Data is a valuable part of your phone plan, and it can be easy to get carried away and end up paying extra for going over your data allowance. Your phone company and your device probably offer limited information about your data usage – but the best way to track your data, view your usage statistics and set some limits is to call in some outside help. There are some excellent free apps designed to help you keep an eye on your data usage and make sure you come in under your limit each month.
Advanced Data Usage Tracker – Smartapp
Smartapp is available for iPhone or Android, and combines information about your data usage with suggestions on how to improve. For example, the app might suggest a goal amount of data reduction per day to help you stay within limits. You can see what percentage of data is being accessed via mobile or Wi-Fi. Monthly or weekly tracking reports help you understand where your data is being used.
Another great feature is a widget that you can set to a specific time period to show you how much data is being consumed during that time. The speed tester is also a helpful addition, allowing you to see your upload and download speeds for any mobile or Wi-Fi network you are using. It also gives you information about your phone like your device’s memory and disk usage.
My Data Manager
The My Data Manager app is a popular option. Track your roaming and Wi-Fi data usage as well as your mobile data, set the app to alert you at different usage limits, and track the data usage of other family members on the same plan.
My Data Manager can show you how much data each app is using, so you can save your data-intensive apps until you can use Wi-Fi. With a sleek, easy-to-use interface and an information summary clearly displayed on the home screen, It’s a great way to keep an eye on your data usage.
Onavo
Onavo make a few apps aimed to help monitor and control your data usage that are compatible with iOS and Android. Onavo Count shows you how you’re using your data, including a 30-day overview. Onavo Extend is active in your phone’s background. It runs all your data through Onavo servers, which compresses it to reduce the amount of mobile data you need, and tells you how much data you have saved.
Data Monitor
Data Monitor is a free app available for Android. It has a widget so your data tracking information is immediately visible. It breaks down your usage information into graphs, which can help you understand and make decisions on how you use your data. You can also see your app traffic speed and how much Wi-Fi data you have used.
MobiStats
Mobistats tracks your daily data use, and gives you forecasts on how much you are likely to use for the month. The app is designed to train you to use your data wisely by making your personal usage habits clear. You can see a clear overview of the types of data you use (cellular, Wi-Fi or roaming) and filter your results by the type of data you’re interested in – mobile data is most important on a daily basis, whereas roaming might become more important on holiday. MobiStats can even tell you the time of day you use the most data, and provides real time information on how much data your phone is using.
Data Usage
The Data Usage app changes colour to reflect your usage. Available for Android or iOS, this app allows you to match your data tracking with your phone company’s billing cycles. You have the option of monitoring your data in real time, as well as viewing reports on how it’s being used. The app has a predictive feature that helps you estimate whether you’ll go over your limit based on your current habits. Users can set up notifications to let them know when they are getting close to their limits, and thresholds or daily quotas to keep usage within a suitable range.
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