How much data do I need for my trip?
Tell us your destination, how many days you're travelling and how you use your phone. You get a realistic range of gigabytes — not a made-up figure — and the MolaHop plan that covers it, at a live price. Built so you don't overbuy.
Pick your destination, trip length and profile to see how much data you need.
For context: the "1 GB a day" rule half the industry repeats is too much for most travellers. Maps and messaging use far less than you would think; video and autoplay-heavy social feeds, far more. This calculator exists so you don't overbuy.
Rough estimate (August 2026). Real usage varies a lot with video quality, autoplay and the network — 5G uses more than 4G. We size our recommendation on the top of the range plus a 25% safety margin, so you don't run out. You can start smaller and top up if you fall short: most of our plans support top-ups, and you'll see it on your order.
How much data you really need for your trip
Most guides repeat the "1 GB a day" rule — and for almost everyone it's too much. Real usage depends on what you do: maps and messaging use very little, while video and video calls burn through data at a completely different rate. This calculator gives you a range, not a falsely exact figure, because usage varies a lot with video quality, social-media autoplay and the network (5G serves higher-quality video and uses more). The MolaHop plan price you see is live, from our real catalogue.
How much each activity uses
These are rough ranges per hour of use. Messaging and maps are surprisingly low; video and autoplay-heavy social feeds are surprisingly high.
- Messaging (WhatsApp, text): around 5-10 MB per hour. Hundreds of messages a day barely register.
- WhatsApp voice call: around 20-30 MB per hour. One of the most efficient.
- Video call: 300-500 MB per hour, more on 5G.
- Maps and navigation (Google Maps): just 3-5 MB per hour. A full day of navigation stays under 100 MB.
- Social media (Instagram, TikTok): 600 MB to 1.2 GB per hour. The big hidden drain — video autoplay pushes it up.
- Music (Spotify and similar): 40-160 MB per hour depending on quality. Downloaded on WiFi, zero data.
- Video (YouTube, streaming): 500 MB to 3 GB per hour. By far the biggest consumer.
The practical rule
For a quick sense: 1 GB covers about a week of light use — maps, messaging, some browsing, no video. For a week of moderate use with social media and music, around 3-5 GB works well. And if you watch video daily, take long video calls, or use your phone as a hotspot for your laptop, data disappears fast: there a large or unlimited plan is the safer choice, so you're not watching the meter.
Why we recommend a little margin
When the calculator suggests a plan, it adds a small margin over the estimate. It's not to oversell you: running out of data mid-trip, in a country where buying more on the spot can be tricky, is far worse than having a little left over. Even so, we also show you the tighter option in case you know you use little, and many of our plans can be topped up if you run short. The idea is that you buy what you'll actually use, with a reasonable cushion — not the maximum possible.
How to use the calculator
Choose your destination, trip length and the profile that best describes you. If you'll watch video or use your phone as a hotspot, tick those boxes: they're what changes the result most. The calculator will give you a recommended GB range and the MolaHop plan that fits, with its real price. If you'd rather not think about gigabytes, the unlimited plan has you covered no matter what.
