Data usage
How much data does Netflix use? From 0.3 to 7 GB per hour
Netflix uses up to 0.3 GB per hour on Low, 3 GB in HD, and 7 GB in 4K. See how many hours you can stream with 5, 10, or 20 GB.
In this guide
According to its own Help Center, Netflix uses up to 0.3 GB per hour on Low, 0.7 GB on Medium, 1 GB in SD, 3 GB in HD, and 7 GB in 4K. On a travel eSIM, the mobile Data Saver setting is often the best choice: Netflix estimates that it provides about six hours of viewing per GB.
HolySim advice: download films and episodes at home over Wi-Fi. If you do stream on mobile data, choose Data Saver and set downloads to Wi-Fi Only.
Official Netflix figures per hour
Netflix publishes these maximum amounts per device:
- Low, basic video quality: up to 0.3 GB per hour;
- Medium, standard video quality: up to 0.7 GB per hour;
- High in standard definition: up to 1 GB per hour;
- High in HD: up to 3 GB per hour;
- High in Ultra HD or 4K: up to 7 GB per hour;
- Auto: adjusts quality to the current connection.
Up to is the key phrase. Short credits, a static image, a different codec, or a lower resolution actually being delivered can limit usage. Auto may instead use more when your eSIM provides fast 5G.
Mobile Netflix settings
The Netflix app has a separate control for mobile data:
- Automatic provides about four hours per GB according to Netflix, or roughly 250 MB per hour;
- Wi-Fi Only prevents streaming over your eSIM;
- Save Data provides about six hours per GB, or roughly 167 MB per hour;
- Maximum Data may use 1 GB per twenty minutes or more.
This mobile setting and the playback setting for your Netflix profile work together. Netflix says the mobile stream will not exceed the selected limit if you have also restricted general data usage.
How much Netflix can you watch with 5 GB?
With 5 GB, you can theoretically watch for about:
- 30 hours with the mobile Data Saver setting;
- 20 hours with Automatic on mobile;
- 16 hours and 40 minutes on Low;
- 7 hours on Medium;
- 5 hours in SD on High;
- 1 hour and 40 minutes in HD;
- 43 minutes in 4K.
Keep a reserve for maps, messages, and other apps. Spending an entire 5 GB plan on Netflix is rarely sensible while traveling.
How much Netflix can you watch with 10 or 20 GB?
With 10 GB, the viewing times double: about 60 hours on Data Saver, 40 hours on mobile Automatic, just over 3 hours in HD, or about 1 hour and 25 minutes in 4K.
With 20 GB, you can watch roughly 6 hours and 40 minutes in HD. In 4K, the same plan is gone in less than three hours. This difference shows why I watch one film a day is not a useful data calculation by itself. The quality determines the result.
Include other traffic as well. A two-week trip with one hour of Netflix on Data Saver every day uses about 2.3 GB. In HD, the same pattern may require up to 42 GB.
Change the setting in the Netflix app
Netflix describes the current path as follows:
- Open the Netflix app.
- Tap My Netflix.
- Tap the profile name at the top.
- Open App Settings.
- Under Playback, select Cellular Data Usage.
- Turn Automatic off if the other options are grayed out.
- Choose Save Data or Wi-Fi Only.
Under Downloads, enable Wi-Fi Only. Check this before departure, not after a season has already been downloaded through your eSIM.
Profile playback setting
You can set playback quality for each Netflix profile through a browser. Open Account, select the profile, and go to Playback Settings. Select Low, Medium, High, or Auto.
Each profile on a shared account can have different settings. Check the profile you will actually use while traveling. A setting on the hotel television does not automatically change the mobile app when a separate mobile data option is active there.
Limiting the quality can make the image visibly softer. On a small phone screen, that is often a better trade-off than running out of data halfway through a film.
Downloading or streaming
A download also uses data, but you can complete it at home over Wi-Fi and then watch without a mobile connection. File size depends on the title, duration, and download quality.
Before leaving, check that the episode has downloaded completely and plays in airplane mode. Some downloads expire or need to be renewed online after a certain period. Availability differs by title and country.
Do not download over a personal hotspot that itself uses an eSIM. Your phone will show Wi-Fi, but the source is still your mobile plan.
Netflix on a laptop or hotel television
The mobile Data Saver setting does not automatically apply to a laptop watching through a hotspot. The browser or television may select a higher quality and consequently approach the maximum for the profile.
When watching on a laptop through a hotspot, set the Netflix profile to Low or Medium. Disable system updates and cloud synchronization on the laptop as well. Otherwise, Netflix usage is only part of the total hotspot traffic.
Sign out of a hotel television afterward. This does not save eSIM data, but it prevents the next guest from continuing to watch on your account.
Measure actual Netflix usage
Start a clean measurement period in the mobile settings, switch Wi-Fi off, and watch for twenty minutes. Multiply the difference by three for an hourly estimate. Test using the quality you intend to use while traveling.
On iPhone, usage by app is under Settings > Cellular. Android usually shows it under Network & internet > App data usage. Your provider remains the authoritative source for your remaining plan balance.
Do not measure an episode you downloaded earlier. It uses almost no streaming data and therefore produces a misleadingly low result.
Include Netflix in your travel plan
If you use Data Saver for one hour a day, allow approximately 0.17 GB per travel day. For fourteen days, that is roughly 2.4 GB. Add maps, messages, social media, and a reserve; a 5 or 10 GB plan may then be suitable.
If you want to stream one hour of HD every day, allow up to 3 GB per day. That can be 21 GB for a week, before any other use. Download at home or choose a much larger plan.
Read how much data you need for your trip for the complete calculation.
Sources and editorial review
All Netflix figures and menu names come from the official Netflix Help Center, accessed July 15, 2026. Converted viewing times are calculation examples based on the maximum amounts and mobile estimates published by Netflix. Actual usage may be lower or higher where Netflix itself indicates variation.
Frequently asked questions
How many MB does Netflix use per hour?
Netflix lists up to 300 MB on Low, 700 MB on Medium, 1,000 MB in SD, 3,000 MB in HD, and 7,000 MB in 4K.
Is 5 GB enough for Netflix on holiday?
Yes, if you use Data Saver and limit your viewing. In HD, 5 GB may be gone after about one hour and forty minutes.
Does downloading use less data than streaming?
Not automatically. Downloading moves the usage to a single moment. The advantage is that you can use your home Wi-Fi and do not need to stream the same episode again.
Why does Netflix use more data on my laptop?
The mobile Data Saver setting does not automatically apply to a browser. A larger screen and higher profile quality can also produce a heavier stream.
Can Netflix use 1 GB in twenty minutes?
Yes. Netflix warns that the Maximum Data mobile setting may use 1 GB per twenty minutes or more.
How many GB does watching one movie on Netflix cost?
A two-hour movie costs roughly 0.6 GB on Low, 2 GB in SD and 6 GB in HD. Pick the lowest quality while travelling and several movies fit in a 5 GB bundle.
