Using apps on your phone is part of many people’s everyday life. You might check Facebook while drinking your morning coffee, scroll through news articles during your lunch break, listen to music on your drive home, and watch a YouTube video before bed. All these activities use some amount of data, but how much data do apps use? The answer depends on the app and how you use it.
The good news is that you don’t have to avoid your favorite apps to keep well within your data allotment. Simple activities like checking email or sending messages generally use less data, while streaming videos or constantly scrolling through video-heavy apps can use more. Apps such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, and Google Maps can all use different amounts of data depending on what you’re doing. And as always, using Wi-Fi for data use is the clear favorite choice for all these.
Keep reading to get a better idea of how much data popular apps can use and what you can do to keep an eye on your usage.
How Much Data Do Social Media Apps Use?
Social media apps can use very little or a significant amount of data, depending on how you use them. Reading Facebook text posts or Messenger messages usually uses minimal data, while scrolling through Instagram Reels, watching TikTok, or browsing Facebook videos can use much more because photos and videos load continuously.
Apps such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and X can also refresh content while you’re not actively using them, depending on your phone and app settings. Background data can allow apps to download information or provide notifications even when you’re not actively using them. Learn more about background data here.
As mentioned before, if you spend a lot of time on social media, connecting to Wi-Fi when possible, is the way to go. You can also check the settings in apps such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to see what options are available for reducing data usage or limiting how content loads.
How Much Data Does Streaming Video Use?
Video streaming is one of the easiest ways to use data. Watching a short YouTube video may not make a huge difference, but watching YouTube Shorts for an hour, streaming a movie on Netflix, or watching several episodes on Hulu can add up.
The quality of the video also matters. Watching high-quality videos generally requires more data than watching the same video at a lower quality. YouTube, for example, allows you to adjust video quality and offers ways to download certain videos for offline viewing. If you know you’re going to watch a lot of videos, consider connecting your phone to Wi-Fi first. You can also download shows or videos over Wi-Fi when the app offers that option, allowing you to watch them later without streaming over your cellular connection.
How Much Data Does Music Streaming Use?
Listening to music generally uses less data than watching video, but it can still add up if you listen for hours every day. Apps such as Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, and YouTube Music all stream music over your mobile connection when you’re away from Wi-Fi. For example, listening to Spotify during your morning commute may only use a small amount of data. But if you listen to Spotify or Apple Music for several hours every day, that regular usage can become more noticeable over the course of a month. One easy way to save data is to download your favorite playlists, albums, or podcasts while you’re connected to Wi-Fi. Then, you can listen to them later without streaming them over your mobile connection.
How Much Data Do Maps and Navigation Apps Use?
Navigation apps usually don’t require as much data as video streaming, but they can still use mobile data while you’re traveling. Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze can use data to provide directions, update routes, and give you information about traffic and road conditions.
For example, if you’re taking a road trip and using Google Maps, your phone will regularly communicate with the app to keep your directions and traffic information updated. Waze similarly relies on an internet connection for features such as traffic information and other real-time updates. Here you can learn how to check how much data you have used on Waze.
How Much Data Do Messaging and Email Apps Use?
Good news for anyone who mainly uses their phone for texting, email, and basic communication: these activities generally use much less data than streaming video.
Sending a text through apps such as Messages, WhatsApp, or Messenger typically doesn’t require much data. Checking email throughout the day is also generally a relatively small data activity. However, sending and receiving lots of photos, videos, or large email attachments can use more data. For example, sending a quick “I’m on my way!” through Messenger uses very little data compared with sending a long video. If you’re trying to cut back on data usage, you don’t necessarily need to stop messaging your friends and family. Just keep an eye on how often you’re sending and receiving large photos and videos.
What About Apps Running in the Background?
You don’t always have to be actively using an app for it to use data. Some apps can use data in the background to refresh information, download content, or provide notifications. For example, Facebook might refresh information before you open it, and email apps such as Gmail may check for new messages.
Background activity doesn’t necessarily mean an app is using a huge amount of data. However, if you have many apps doing small things throughout the day, that usage can add up. If you notice that you’re using more data than expected, background activity is worth checking. Your phone’s settings can show you which apps are using the most mobile data, making it easier to spot an app that might be using more data than you realized.
How to Check Your Data Usage
If you’re wondering where all your data is going, your phone can usually tell you. Instead of guessing which apps are using the most data, check your phone’s settings for a breakdown by app. You might discover that YouTube or Netflix is responsible for most of your usage, or you might find that another app is using more data than you expected.
On an Android phone, go to Settings and search App Data usage. On an iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular to see how much data each app is using. You may be surprised by what you find. An app you use for just a few minutes at a time might barely make a difference, while an app that automatically plays videos every time you open it could use much more.
A Few Easy Ways to lessen mobile data use
You don’t have to stop using your favorite apps to keep your data usage under control. A few simple changes can help:
- Connect to Wi-Fi. Your phone will auto-connect to the Wi-Fi networks you have set up on your phone. This way, you use Wi-Fi for data more times than not.
- Download music playlists, Apple Music albums, or podcasts over Wi-Fi.
- Turn off automatic video playback when an app gives you that option.
- Check which apps are allowed to use mobile data in the background.
- Download videos from supported apps over Wi-Fi when you know you’ll want to watch them later.
- Check your phone’s data usage to see which apps are using the most.
The amount of data an app uses can vary based on how you use it, your settings, the quality of the content, and how often you’re connected to Wi-Fi. That’s why there isn’t one number that applies to everyone.
The important thing is to understand your own habits. If you mostly send messages, check Gmail, browse Facebook, and occasionally use Google Maps, you may use much less data than someone who watches YouTube and Netflix for several hours every day.
At Twigby Mobile, we believe your phone plan should work for the way you actually use your phone. That’s why we offer a variety of plans to meet your needs. Keeping an eye on your data usage is a simple way to understand your habits and make sure you’re getting the most out of your mobile service.