Feed/Stories | 200 | Independent measurements | |
| Reels | 600 | Independent measurements (similar to TikTok) | |
| Google Maps | Navigation | 10 | Empirical: Maps caches map tiles aggressively. Reported usage is consistently 3–10 MB/hour. |
| Text + media | 1 | Independent measurements; depends on attachments | |
| Voice call | 30 | WhatsApp FAQ + community measurements (~0.5 MB/min) | |
| Video call | 300 | Community measurements (~5 MB/min) | |
| Spotify | Normal 160 kbps | 72 | Spotify quality settings · 160 kbps × 3600 s ÷ 8 = 72 MB |
| Spotify | High 320 kbps | 144 | Spotify quality settings · 320 kbps × 3600 s ÷ 8 = 144 MB |
| Zoom | 1:1 SD | 600 | Zoom Support: bandwidth requirements |
| Zoom | 1:1 HD | 1,200 | Zoom Support: bandwidth requirements |
| Zoom | Group HD | 2,000 | Zoom Support: bandwidth requirements |
| FaceTime | Video call | 300 | Apple support guidance + independent measurements |
| Web browsing | Articles, search, shopping | 60 | Average page weight ~2 MB; ~30 pages/hour |
| Photo backup | iCloud / Google Photos | 1,000 | Highly variable; assumes ~30 photos/min averaging ~500 KB after compression |
| Gmail / Outlook | 10 | Average message ~75 KB with occasional attachments |
Last reviewed: April 2026. Rates evolve as apps change codecs and resolutions — we revisit this table at least quarterly.
Caveats
- Background data (app updates, OS sync, push notifications) can add 100–500 MB/day on its own. The calculator doesn't model this directly — the ±20% range absorbs it for typical phones.
- Hotspot / tethering use can be 5–10× heavier than phone-only use. If you're tethering a laptop, double your estimate.
- Network quality matters: on weak signal, video apps often re-buffer and re-download segments, inflating the real number.
- App settings override defaults. If you've manually set YouTube to 4K, the SD/HD figures don't apply.
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