Is Streaming Eating Your Data? 4 Ways To Stretch Your Data Plan For Streaming

As streaming becomes intertwined with our daily lives, stretching your data plan on the go has never been more important.

Whether you’re tapping into Twitch away from home or hitting play on Spotify during your commute to work, it’s estimated that the average person spends more than three hours a day streaming some form of digital media.

However, did you know that streaming eats more data than any other smartphone activity? If you find that your data plan struggles to stretch to the end of the month, it could be time to rethink your streaming habits.

Luckily, for streaming fanatics, there are plenty of ways to still enjoy streaming on the go while reducing your data consumption.

We’ve put together a guide on how to choose a streaming-friendly data plan and compiled a list of four ways to stretch your data for maximum streaming time.

Meet The Streaming Platforms Eating Your Data

Before we teach you how to stretch your data plan for streaming, let’s find out which streaming apps eat the most of your data.

There are plenty of different types of streaming platforms. These include video streaming, music streaming, and even online gaming.

Coming in at number one on the list of data-hungry streaming services are video-based streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. Just one hour of Netflix can gobble up more than 3GB of data, especially if you opt for HD video quality.

Online gaming comes in at number two, averaging about 18GB per month if you’re regularly logging into your favorite game on the go. Smaller, less data-intensive games tend to use less than 50MB per hour, but if you’re a fan of graphic-heavy platform games, you could be looking at up to 300MB in one hourly sitting.

Last but not least, music streaming doesn't come without data costs. If you’re enjoying the free version of Spotify, each song you play eats into your data. At the highest audio quality setting, Spotify snatches around 144MB of data per hour; however, this number quickly rises as we dive into much longer sessions on the platform.

While we've mentioned the most likely culprits eating away at your data, there are plenty more hidden apps and services draining your data in the background.

How To Track Your Current Data Usage

To begin, let’s see how much data you’re currently using on a daily and monthly basis.

Whether you’re an iPhone user or an Android lover, here’s how to track just how much data you’re draining every day.

Tracking your iPhone data usage:

Settings > Cellular > Scroll down to see data usage.

Tracking your Android data usage:

Settings > Network & Internet > Data Usage.

Let’s take a look at your results:

0-50GB Per Month: If you’re using up to 50GB per month, it’s likely that you’re streaming 1-2 hours a day.

50-150GB Per Month: If you’re using up to 150GB per month, it’s likely that you’re spending 3-4 hours engaging with streaming platforms per day.

150+ GB Per Month: If you’re devouring more than 150GB per month, you’re likely spending more than 5+ hours per day on multiple streaming services.

4 Data-Stretching Tips For Avid Streamers

If you’re totaling more than 100GB per month on streaming, it could be time to consider an unlimited data plan. If this isn't an option for you, we’ve compiled a list of five ways you can cut down your data usage while still enjoying your favorite streaming services.

1. Utilise In-App Data Saving Features

One of the most effective ways to cut down on your data consumption is to optimize your streaming apps for less data devouring.

Many streaming apps have built-in data-saving features that allow you to opt for lower-quality video streaming and cut your data usage in half.

Take Netflix, for example. When opening the smartphone app, head to My Netflix and tap the Menu button.

Here, you can access app settings, where you’ll find Video Playback. Select this and tap Cellular Data Usage, where you can customize your download data settings, and video quality and even switch to Wi-Fi only.

2. Disable Background App Refresh

Did you know that most of your streaming apps still fetch data when they are not in use?

While this allows them to automatically back up your data and maintain high loading speeds, restricting this feature on lesser-used streaming platforms could significantly stretch your data.

Here’s how to disable a background app refresh:

iPhone/iPad Users: Head to Settings>  General > Background App Refresh > Disable

Android Users: Head to Settings > Data Usage > Choose The App > Restrict App Background

Disabling the autoplay function for video streams can also save on data. Depending on the streaming app, this may also be a listed feature to turn off.

3. Hunt For Wi-Fi Hotspots And In-Store Services

If you’re a fan of streaming on the go, utilizing as many Wi-Fi hotspots as possible could save your data.

Ensure that you connect to train/plane/bus Wi-Fi on your travels and make use of free cafe Wi-Fi and public hotspots. Using these, you can enjoy 4K data-hungry streams without spending your data allowance.

Better still, why not download your favorite videos and songs on Wi-Fi for a data-free streaming session out and about?

Saving your data elsewhere is also important if you’re an avid streamer. When out and about, make use of in-store technology to avoid jumping on your smartphone. For example, instead of using a scan-and-go app on your mobile, use an in-store handset instead.

Every little helps when it comes to stretching your data allowance to its max.

4. Avoid Desktop Versions of Your Favourite Streaming Platforms

If you’re planning to stream on your mobile, try to stick to the dedicated mobile streaming apps instead of searching for the streaming platform in your mobile browser.

Desktop versions of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon price are not optimized for smaller-sized screens; this means that your smartphone will work twice as hard to download large files and seamlessly stream your favorite shows.

In order to stretch your data as far as possible, opt for in-app streaming platforms that are optimized to use less data and facilitate easy smartphone streaming.

Choosing The Best Streaming-Friendly Data Plan

Stretching your data plan is crucial if you’re a streaming fanatic, especially if you’re on a low data cap plan.

When choosing a streaming-friendly data plan, we’d suggest considering an unlimited or high data cap plan like Really Limitless, which offers unlimited high-speed data and the fastest 5G network in the country.

With fast speed guarantees and no caps on your daily binge sessions, a limitless plan may be more cost-effective for avid streamers.

This said, for those looking to get the most out of their current data allowance, ensure that you regularly review your data usage and optimize your steaming apps for a data-friendly engagement session.