Streaming data usage calculator
Passing a threshold does not cut you off, it makes your traffic yield to other users on a busy tower, which is exactly where IRL streams happen. Two carriers on different networks is the usual answer, not one larger plan.
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Frequently asked
How much data does streaming use per hour?
A live stream uses its bitrate times its duration, so at 6000 kbps it burns about 2.7 GB per hour, at 4500 kbps about 2.0 GB, and at 3000 kbps about 1.35 GB. A four hour stream at 1080p60 is therefore roughly 11 GB, and streaming four times a week clears 190 GB a month.
How much data does IRL streaming use per month?
More than almost any unlimited plan expects. Four four-hour streams a week at 1080p60 is around 190 GB a month, which passes the deprioritisation threshold on most carriers well before month end. This is the number that should decide your plan, not the price.
Will an unlimited plan cover IRL streaming?
It will not cut you off, but most unlimited plans deprioritise your traffic past somewhere between 30 GB and 100 GB, meaning your data yields to other users when a tower is busy. Crowded places are exactly where IRL streams happen, so the practical answer is two carriers on different networks rather than one bigger plan.
Does lowering resolution reduce data usage?
Only through bitrate. Data use is a direct function of the bitrate you send, so dropping from 1080p60 at 6000 kbps to 720p60 at 4500 kbps cuts usage by a quarter. Switching to H.265 cuts it by roughly 30% at the same visible quality, which is the cheapest saving available if your whole chain supports it.
Picking a plan around these numbers? Best mobile data plan for IRL streaming works through the carriers, and the bitrate calculator tells you what bitrate your connection can actually hold.