How much data do I need for my trip?
Tick what you will do with your phone and set the length of the trip: the tool gives the recommended data per person, buffer included, then opens the eSIM ranking for that amount.
Your trip
What you do, per day and per person
Recommended data
2 GB per person
for 7 days, 20% buffer included
About 230 MB a day per person, buffer included.
Benchmarks used by the “Find my eSIM” assistant
Your use matches the “light” benchmark.
See eSIMs with this much data
Our rankings compare 1 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB and unlimited; for 2 GB per person, the right ranking is “5 GB”.
Choose a destination under “Your trip” to open its ranking set to this amount.
Compare with the assistantThe assistant takes your trip: 7 days, 2 GB per person, 1 traveller.
How the figure is worked out
| Maps and GPS | 1 h a day × 10 MB | 10 MB |
|---|---|---|
| Messages | 1 h a day × 10 MB | 10 MB |
| Social media | 1 h a day × 150 MB | 150 MB |
| Photos sent or posted | 10 photos a day × 2 MB | 20 MB |
| Per day | 190 MB | |
| × 7 days | 1,330 MB | |
| 20% buffer | + 266 MB | |
| Total per person | 1,596 MB |
Rounded up to the next GB: 2 GB
How we calculate
- For each use you tick: the amount per day (hours or photos) × the usage published on an official page (network operator, service or regulator), cited below.
- The daily total is multiplied by the length of the trip, then increased by a 20% buffer. That is our choice, not a measurement: it keeps you from running out.
- The result is rounded up to the next GB (1 GB = 1,000 MB).
- The ranking for your destination then compares plans with that amount of data, or the next amount up.
The figures used and their sources
Official pages read on 27/10/2026. Quotes are copied in the language of the page.
Maps and GPS
- 10 MB per hour — Proximus (Belgium)
La navigation étape par étape avec le trafic en direct peut atteindre 7 à 10 Mo par heure
· read on 27/10/2026, updated on 18/08/2025
Other official figures: Orange (France)
Navigation GPS (une heure = 5 Mo)
· KPN (Netherlands)1 uur Google Maps 20 MB
- 10 MB per hour — Proximus (Belgium)
Messages
- 10 MB per hour — MEO (Portugal)
Mensagens de texto — Inferior a 10 MB por hora
· read on 27/10/2026, updated on 29/08/2026
Other official figures: Orange Pro (France)
une heure de tchat sur une application de messagerie instantanée = 2 Mo
- 10 MB per hour — MEO (Portugal)
Social media
- Mostly photos: 150 MB per hour — Bouygues Telecom (France)
Utiliser les réseaux sociaux : environ 100 à 200 Mo/heure (selon la quantité de vidéos ou photos).
(middle of the range) · read on 27/10/2026 - Mostly videos: 840 MB per hour — KPN (Netherlands)
1 uur TikTok 840 MB
· read on 27/10/2026, updated on 01/11/2021
Other official figures: Orange (France)
Les médias sociaux ====> 156 Mo
· Vodafone (Germany)1 Stunde Scrollen: bis zu 840 MB bis 1 GB
- Mostly photos: 150 MB per hour — Bouygues Telecom (France)
Photos sent or posted
- 2 MB per photo — Orange (France)
Post d'une photo de 2 Mo (une photo = 2 Mo)
· read on 27/10/2026, updated on 31/08/2026
Other official figures: ComReg (Ireland, regulator)
1 social media update (with photo) 350KB – 2MB
- 2 MB per photo — Orange (France)
Video streaming
- Data saver: 250 MB per hour — Netflix
Automatic: The Netflix app selects a setting that balances data usage and video quality. You can watch about 4 hours per GB of data.
(4 hours per GB, i.e. 250 MB per hour) · read on 27/10/2026 - Standard quality: 700 MB per hour — Netflix
Data used per hour, per device: Low: Basic video quality, up to 0.3 GB Medium: Standard video quality, up to 0.7 GB
· read on 27/10/2026 - HD: 3 GB per hour — Netflix
High definition: up to 3 GB
· read on 27/10/2026
Other official figures: Bouygues Telecom (France)
Regarder une vidéo en streaming : environ 700 Mo/heure (qualité standard).
· Telstra (Australia)Standard Definition (SD): 700MB
- Data saver: 250 MB per hour — Netflix
Video calls
- WhatsApp, FaceTime: 300 MB per hour — Bouygues Telecom (France)
Faire un appel vidéo : environ 300 Mo/heure.
· read on 27/10/2026 - Zoom, Teams, Meet: 540 MB per hour — Zoom
For high-quality video: 600kbps (up/down)
(600 kbps each way, i.e. 540 MB per hour) · read on 27/10/2026, updated on 23/03/2026
Other official figures: O2 (Germany)
Ein Stunde Videotelefonieren über WhatsApp benötigt ungefähr 300 MB.
· KPN (Netherlands)1 videobellen met Zoom 540 MB
- WhatsApp, FaceTime: 300 MB per hour — Bouygues Telecom (France)
Work: email and websites
- 50 MB per hour — Bouygues Telecom (France)
Naviguer sur internet : environ 50 Mo/heure (pour des pages web classiques).
· read on 27/10/2026
Other official figures: ComReg (Ireland, regulator)
1 hour of web browsing 10MB – 100MB
· Orange Pro (France)un courriel avec pièce jointe = 500 Ko
- 50 MB per hour — Bouygues Telecom (France)
Frequently asked questions
How much data do I need for a week away?
With the uses ticked by default (1 h of maps, 1 h of messages, 1 h of social media and 10 photos a day), allow 2 GB per person for 7 days, buffer included. With 1 h of standard-quality video a day on top: 8 GB.
What uses the most data?
Video: up to 3 GB per hour in HD according to Netflix, and 840 MB per hour of video-heavy social media according to KPN. GPS navigation, on the other hand, uses about 10 MB per hour according to Proximus.
Does the amount cover the whole family?
No: it is given per person, because each phone has its own eSIM. If people use their phones differently (a teenager on social media, a parent on maps), work it out for each of them.
Why add a buffer?
Published figures are averages: real usage changes with the quality of videos and photos. The 20% buffer is our choice, shown in the calculation details.