Most materials on this topic present the same list of settings, and all of them are useful, but their order is wrong. You should start not by turning on data saving, but by looking at where the traffic is going specifically for you, since the distribution of consumption is extremely uneven and almost always comes down to two or three applications.

Step One: Look at the Statistics

Both mobile systems show data usage for a period broken down by applications, and this figure answers the question better than any general advice. On Android, this is the Network & Internet section, where detailed statistics are available for your operator. On iPhone, the corresponding data is in the Mobile Data section, where the list of applications is sorted by volume. Look at the first three positions in the list. They are your problem, and everything else combined usually matters less than them.

The Two Main Consumers

The first is video, and not only the video that you consciously watch, but also the automatic playback of videos in social media feeds, which works in the background while you scroll. The second is the automatic uploading of photos to the cloud, which happens unnoticed and can consume a monthly package in one evening after a trip. If you deal with just these two, everything else will lose significance.

How Much Each Thing Consumes Approximately

I will give approximate figures so that it is clear what to concentrate on. Exact figures depend on the service and codec, so these are orders of magnitude rather than exact values. Watching video in high quality uses approximately one and a half to three gigabytes per hour. The same video in medium quality uses less than one gigabyte per hour, and in low quality approximately half as much. Scrolling through a feed with automatic video playback comes close to watching video in terms of consumption, and this is usually the surprise. A video call uses from half a gigabyte to one and a half per hour depending on quality. A voice call over the internet uses dozens of times less than a video call. Listening to music in high quality uses approximately one hundred and fifty megabytes per hour. Reading text websites and messaging use little, and there is no point fighting them. The practical conclusion is that one hour of video is approximately equal to twenty hours of music or an entire day of ordinary messenger use.

Settings That Work

Start by turning off automatic video playback in social networks, since this is the single action with the greatest effect. The corresponding option is in the settings of each application separately, and you need to look for it exactly there, not in the system settings. Set up automatic photo uploading so that it works only through Wi-Fi. Turn off automatic media downloads in messengers, since by default they save all photos and videos sent to you, including those you will never open. In group chats, this is the largest hidden expense item. Lower the playback quality in video services and music applications, setting separate options for mobile data. Turn off automatic application updates over mobile data. Turn on the system data-saving mode, which limits the background activity of applications. On Android, it is in the network section; on iPhone, the corresponding option is located in the mobile data settings. Limit background content refresh for specific applications, since turning it off completely will deprive you of notifications where they are needed. Remove mobile data access from applications that work in the background without need, and on iPhone this is done with the switch next to each application in the usage list. Set a data limit with a warning in the system settings so that you receive a notification before the package runs out.

The Hidden Expense Item That Nobody Writes About

The biggest surprise awaits those who share the internet from their phone to a computer. As soon as the laptop connects to your hotspot, it starts behaving as if it were a home network, that is, it downloads system updates, synchronizes cloud folders, and updates applications. Several gigabytes can disappear in half an hour while you are simply checking your email. The solution is to mark this connection as metered. In Windows, this is done in the network settings for the specific connection, where there is a separate metered connection switch, after which the system stops automatic downloads. In macOS, there is a similar option in the network settings for the specific connection. Additionally, it is worth turning off cloud storage synchronization while working through mobile internet, since one changed folder can pull several gigabytes along with it.

During Power Outages

A voice call over a mobile network consumes zero data, since it does not go through the internet. Therefore, with a limited package, a regular call is more economical than a call in a messenger.

A text message gets through where video does not load, so with a weak signal, send text instead of voice messages and media files. Download what you need in advance while Wi-Fi is available, including maps for offline use, music, and reading materials. If several people use the same hotspot, agree on rules, since one laptop with synchronization enabled will consume the package for everyone. A router can be powered from a power bank, and this is often more advantageous than sharing from a phone, as I wrote in the material about connectivity during blackouts.

About Lite Versions of Applications

Some large services have simplified versions designed for slow internet and weak devices.

They consume less data and less space, and their functionality is reduced, so they make sense specifically as a backup option for situations with a limited package. It is worth checking whether such a version is available for those applications that appeared in the first lines of your statistics.


Sources

Google and Apple guides on managing mobile data, publications by 24 Kanal, UNIAN