Every time you do something on the internet – whether it's downloading a file, browsing a website, streaming a TV show, or sending an email – you use data.
Nowadays, you shouldn't have to worry about how much data you use for the majority of home broadband deals, as they’re 'unlimited'. But some mobile broadband packages still come with data restrictions. You need to keep tabs on what you've used to avoid extra costs.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to check how much data you have left and share some tools for tracking broadband usage.
Monitoring data usage: the key points
|
|---|
What is a data usage cap?
A data cap is a limit on how much you can use the internet. With a capped broadband deal, your internet service provider (ISP) gives you a set amount of data that you can use each month.
While your provider won’t suddenly cut you off if you go over, you could be charged for extra data used. These extra fees could end up costing more than an unlimited deal.
But whether you have unlimited data or not, you may still find it useful to monitor broadband usage. This can help you learn whether your broadband deal is delivering the best value, ensure your Wi-Fi is secure and nobody else is using your bandwidth, and help you monitor children’s behaviour online.
How to check broadband usage if your mobile broadband contract isn’t unlimited
Most mobile broadband and mobile phone plans have data caps, and it’s worth monitoring how much mobile data you use.
Mobile broadband providers should give you ways to monitor mobile data usage and give you a data warning notification. You’ll usually find tools if you log in online, or via the mobile broadband dongle software utility. But this isn’t the only way you can monitor mobile broadband data usage.
Using a mobile data usage app
Monitoring data usage is easier on mobiles as you can install an app that sees all traffic that goes through your phone. Apps like DataMan Next for iPhone or My Data Manager can help you monitor what you use.
Using mobile data monitoring
iOS and Android phones also both have bandwidth monitors built into the operating system. You can set a data limit and receive a warning when you get close to your data allowance. These monitors aren’t as precise as your mobile network’s own tools, but a useful backup if you think you might run over your data limit.
But the same limitations apply to these software solutions as they do for fixed-line broadband. They can help you manage your own data use, but won’t be as accurate as your mobile network's own data use meter.
Whether you’re managing data caps or just want to monitor what’s going on within your network, bandwidth monitoring offers insights into what’s going on. The more we depend on the internet, the more useful it is to know exactly what’s going on.
-
How to enable data monitoring on an Android device
To monitor data usage on Android, go to Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs > App data usage.
-
How to use mobile data monitoring on a Samsung device
Swipe up from home screen and open app drawer. Then Settings > Connections > Data Usage > Mobile Data Usage.
-
How to enable data monitoring on a Pixel smartphone
To monitor data usage on Pixel device, go to Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs.
-
How to enable data monitoring on an Apple iPhone
To manage data usage on an iPhone, go to Settings > Mobile Data or Settings > Cellular.
How to check broadband usage if you have unlimited broadband
If you have unlimited broadband, your provider probably won’t provide a bandwidth monitoring tool, as you don’t really need one. But there are other ways to check, such as router logs or third-party tools.
Wi-Fi router broadband monitoring tools
Your Wi-Fi router may offer a feature to track data. It may be called ‘traffic use’, ‘traffic meter’, ‘internet usage’ or similar. This is the best option if you can't monitor usage through your provider. This will measure data use for your entire home network.
Data monitoring apps for desktop and laptop computers
There are third-party programs you install onto a computer to monitor bandwidth. These are usually free and easy to use, but will only monitor traffic on the device it is installed on, not your entire network. But if you only have one computer, these will work fine. Some recommended tools include:
These and other similar tools are available for all major operating systems, including Windows 10, Windows 11, and Apple macOS.
One thing to note about third-party data meter tools: if you use a program to monitor bandwidth usage as part of a dispute with your provider, you’re unlikely to be able to use this effectively to complain.