How much is 8GB of data and do I need more than that?

Contents list Introduction What can I do with 8GB of data? How can I track my data use? Can I reduce my data use? Should you have more than 8GB of data?

Introduction

When you’re searching for the ideal new phone plan, one of the most important things you’ll need to think about is your data usage.

The more data you consume per month, the more you’re likely to pay for a contract or SIM-only plan. 8GB of data might seem like the perfect option to begin with, but how much browsing, calling, and video time will this much data really get you?

Knowing exactly how much data you’re likely to use could save you a lot of money paying for plan features you don’t really need. After all, most of today’s plans already include unlimited texts and calls as standard, so your price will typically depend heavily on data consumption. 

How long does 8GB of data last?

How many hours will 8GB last?
Internet browsing	80 hours+
Music listening	56-188 hours depending on quality
Watching video	2 hours and 40 minutes to 48 hours depending on quality
Browsing social media	80 hours scrolling
Video calls	8-68 hours

The number of hours you’ll get out of 8GB of data will vary depending on how you choose to use your smartphone.

If you’re struggling to decide how much mobile data is right for you, it can be helpful to get an insight into the average data usage throughout the UK. Notably, the estimations of average data usage from different phone companies can vary widely. Three found in 2024 that its customers use an average of around 30.5GB per month, while the Ofcom Communications Market Report 2024 found that the UK average was just 9.9GB. In either case though, that’s more than 8GB.

If you spend a lot of time watching high-quality videos and streaming audio content, then, you may find that 8GB is short of what you really need. But if you’re only scrolling through social media and occasionally browsing the internet, you may be able to make that 8GB stretch far enough.

Internet browsing

Normal internet browsing
8GB of Data	Around 80 hours (2,730 web pages)

8GB of data is around 8,000MB. On average, each web page consists of around 3MB of data, or slightly less. Typically then, 8GB of data should give you enough power to view around 2,730 web pages, or search the internet for approximately 80 hours over the course of a month (depending on how long you spend on each page).

Audio data

Songs streamed on Spotify
8GB of data	Around 1100+ songs

One of the most popular ways to use smartphone data is to listen to music. If you’re streaming songs from Spotify to your smartphone, the average data size of a song will depend on both audio quality and length. For instance, if you’re streaming a 320Kbps song (the highest quality), you’ll consume around 2.4MB of data per minute, or 144MB per hour.

With a full 8GB of data, you should be able to listen to around 1100 3-minute songs. However, if you reduce the quality of your audio, you’ll be able to consume a higher number of songs. For instance, at 96Kbps, 8GB will allow you to stream over 3700 songs (up to 3 minutes each).

Video data

Netflix video streaming (on phone)
8GB of data	24+ Netflix films

Video content consumes a lot more data than audio because your phone needs to process audio and visual information simultaneously. The streaming service you choose, the quality of the content, and even the length of the video will contribute to your data usage.

According to Netflix, you can watch about 4 hours of content at “Automatic” quality with 1GB of data. This means you can access anywhere up to 32 hours of content with that quality stream using 8GB of data. However, if you switch to “Save Data” mode, you can stream for longer.

On Save Data mode, you’ll be able to view anywhere up to 48 hours of video content with 8GB of data – that’s 24 two-hour movies. If on the other hand you switch to the highest possible video resolution, you’ll only be able to consume around 2 hours and 40 minutes of video content. Choose your quality wisely!

YouTube and other services differ a bit in how much data they use though, so if you’re streaming somewhere other than Netflix, this only gives you a rough guideline.

Social media data

Social media use examples for 8GB of data
Social media browsing	Around 80 hours
WhatsApp video calls	8-54 hours of chat time
FaceTime video calls	20-68 hours of chat time
Photos on WhatsApp	Approximately 8000 photos

If, like most smartphone users, you enjoy scrolling through social media on your device, the amount of data you use will depend on how you access your social channels. You can spend up to around 80 hours just scrolling through social channels with 8GB of data.

However, if you want to connect with other users through video calls, you’ll end up using a lot more data. On WhatsApp, a video call will consume anywhere from 2.5MB to 15MB of data per minute you spend chatting. This means you can usually get between 8 and 54 hours of video time.

FaceTime only uses roughly between 120MB and 380MB of data per hour, so you can usually increase your talking time to between 20 and 68 hours per month. If you’re sending photos through social media channels like WhatsApp, your data consumption will depend on the size of each file.

But WhatsApp can keep photos to around 1MB when you’re on data saver mode, so you could send anywhere up to 8000 pictures through the app.

How can I see my data use?

Since the average data use for most people is so variable, it’s usually helpful to get a behind-the-scenes look at your own data consumption before you choose a plan. Fortunately, you can check your data usage on most Android and iOS devices.

For one thing, your network likely offers an app or an account page where you can view your data use over the last month. This is typically the simplest way to view your previous data use, but there are also methods built into most phones.

For an iPhone (iOS), go to the Settings page, followed by “Cellular” or “Mobile Service”. This should show you how much data you’ve used since the statistics were last reset. For an Android phone, go to “Settings”, then “More Network Settings”. There should be a “Data Usage” section on this page to highlight your previous use.

On many phones, you’ll be able to set a data limit based on your plan restrictions, which will send you alerts automatically when you’re about to run out of data.

Can I save on data use?

If you find yourself constantly running out of data before your monthly plan renews, you may benefit from looking for ways to cut down on your usage. Start by checking your average data consumption regularly, and pinpoint areas where you use the most data.

A good way to cut down on your usage is to stick to Wi-Fi networks where possible, so you can avoid tapping into your data plan. You can even download content to your phone when you’re connected to Wi-Fi, and access it in “offline mode” later.

Another good option is to go into the settings for each of the apps you typically use, and adjust the data consumption settings. Choosing a “Data saver” mode for most apps can save you a lot of money. You can also consider adjusting the audio and video quality for your streaming apps. The lower the quality, the less data you’ll use.

Some apps even give you the option to automatically switch to a lower quality when you’re using your mobile data. You can then switch back to high-quality streams when you’re linked to Wi-Fi.

Should I have more than 8GB of data?

8GB of data is likely to offer you a decent amount of functionality and options if you don’t use your phone for heavily streaming video and audio. You may be able to make this limit stretch to suit your needs if you tend to just occasionally check the internet and browse social media.

However, if you use your phone to listen to podcasts, watch videos, engage in video calls and experiment with a range of other data-heavy activities, you’re probably going to need a little more data. So in that case it’s worth looking for a deal which comes with more data or allows you to adjust your data plan according to your needs each month. Or you may even want to consider an unlimited data SIM plan.