A 3GB data plan will allow you to browse the internet for about 30 hours, stream 1,500 songs, or watch 3 hours 45 minutes of standard-definition video.
Nowadays, the main distinction between mobile phone plans is how many gigabytes of data it comes with.
If you're looking for a mobile phone plan with 3GB of data, prices currently start from £5/month in the UK. With your 3GB of data, you'll be able to browse the internet for approximately 30 hours per month, to stream 1,500 songs online, or to watch 3 hours 45 minutes of online video in standard definition.
In this article, we'll discuss what you can do with 3GB of data and how long you can expect your 3GB allowance to last for. We'll also discuss 3GB data plans, where you can find one in the UK and how much you can expect to pay.
Contents
How Much Is 3GB Data?
In the UK, a number of mobile networks offer 3GB data plans. There's a choice of 4 mobile networks if you're looking for a Pay Monthly SIM card, and a further choice of 1 networks if you're looking for a Pay As You Go bundle.
Pay Monthly SIM Cards
If you're looking for the lowest possible prices, you can get a Pay Monthly SIM card with 3GB of data from £5.00/month. The following table shows a list of currently available deals:
| Network | Data | Monthly Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3GB data | £5.00 per month 24 month contract Monthly cost will rise each April by £1 | See deal |
| 3GB data | £5.00 per month 1 month rolling | See deal |
| 3GB data | £15.00 per month 24 month contract Monthly cost will rise each April by RPI inflation plus 3.9% | See deal |
| 3GB data | £15.00 per month 24 month contract Monthly cost will rise each April by £1.80 | See deal |
Contract lengths can vary on a Pay Monthly contract. You'll normally need to undergo a credit check when you take out a Pay Monthly contract.
Pay As You Go SIM Cards
If you're looking for more flexibility, a Pay As You Go bundle allows you to have this. You can get 3GB of data from £5.00/month on Pay As You Go. There's no commitment to renewing your bundle every month. You'll also be able to change your data allowance at the end of each month if you find you're on a plan with the wrong amount of data.
The following table shows Pay As You Go bundles with 3GB of data per month:
| Network | Data | Monthly Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3GB data | £5.00 per month No contract | See deal |
Alternatives
Instead of choosing a 3GB data plan, it may sometimes make sense to choose a plan with more data. This is especially the case when special offers and promotion are available: you might be able to get a larger allowance of data for the same or for a very similar price:
| Amount of Data | Pay Monthly | Pay As You Go |
|---|---|---|
| 250MB Data | - | - |
| 500MB Data | - | - |
| 1GB Data | £2.90 £2 cheaper | £6.00 £1 more |
| 2GB Data | £6.00 £1 more | £6.00 £1 more |
| 3GB Data | £5.00 | £5.00 |
| 4GB Data | £5.00 | £7.50 £2.5 more |
| 5GB Data | £4.25 £1 cheaper | £5.00 |
| 6GB Data | £7.00 £2 more | £9.90 £5 more |
| 8GB Data | £5.95 £1 more | £10.00 £5 more |
| 10GB Data | £6.00 £1 more | £8.00 £3 more |
| 12GB Data | £6.00 £1 more | £10.00 £5 more |
| 20GB Data | £5.95 £1 more | £10.00 £5 more |
| 30GB Data | £6.95 £2 more | £15.00 £10 more |
| 40GB Data | £7.00 £2 more | £13.50 £8.5 more |
| 50GB Data | £7.95 £3 more | £12.50 £7.5 more |
| 100GB Data | £9.95 £5 more | £15.00 £10 more |
| Unlimited Data | £15.00 £10 more | £20.00 £15 more |
Some plans include a 'data rollover' feature that gives you a second opportunity to use your data allowance. Alternatively, an unlimited data plan could also be worth considering if you'd like a worry-free plan where you'll never run out of data.
How Long Does 3GB Of Data Last?
When figuring out how much data you need, it's important to think about your own individual usage requirements.
If you choose a plan with too much data, you could be overpaying for lots of data that you don't actually use. On the other hand, choosing a plan with too little data could mean being cut-off from the internet in the middle of the month.
The following table gives you an approximate guide to what you can do with 3GB of data:
| 3GB data is equal to... | |
|---|---|
| 3 hours 45 minutes of SD video streaming (10 minutes per day on YouTube, Netflix or TikTok) | |
| 1 hour of HD-quality video (2 minutes per day streaming HD video e.g. from Netflix) | |
| 3 hours 45 minutes of video calling (10 minutes per day on Zoom or Teams) | |
| 6 hours of social media scrolling (10 minutes per day on Facebook, Instagram or X) | |
| 30 hours of web browsing (1 hour per day of browsing, approx 1,500 web pages) | |
| 75 hours of music streaming (2 hours 30 minutes per day on online radio & streaming apps like Spotify) | |
| Other Activities | |
| 15 mobile app downloads (standard app installs & updates, games may use more data) | |
| 990 photos uploaded or shared (on WhatsApp, or uploaded to the cloud e.g. iCloud & Google Photos) | |
| 1,050,000 text messages & emails (plain text messages, without attachments) | |
If you'd like to understand how different apps and activities contribute to your mobile data usage, see our guide to working out how much data you need.
As of 2024, the average UK mobile user consumes about 10GB of mobile data each month. This has grown fairly rapidly over the last few years (e.g. it was just 5.6GB per month in 2022, and 8.0GB per month in 2023). As of today, this means a 3GB data allowance is a little smaller than average. However, if you find yourself mainly using Wi-Fi when you're at home or at work, it's possible that you won't need as much data as the average consumer.
