How much data volume you really need

One thing is certain: most of us have a mobile phone contract with far too much data volume. At least that’s what a survey suggests. Mobile phone operators like to talk us into larger contracts than we actually need. However, when it comes to data volume, the popular motto “Having is better than needing” applies, as any additional data volume is usually more expensive. But you don’t have to overdo it when choosing the right contract.

The question of the right data volume is as individual as you are

If you are expecting a universal answer to the question, we will have to disappoint you. Because it is not possible to say how much data volume you need. Because it depends on your individual mobile usage behavior and surfing habits: If you are often on the go and spend a lot of time on YouTube, Tiktok or Instagram to watch videos or clips, you are guaranteed to use more WiFi than you would at home. If you only use the mobile internet on the go to read the news or listen to music or podcasts, you are one of the more economical data users.

According to the Federal Network Agency, the average data volume used in mobile networks per active SIM profile per month is 7.2 gigabytes. It has increased by around 36 percent compared to the previous year, meaning that an average of just under five gigabytes were used per month in 2022. However, the average says little about how many users individually need.

After all, some users only use their smartphones to make calls, write WhatsApp or even text messages, while others are real heavy users and even watch films on Netflix or Tiktok videos on their smartphone or use it for other data-intensive things.

Film streaming or downloading consumes the most – Tiktok and Co. should not be underestimated

The consumer platform Verivox has broken down the data consumption of various media formats as an example. However, the overview is quite patchy and correspondingly incomplete. It should be added that streaming services offer different audio and video qualities.

With Spotify, data consumption varies between one and two megabytes per minute between 128 and 256 kbps. If you stream videos on Netflix or Amazon Prime, the required data volume increases from 250 megabytes per hour with lower quality to up to three gigabytes and sometimes more per hour with higher quality.

For example, if you download a film with an average length of 90 minutes, depending on the quality, it can cost between 270 megabytes to 3.5 gigabytes. Ultra-long Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings films can cost over five gigabytes.

Those who consume less films or series and more clips on Tiktok or Instagram have a similarly high mobile data consumption: one hour of Tiktok consumption consumes an average of around 840 megabytes; On Instagram, an hour is around 600 megabytes. The situation is similar with WhatsApp and Snapchat.

How much data do you use per month?

In order to find a data tariff that suits you, it is advisable to analyze your own usage behavior. To do this, at the end of the month you take a look at how much data you actually used. Ideally, you do this at the end of a “normal” month and over a few months, and not necessarily when you’ve been on vacation.

On both Android and iOS you can see how high your data consumption is in the mobile phone settings. On iOS you can find this in the settings under the “Mobile” sub-item. On Android, mobile consumption can be found under “Internet” or “Connections”.

If your network operator offers an app to manage your contract, the current consumption should also be broken down there.

Some buffer in the contract makes sense

If you see around ten gigabytes of data usage, you don’t “need” a contract with 30 or more gigabytes of data volume. With a little buffer, 20 gigabytes should easily be enough. The cost jumps from ten to 20 gigabytes should generally not be particularly high, as gigabyte prices have fallen in recent years.

If you use far less than ten gigabytes per month, you can even consider getting a SIM card from a mobile phone discounter, which can sometimes be had for around five euros. You can sign long-term contracts there for a similar amount of money – if you want to commit to twelve or 24 months.

If you use a lot of data every month, exceeding 100 gigabytes, it might be worth taking out an unlimited data contract. But here you should take a close look at what is being offered to you. Although so-called “unlimited contracts” offer unlimited volume, you surf at a massively reduced speed from the first minute. Before you sign a contract, you should always check carefully what you are agreeing to.