How long does 10 GB last on Netflix?

Even though Netflix and other streaming services allow you to watch your favorite shows, you need to know the data consumption it takes before settling down and using it.

The data consumption that streaming services require is very high because it is transmitting both audio and visual information. Network conditions also play a role, though these services are smart enough to adjust to the present conditions without buffering the video. Keeping this in mind, 10 GB is not a lot of data to work with, unless you use it wisely.

The time it takes for Netflix to use 10 GB varies on the settings you use to watch content. If you are using standard definition, it will take 14 hours, while high definition settings use it up in 3 to 4 hours.

What bandwidth usage should I expect when using Netflix?

When streaming content on video content platforms, you have 3 options of video quality to work with: low quality, best or HD quality, and better or SD quality. Each will consume different amounts of data, and on average these will amount to:

  • Low quality – this is very limited, with an average resolution of 240p or 360p. Average data consumption is 300 MB (0.3 GB) per hour.
  • Better or SD quality – resolution is 480p, and it uses a maximum of 0.7 GB (700 MB) per hour.
  • Best or HD quality – the quality is 720p, 1080p, or 2Kp (the Netflix app can change the quality). If you are viewing the content in 720p, the bandwidth use is 900 MB (0.9 GB), 1080p uses a maximum of 1.5 GB, and 2K uses 3 GB per hour.
  • Aside from these, there is the Ultra High Definition quality (4K or UHD), which uses 7.2 GB per hour.

When using 10 GB of data with these settings, you can expect the timing to last as:

  • Low quality will let you watch for 33 hours
  • SD quality allows for 14 hours
  • HD quality for 3 to 4 hours
  • UHD quality for 1.2 hours

If your limit is 10 GB and you plan to watch several movies or shows, then it is best to use the ‘low’ or ‘SD’ settings if you want the data to last for as long as possible. Aside from this, you can use an automatic setting to stream the show or movie according to your connection quality, and unlimited to stream according to the highest quality you can get for your device.

Is it better to stream Netflix or download content when I have 10 GB?

Netflix states that streaming and downloading content utilizes the same bandwidth, so you will need to pay attention to the quality you use when doing so.

Keep in mind that the data use settings will only apply to the profile you set them on. If you have several Netflix accounts, each will have different data usage settings – so if you want to save data on all of them, you should repeat the setting in each profile.

Options for using 10GB mobile data

To further maximize your 10 GB data limit, you can adjust your mobile data usage settings in the app, which are:

  • Automatic – this balances good video quality with data usage, and allows you to watch up to 4 hours per GB.
  • Save data – allows you to watch 6 hours per GB.
  • Wi-Fi only – limits your streaming to when you access a Wi-Fi network
  • Maximum data – can only work if your data plan is unlimited because it streams the content at the highest quality.

How long your use of 10 GB lasts on Netflix

Quality plan
Data use per hour (on average)
The length of time it lasts (on average)
Good quality
300 MB
33 hours
SD quality
700 MB
14 hours
HD quality
900 MB (720p), 1.5 GB (1080p), 3 GB (2K)
3 to 4 hours
Ultra HD quality
7.2 GB
1.2 hours
Automatic quality
Varies with the network quality/usage
Differs with bandwidth use

Conclusion

At the end of the day, your streaming habits and viewing quality will determine how much time you can watch Netflix content when using 10 GB of data, so knowing these limits helps when managing how you spend the bandwidth you have.

FAQs

  1. Is 10 GB of data enough to last a whole month of Netflix streaming?

Not really, unless you watch the content in low definition and sporadically.

  1. How can I control the data that Netflix uses when I have 10 GB limits?

Downloading or watching a movie or TV show on the platform uses a maximum of 3 GB per hour when viewing in HD, and a maximum of 1 GB per hour when watching in SD. To limit this, you change the quality settings in the app.

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