Data use calculations for 3GB data, by app & activity:
- SD Video Streaming (3 hours 45 minutes): We’ve used a figure of 800MB per hour for a standard-quality video stream. This is based on testing of the following apps: TikTok (800MB per hour), BBC iPlayer (800MB per hour), and Netflix (700MB per hour for medium quality video). Therefore, a 3GB data allowance will allow you to stream SD video for 3 hours 45 minutes in total, which is equivalent to 10 minutes per day.
- HD Video Streaming (1 hour): According to Netflix, you’ll need 3GB data per hour for a HD-quality video stream. Therefore, 3GB of data will allow you to stream 1 hour of HD-quality shows and movies, which is equivalent to 2 minutes per day.
- Video Calls (3 hours 45 minutes): You’ll need about 800MB data per hour for video calls on Zoom or Microsoft Team. Therefore, a 3GB data allowance will allow you to video call for 3 hours 45 minutes in total, which is equivalent to 10 minutes per day.
- Social Media (6 hours): Our testing found that social media apps (e.g. Facebook & Instagram) used about 40MB of data during a 5-minute session. Therefore, a 3GB data allowance will allow you to scroll through social media for 6 hours in total, which is equivalent to 10 minutes per day.
- Web Browsing (30 hours, or 1,500 web pages): As of 2024, the average size of a mobile web page is 2.4MB. Therefore, you’d be able to open 1,500 web pages with 3GB of data. Assuming you browse continuously and open 40 web pages per hour, you’d be able to browse for 30 hours in total, which is equivalent to 1 hour per day.
- Music Streaming & Radio (75 hours, or 1,500 songs): At a typical bitrate of 96kbps, you’d be able to use your 3GB data allowance to listen to music or online radio for 75 hours in total (roughly 1,500 songs). This is equivalent to 2 hours 30 minutes per day.
- Photo Uploads (990 photos): Assuming you have a 12-megapixel photo with a file size of around 3MB, you’d be able to share or upload 990 photos using 3GB of data.
- Mobile Apps (15 app downloads): Assuming you have a typical iOS or Android mobile application with a download size of 200MB, you’d be able to download 15 apps using 3GB of data. Do note, however, that many mobile games will use more data (up to 3GB per game). For this reason, it’s best to install and update on your apps on Wi-Fi where possible.
- Text Messages & Emails (1,050,000 messages): Text-only messages (e.g. WhatsApp and plain-text emails) use very little data. In fact, you can send or receive 1,050,000 text-only messages with 3GB of data.
More Information
Our full guide to mobile download limits has more information, including how to work out how much data you need.
Once you've decided how much data you need, we've summarised the best Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go SIM cards across a variety of price points in the UK.
Mark said:
I enjoy the no worry of unlimited. I can easily read articles like this and get lost following all the branch off topics and then have no time left.
I would really be in a pinch if I used up all my data without concern, reading about duck wing feather mites in birds of the pine forested area of Kanuckistan or somewhere, and have no time left to read a bus schedule the next day.
The extra cost is worth it to me. Hell, I used 2gb just trying to read the comparison chart for 2gb.
Dre replied:
😂 😂
Angela said:
I just bought Pay As You Go card (it said £15 25GB on it, but I paid £1 for the card).
I then bought £10 top-up for it and put it on…… I was lazy and couldn’t be bothered to go downstairs to see what the internet code was and so went on to mobile data.
17 minutes later my £10 was used up.
This was my first experience with my new Smart Phone. I will be going back to my Samsung Flip phone which DOES only cost me £10 per month for unlimited calls and texts. I do NOT need internet and photos and all this malarkey – I was getting on just fine (Amazon is useful but if I remember to check when they will arrive I do not really need them).
This is daylight robbery by 3 (and no doubt other companies are similar). I am utterly shocked!
I don’t know what I did wrong, but I expect other people will have as well – what if I had been lost in a forest – 17 mins for £10 wouldn’t have been very long to get unlost and I may have been eaten by a wolf…….
Back to my happy-clappy phone!
Angela
Angela replied:
Another point from me – Angela – I only went on to Google and TESCO website to see if I could log on to the internet – don’t recall anything else, and I updated some settings on my new phone….. I didn’t upload or download anything or add any Word or Excel docs; I looked up the word ‘squirrel’ and I don’t think much else….
I am off to the 3G phone shop tomorrow, but for me – this was a bit like a horror movie!!
I am off to use my laptop now – modern technology I understand!
Angela (again). 🙂
Soundharrajan k replied:
Please refresh.my one GB plans
David Edwards said:
Why am I paying £16 for 12 GB by Three if I can get 30GB for roughly the same by Three. I want to listen to Audable books att night to help me sleep. I’ll be phoning them Monday to change my data allowance. I don’t have WiFi though so hope that’s not an issue as many talk as if we all have WiFi we all do not.
Thank you for your wise words.
Anthony replied:
I’ve been looking through the providers plans and some are shocking. EE charge £19 for 8GB yet Smarty charge about £6for 8GB. I had Voxi, £10.00 a month for 30GB but I just read they are now charging £2.00 a day for EU roaming, so I’ve just cancelled them and joined Smarty on their £12.00 a month for 100GB plan with free EU roaming, Smarty also do a good £10.00 a month deal. 100GB a month works out at 3.2GB per day, which is 6 hours of movies worth everyday, more than enough for me. I also have WiFi at home, so I’m going to just use mobile data exclusively for the next month and see exactly how much data I use and then choose a plan from there, I may only need 10GB along with my WiFi. We’ll see.