How Much Data Do I Need? A Mobile Data Guide for Belgians

Choose about 3 GB per month if you mainly message, mail and use maps, 15 GB if you scroll social media and stream music every day, 50 GB if you watch video on mobile data, and 100 GB or more if you stream in HD or use your gsm as a hotspot. The average Belgian SIM card used 10.1 GB per month in 2024, according to the Belgian telecom regulator BIPT, more than three times the figure from 2019. Video is what decides your number: one hour of TikTok uses more data than a full month of WhatsApp messages. This guide shows how much data each type of user needs, what popular apps use per hour, what 1 GB really gives you and how to find your own number in two minutes.

How much data do you need per month?

Look at how you use your gsm when you are not on wifi, then pick the matching row. The figures below are based on Firsty's own app data guides.

Most Belgians land between the light and average profiles, because home and work wifi carry most of the heavy use. If you commute by train, bus or tram every day, count that time as mobile data time, because that is where most of the streaming happens.

How much data do your apps use?

Video apps use 10 to 100 times more data than messaging or navigation. Typical figures per hour, from Firsty's app guides:

For a full comparison of streaming services, read our guide on how much data Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and Prime Video use.

What does 1 GB of data give you?

One GB lasts about an hour of TikTok, or more than 200 hours of navigation in Google Maps. That gap explains why two people with the same plan can have very different experiences.

How to find your own number

Check your real use before you choose a plan, because your gsm already counts it for you.

• iPhone: go to Settings, then Mobile Data. You see the total since the last reset and the data use per app.

• Android: go to Settings, then Network and internet (or Connections), then Data usage. Most Android phones show the use per month.

Take the average of the last two or three months and add about 20 percent as a buffer for busy months and trips. Your operator's app or customer zone also shows how much data you have left in the current month.

Do you need more data abroad?

Plan for more data on a trip than at home, because you navigate, translate, look up restaurants and share photos far more often. Inside the EU, the roam like at home rules let you use your Belgian plan at no extra charge, but your operator can set a fair use limit on how much data you use abroad. Outside the EU, in countries such as Switzerland, Turkey or Morocco, data is often charged separately and can get expensive fast.

Five ways to use less data

• Turn on Data Saver in TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Netflix.

• Download playlists, series and offline maps on wifi before you leave the house.

• Turn off autoplay for videos in your social media apps.

• Limit app updates and photo backups to wifi only.

• Lower the video quality on your gsm, because the difference between 480p and 1080p on a small screen is hard to see.

Pick a plan that fits how you use data

The right amount of data is the amount you actually use, with a small buffer. That is how Firsty thinks about it too: no contract that locks you in, no SIM card to swap, no roaming setting to remember and no surprise bill. Light and average users can look at Firsty 15GB for Belgium and the EU, heavy users and hotspot workers at Firsty 100GB, and frequent travellers outside the EU at Firsty World. The waiting list is already open. Every connection Firsty sells also connects someone in Belgium who needs it, not as charity, but as how the business works. Things are moving, so keep an eye on what Firsty is building and discover more at Firsty.app.

FAQ

How much data do I need per month?

Most people need between 3 GB and 15 GB per month. Light users who mainly message and use maps get by with 3 GB, people who scroll social media and stream music every day need about 15 GB, and people who watch video on mobile data need 50 GB or more.

How much data does the average Belgian use?

The average Belgian SIM card used 10.1 GB of mobile data per month in 2024, according to the Belgian telecom regulator BIPT. That is more than three times the 3 GB per month measured in 2019.

Is 5 GB of data enough for a month?

Yes, if you mainly use WhatsApp, email, maps and some social media outside wifi. 5 GB is not enough if you watch TikTok, YouTube or Netflix on mobile data every day, because one hour of video can use 0.5 to 3 GB.

Is 15 GB of data enough for a month?

For most people, yes. 15 GB covers daily social media, music streaming and short video calls, which is more than the Belgian average of 10.1 GB per month.

How much data do I need per day?

A light user needs about 100 MB per day and an average user about 500 MB per day. A heavy user who watches video on mobile data needs 1.5 GB per day or more.

How many MB is 1 GB?

Operators count 1 GB as 1,000 MB. Some phones and computers count 1 GB as 1,024 MB, so the numbers on your gsm can differ slightly from your operator's app.

How can I check how much data I have left?

Open your operator's app or customer zone, which shows the data left in your current month. On your gsm, Settings shows how much mobile data you have used since the last reset, per app.

Do I need more data when I travel?

Usually yes, because you use maps, translation apps and search more often abroad. Inside the EU you can use your Belgian plan at no extra charge within the fair use limit, while outside the EU data is often charged separately.