How much data does each activity use?
| Activity | Data per hour |
|---|---|
| Email and web browsing | About 0.05–0.15GB |
| Music streaming | About 0.05–0.15GB |
| Social media with video | About 0.5–1GB |
| Video calls | About 0.5–1.5GB |
| Streaming video, standard definition | About 1GB |
| Streaming video, HD | Up to about 3GB |
| Streaming video, 4K | Up to about 7GB |
| Online gaming (playing, not downloading) | About 0.05–0.3GB |
Typical figures; apps, settings and screen sizes change them. Downloading one large game can use 50GB or more at once, and system updates use several GB each.
How do I estimate my household’s monthly data?
Add up the hours. Two hours of HD streaming a day is up to about 180GB a month on its own (2 hours × 3GB × 30 days). Add video calls, a second TV and everyone’s phones on Wi-Fi, and a streaming family can pass several hundred gigabytes a month — which is why those homes belong on an unlimited plan.
A light user who reads, shops, emails and calls family on video a few times a week can stay well under 20GB.
Which Mac5G plan fits my home?
Here is what each home plan costs a month with autopay and an active Mac5G phone line on the same account, before taxes and fees.
| Plan | Data | Best for | With autopay and a Mac5G phone line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Lite | 20GB a month | One or two light users, or a backup line | $79.99/mo |
| Home | 30GB a month | A little more room: light streaming, the cabin | $114.99/mo |
| Home Plus | Unlimited data, up to 100 Mbps | Families that stream, work and learn at home | $135.99/mo |
| Home Max | Unlimited data, up to 200 Mbps | Big households, gamers, home offices | $198.99/mo |
Autopay takes $5.00 off and a Mac5G phone line another $5.00; see list prices. Speeds are download ceilings and vary by address.
What happens if I use all my data?
On Home Lite and Home, your speed slows for the rest of the month once you pass the allowance, and it comes back at the start of the next month. There are no overage bills. On the unlimited plans there is no allowance to pass.
How can I use less data?
- Set streaming apps to standard definition on smaller screens.
- Turn off autoplay in video and social apps.
- Schedule big game downloads and system updates on an unlimited line, or for the start of a new month.
- Keep phones on Wi-Fi only for what you need when you are on a data plan.
Questions people ask
Is 20GB a month enough for one person?
For light use — email, browsing, social media, music and a few video calls a week — usually yes. If you stream shows most evenings, choose an unlimited plan.
How much data does streaming use?
About 1GB an hour in standard definition, up to about 3GB an hour in HD and up to about 7GB an hour in 4K, per screen.
Do video calls use a lot of data?
About 0.5 to 1.5GB an hour, depending on video quality and how many people are on the call.