"Is 3 GB enough for two weeks in Thailand?" — "Do I need unlimited if I use Google Maps every day?" We hear these questions all the time. The honest answer depends on what you actually do on your phone. Two hours of Netflix in the evening can use more data than ten days of WhatsApp combined. The calculator below takes the guesswork away — in three slider movements.
Your data usage in 30 seconds
Set trip length, then estimate per day what you do on your phone — result on the right updates automatically.
How we calculate — the data rates in detail
The five sliders above bundle typical activities. Here are the individual rates we work with — conservative averages from the major providers (Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, Google Maps). 4K streaming can use up to 3 GB per hour, Netflix on a phone display usually significantly less. We calculate with the middle range.
| Activity | Average | Equivalent in 1 GB |
|---|---|---|
| 🎵 Music streaming | 50 MB/h | approx. 20 hours of Spotify |
| 📺 Video SD (YouTube, Netflix Basic) | 700 MB/h | approx. 85 minutes |
| 🎬 Video HD (1080p) | 1,500 MB/h | approx. 40 minutes |
| 📹 Video upload (Reels, cloud) | 1,200 MB/h | approx. 50 minutes |
| ✉️ WhatsApp text, email | 5 MB/h | approx. 200 hours |
| 📞 Video calls | 600 MB/h | approx. 100 minutes |
| 📱 Social media (feed scrolling) | 150 MB/h | approx. 6.5 hours |
| 🌐 Web browsing | 60 MB/h | approx. 16 hours |
| 🗺️ Navigation (online) | 70 MB/h | approx. 14 hours |
| 🎮 Mobile games | 40 MB/h | approx. 25 hours |
| 📸 Photo upload | 3 MB/photo | approx. 330 photos |
Typical trip profiles: who fits what?
For a quick orientation, three standard profiles. Each is based on a 7-day trip with a 25 % safety buffer — i.e. the calculator's default mode above.
| Profile | Typical use | Recommended plan |
|---|---|---|
| The relaxed WhatsApp, photos, some maps | approx. 200 MB / day 1.5 GB / week | 1–3 GB is enough |
| The classic Social media, navigation, video calls | approx. 700 MB / day 5–6 GB / week | 5–10 GB |
| The streamer Netflix HD in the evening, lots of YouTube | approx. 3 GB / day 20+ GB / week | 20 GB or unlimited |
| The digital nomad Video calls, cloud sync, hotspot | approx. 4–5 GB / day 30+ GB / week | Unlimited (with hotspot) |
5 quick tricks that save you 30–50 %
- Disable autoplay for videosInstagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube start videos automatically while scrolling. Under the app settings "data usage" or "autoplay" you can disable that or set it to "Wi-Fi only". Saves around 20–40 % of social media usage in our experience.
- Limit streaming quality to SDNetflix, YouTube and Disney+ offer the option "low" or "automatic" in the app's data usage settings. On a 6-inch phone display the difference between SD and HD is barely visible — but the difference in usage is huge: 700 MB/h vs. 1.5 GB/h.
- Pre-load maps offlineGoogle Maps: search the destination → "⋮" menu → "offline maps". For a major city 200–400 MB is usually enough, which you pull at home on Wi-Fi. Navigation, search and street names then work without using data — only live traffic needs online.
- Tame background apps
- iOS
- Settings → General → Background App Refresh → "Wi-Fi only"
- Android
- Settings → Network → Data usage → app-specific
- Restrict photo upload to Wi-FiGoogle Photos, iCloud and OneDrive sync over mobile by default. Switch the app to "Wi-Fi only" — otherwise a full camera roll with 500 holiday photos can drain your entire data pool.
FAQ — data usage & plan choice
How accurate is the data calculator?
The calculator uses average values from the major streaming providers and GSMA measurements. Your actual usage can deviate by 20–40 % — 4K video uses significantly more, Wi-Fi offloading at the hotel significantly less. The default 25 % buffer normally absorbs that.
Why are the categories so coarse?
Because finer distinctions don't make a difference for most travellers. Spotify and WhatsApp text together use less than half an hour of Netflix — you don't have to be accurate to the minute. We've stored typical mixed rates per category. If you want to know precisely, look at the per-service rate table below.
Which plan fits 5 GB?
5 GB is enough for about 7–10 days of moderate holiday use — maps, social media, a few video calls, little streaming. All major providers (Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Simbye) have suitable 5-GB packs from around €8–14 for most destinations. → Compare providers.
Do I really need an unlimited plan?
You only need unlimited if you plan to stream HD video for several hours a day or regularly use your laptop on hotspot. For the typical holiday (maps, social media, calls, occasional video) 5–10 GB is plenty. Unlimited pays off on long trips, for digital nomads or for families with shared hotspot.
Does Google Maps offline also count toward data?
No — if you download maps for your destination on Wi-Fi before departure (Google Maps app → offline maps), navigation runs without using data. The calculator assumes online navigation. Offline maps easily save 2–3 GB on a week-long city trip.
What happens if I exceed my data?
Depends on the provider: with most travel eSIMs (Airalo, Simbye, Nomad) the profile is simply blocked until you buy a top-up. Some throttle instead of blocking (Holafly, Ubigi on certain plans — often to 128–512 kbit/s). You can then only browse text-messaging style.
Can I share the data volume with others?
Via the personal hotspot yes — included with most providers. Important: the hotspot counts toward the same data pool. If you planned 5 GB for yourself and your partner pulls another 5 via hotspot, you need 10. Simbye, Airalo and Nomad allow tethering; Holafly Unlimited has hotspot limits in some cases — read the terms before buying.
