How Much Data Does Netflix Use? (Full Breakdown)
If you have a data cap, Netflix is probably your biggest consumer. Here's exactly how much it uses and how to control it.
Netflix data use per hour
| Quality | Data per hour |
|---|---|
| Low (SD) | ~0.3 GB |
| Medium (SD) | ~0.7 GB |
| High (HD) | ~3 GB |
| Ultra HD (4K) | ~7 GB |
What this means monthly
Watching 2 hours of 4K a day uses about 420 GB/month — enough to blow through many data caps. The same viewing in HD uses ~180 GB.
How to control Netflix data use
- In Netflix → Account → Playback Settings, set data usage to Low or Medium
- Set per-profile limits for kids' accounts
- Download on WiFi to watch offline instead of streaming on mobile data
- Drop from 4K to HD if you can't tell the difference on your screen
Key takeaway: 4K Netflix uses ~7 GB/hour; HD uses ~3 GB. If you have a data cap, lowering playback quality is the easiest fix.
Make sure your speed supports it
Run our test — you need ~25 Mbps for 4K. If buffering, the issue is usually WiFi or bufferbloat, not your plan.
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