What Apps Use the Most Data, and What to Do About it? The Complete 2023 Guide

Hey there! Today we‘re going to dive into one of the biggest issues facing smartphone users in 2023 – what apps use the most data and how can we manage usage to avoid overages.

As an experienced tech specialist who‘s been writing about mobile security and privacy for over a decade, I‘ve seen mobile data usage skyrocket with the advancement of apps, media streaming, and other bandwidth-heavy functions on phones.

It‘s no secret that certain apps are just data vampires, sucking down megabytes in the background when you least expect it. A few bad apples can quickly eat through your monthly allowance if you‘re not vigilant.

Throughout this guide, I‘ll share the latest research and statistics around which apps use the most data, then provide tips to optimize each one and slash your data usage.

Let‘s get started!

The Top Data Hogging Apps in 2023

Mobile analytics company App Annie recently released a report on the top apps by worldwide usage and revenue. The top apps represent a mix of social media, messaging, entertainment and gaming apps used by billions of people.

I‘ll analyze the data usage trends of the most popular apps so you know what to watch out for.

1. TikTok

It‘s no surprise that TikTok is one of the biggest mobile data hogs right now. According to analytics firm WhistleOut, TikTok uses 5.4GB per hour of high-definition video streaming. That‘s more data than YouTube, largely thanks to localized caching of trending videos.

In 2022, Sensor Tower reported that TikTok was the #1 most downloaded app overall, with over 2 billion installs across iOS and Android. Given its meteoric growth and bandwidth-heavy video focus, TikTok is likely one of the biggest data drains across all apps.

2. YouTube

YouTube comes next. Streaming an HD quality YouTube video for just 5 minutes can use around 100MB of data, and over 2GB per hour. YouTube‘s default setting is automatic HD playback, meaning it defaults to the highest quality available and maxes out your data.

3. Instagram

With over 2 billion monthly active users loading videos, images and Stories, Instagram is another huge data sink. Streaming video, using filters and sharing pics can use 150MB of data per hour or more, especially with autoplay enabled.

4. Facebook

Facebook is still a data hog in 2023, though less than Instagram. While just scrolling the Facebook feed uses about 50MB/hour, autoplay videos can drive that up past 150MB per hour of browsing. With over 2.9 billion monthly users, the Facebook app continues to drain tens of thousands of terabytes daily.

5. Spotify

On-demand music and podcast streaming Spotify uses up to 150MB per hour for high-quality streaming. Downloaded playlists drop that to a few MB per hour but take up storage space. With over 433 million users, Spotify serves billions of streams per month, chewing through exabytes of data.

6. Netflix

Binge-watching videos on Netflix can demolish data limits thanks to 3GB per hour HD streaming. Downloading content helps reduce this amount drastically. As Netflix continues gaining millions of subscribers, it‘s poised to be a primary driver of mobile data consumption around the world.

7. Snapchat

Snapchat comes packed with data-hungry features like video calls, Stories, lenses and filters. Typical usage averages 250MB per hour, but video calls can use over 500MB per hour. Snapchat now has over 265 million daily active users on the platform, making it another popular and heavy data user.

8. Twitch

Livestreaming video game platform Twitch also makes the top 10 list with up to 1GB per hour for HD streams. With over 30 million daily users spending 95 minutes per day streaming, those gigabytes add up quickly.

This covers the main data hogs you‘re likely using daily. But what about when you‘re away from Wi-Fi and need to conserve data? Read on for tips to optimize each app and slash your data usage.

Top Tips to Reduce Data Usage in These Apps

The first step is understanding your monthly data allowance and how you typically use it. I recommend monitoring your usage for a month using tools from your carrier or a third party app. This shows where the data is really going.

Next, apply data saving settings in the apps eating the most bandwidth. Here are my top tips for cutting usage on the data vampires above:

YouTube

1. Lower video quality to 480p standard definition instead of maxing out at 1080p HD or higher resolutions. This can cut data by 75% or more.
2. Download videos over Wi-Fi to watch offline later.
3. Turn off autoplay and limit buffering of related videos which uses data even if you don‘t watch them.
4. Use YouTube‘s Data Saver mode which optimizes and compresses video streaming.

Instagram

1. Turn off Autoplay video and pre-loading of feed images/videos.
2. Download IGTV videos on Wi-Fi to watch later instead of streaming them.
3. Use Instagram Lite app which uses less data by omitting video uploading.
4. Post smaller resolution photos (not full size images from camera).

Facebook

1. Likewise turn off Autoplay videos and pre-fetching of feed content.
2. Download Facebook Videos for Android/iOS to save videos offline.
3. Limit background app refresh which can drain data with syncing.
4. Messenger uses less data than Facebook app, so use that when possible.

Spotify

1. Lower streaming audio quality from High to Normal or Low. Makes a huge impact.
2. Download playlists, albums and podcasts only on Wi-Fi for offline listening.
3. Limit refreshed recommendations and autoplay related artists which use data.

Netflix

1. Download all your shows for offline viewing over Wi-Fi whenever possible!
2. Lower video quality from High Definition to Standard Definition if streaming.
3. Turn off autoplay of trailers and next episode previews to save data.

Snapchat

1. Use Travel Mode which disables background syncing and caching when cellular data is on.
2. Limit background app refresh and turn on Low Data mode.
3. Avoid data-heavy lenses, geofilters and sharing videos while not on Wi-Fi.
4. Chat and send simple Snaps instead of video Snaps and Stories.

Making a few tweaks like these to the top apps based on your usage can drastically cut down on mobile data consumption. You‘ll be surprised how much less data you can get by with!

Some general best practices include:

• Close out of apps fully when not in use to limit data drain.
• Disable background app data in settings.
• Use Wi-Fi analyzer apps to always find the best available network.
• Check carrier billing regularly to see where most data is being used.
• Modify account settings online to limit media quality and background refresh.
• Schedule overnight downloads and updates only when on Wi-Fi.

On Android you can also restrict background data and alter video quality more granularly per app, which is super helpful for managing usage.

Learning to optimize these data hogs over the years helped me keep mobile data usage reasonable across my devices despite increasing appetite of apps. With the right tricks, you can stay under your caps without sacrificing experience.

Let me know if have any other questions! Happy to help tech-minded folks manage resources wisely. Data stuff is my jam.