Data Hogs Exposed: The Apps Draining Your Mobile Data Plan

Are you constantly running out of mobile data? Certain apps could be the culprit. A recent study by Holafly, a provider of prepaid eSIMs, revealed the top data-consuming apps. These apps are quietly draining your data plan, leaving you scrambling for more gigabytes.

Streaming Giants

YouTube emerged as the biggest data hog, averaging 193 MB per five minutes. Other streaming apps like Disney+ (150 MB), Prime Video (97 MB), and Netflix (53 MB) also made the list of data-intensive apps.

Factors influencing streaming data consumption include how the app processes videos, network quality, and default resolution. Most streaming apps allow users to select lower resolutions to save data.

Here are the top 10 data-hungry streaming apps:

1. YouTube - 193 MB

2. Disney+ - 150 MB

3. Prime Video - 97 MB

4. Peacock - 94 MB

5. Max - 85 MB

6. Paramount+ - 75 MB

7. Hulu - 59 MB

8. Netflix - 53 MB

9. Apple TV - 44 MB

10. Spotify - 7 MB

Social Media's Data Demands

For social media apps, Snapchat emerged as the biggest data consumer, using 101 MB per five minutes. Background content downloads and effects contribute to Snapchat's high data usage.

Snapchat outpaced TikTok (79 MB), Telegram (70 MB), Instagram (69 MB), and X/Twitter (50 MB). Turning off data-saving mode can help reduce data consumption, but it may affect app performance.

Here are the top 10 data-hungry social media apps:

1. Snapchat - 101 MB

2. Pinterest - 85 MB

3. Threads - 82 MB

4. TikTok - 79 MB

5. Telegram - 70 MB

6. Instagram - 69 MB

7. Facebook - 65 MB

8. X/Twitter - 50 MB

9. Reddit - 45 MB

10. LinkedIn - 23 MB

Browsers: Safari Takes the Lead

In terms of browsers, Safari consumed the most data, using 56 MB per five minutes. Google Chrome and Opera were the most data-efficient browsers, using 24 MB and 16 MB per five minutes, respectively.

What are the top 5 data-consuming streaming apps?

YouTube, Disney+, Prime Video, Peacock, and Max are the top 5 data-consuming streaming apps, according to the study by Holafly.

Which social media app uses the most mobile data?

Snapchat uses the most mobile data among social media apps, consuming an average of 101 MB per five minutes.

What factors contribute to high data consumption in streaming apps?

The way an app processes videos, network quality, and default resolution all contribute to high data consumption in streaming apps.

How did Holafly measure data consumption?

Holafly used the My Data Manager app on an iPhone 15 Pro Max and a Xiaomi Redmi 9 to measure data consumption. They isolated each app by closing other apps and disabling WiFi, and recorded total data consumption in megabytes (MB) after five minutes.

What are the top 3 most data-efficient browsers?

Google Chrome and Opera are the most data-efficient browsers, using 24 MB and 16 MB per five minutes respectively, while Safari consumes the most data at 56 MB per five minutes.

Understanding Data Consumption

Holafly also released a list of the top 20 data-intensive apps across various categories, highlighting the apps that are most likely to drain your mobile data plan. Understanding these data-hungry apps empowers you to take control and manage your mobile data usage more effectively.