Choose a quality and enter viewing time.
Data & storage
Streaming Data Calculator
Estimate monthly streaming data by quality, hours per day and days per week.
How much data does streaming use?
Video is usually the biggest data consumer in a home. This calculator estimates monthly streaming data from three choices: the quality you watch at, how many hours you watch per day and how many days a week.
The formula
Monthly GB = quality (GB per hour) × hours per day × days per week × 4.345 weeks. The tool uses about 0.7 GB per hour for SD, 3 GB for HD and 7 GB for 4K.
Example
Watching HD for two hours a day, five days a week: 3 × 2 × 5 × 4.345 ≈ 130 GB per month.
Ways to use less
Most services let you cap quality in the app settings. Dropping from 4K to HD cuts the data by more than half, and downloading over Wi-Fi for offline viewing avoids using mobile data. Adaptive streaming means real usage varies with the show, the codec and your connection.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the Streaming Data Calculator
How much data does Netflix use per hour?
It varies by quality, but roughly 0.7 GB for SD, 3 GB for HD and about 7 GB for 4K per hour.
Does 4K use much more data than HD?
Yes – typically more than double. If your plan is capped, HD is a good balance.
Are these figures exact?
No. They are planning averages. Actual use depends on the service, codec and how well the video compresses.
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Use this toolResults are estimates for planning. Last reviewed 20 September 2026.