How many GBs do I need on my mobile data plan?

It’s hard to compare plans between providers when some have a certain GB of data allowance before it either cuts you off or slows you down to an unusable speed.

We thought it might help to use some examples that highlight how much data gets used up when you do certain things, so you can make sure you have the right plan for your needs.

250MB plans

Generally speaking, the cheapest plans you can get cost around $10 per month, but that only gives you 250MB of data.
That equals about 3 hours of standard definition video, or 50 songs, or 3 hours of web browsing. Across an entire month! The average Kiwi spends 3 hours a day on their phone, so you do the maths.
In this Canstar Blue article, even a ‘light’ user is defined as using 1-10GB per month. That means by the time you blow through that 250MB in probably one day, you’ll have to pay extra to top up if you want to use mobile data.

1-1.5GB plans

Next up are the plans that hover around the $20-35 per month to give you 1GB to 1.5GB of data per month. Keep in mind some of these are billed every 28 days, and don’t even include unlimited calls to out of network numbers.

This is the minimum amount of data recommended for almost everyone. 1GB is enough for 200 songs, 2 hours of SD video, and 30 mins of HD video.

To put those plans in perspective, our Starter plan gives you fully unlimited data at speeds of up to 2Mbps, so you know you’ll never run out. Of course, it’s not the right speed for everyone, but it’s our cheapest plan, and designed for essential connectivity for things like music, maps and chat apps.

3GB plans

At around the $35-50 mark are the 3GB+ plans, and we start to see ‘endless’ data plans. 3GB is still only 1.5 hours of HD video. Or, if you end up with an ‘endless’ data plan, you’ll be slowed to an unusable speed after you reach a certain GB allowance.

Imagine you’re stuck somewhere with no wifi, but you’re using your mobile to stream the big game live. There’s only a few minutes left, your team gets the ball, they’re about to score, and then- BAM! It’s the buffering wheel of death. You exceeded your data limit and you’re now being slowed to an agonisingly slow 1.2Mbps. The match might not be over, but your viewing of it certainly is.

Why not fully unlock the power of unlimited mobile data with our Plus plan, which gives you fully unlimited data for only $45 per month?

Higher GB and max speed plans

At the top end of the plan scale, we see some pretty ludicrous pricing for plans that are still relatively limited. When you’re paying $70+ per month for a phone plan, the last thing you want to worry about is exceeding your usage limit.
Our max plan gives you maximum network speeds with no limits at all on speed, all for only $70 per month. We think that’s pretty ace.
In summary, the question you should ask yourself is not ‘How many GBs do I need?’ but ‘How fast do I want to go?’ Free yourself from the shackles of keeping track of your data usage and just go fully unlimited at the speed you need.

Rocket Mobile Capped Plan Overview

Your Capped Rocket Mobile plan is bundled with value, including a set amount of max speed data, plus unlimited talk and text to NZ and Aus. There are also optional extras based on how you want to connect which are outlined here:
What is it How much Do I have any other options
Voicemail Calls to voicemail are FREE Go for gold. And with unlimited talk and text on our plans, you can carry on connecting without worry.
MMS PXT 10 free MMS/PXT per billing period to NZ mobiles then no more can be sent. If you are a serial PXTer you are better to send your messages via a messaging app like WhatsApp or Messenger instead.
International calls & texts $10 for 250 calling minutes and 50 SMS messages to use within 30 days with our International Add-on You can also use an app like WhatsApp or Messenger to contact friends overseas while connected to WiFi or mobile data. If you're on Pay Monthly, if you call or SMS overseas outside of the International Add-on, you'll be charged per minute or per SMS at rates specific to that location.
Roaming For just $9 a day you can use your NZ data, minutes and SMS in our Daily Roaming destinations. Our Daily Roaming Add-on is a pretty choice option. Otherwise you can stay connected via WiFi or a local SIM when you're travelling.
Premium rate numbers Calls/SMS messages to premium rate numbers (e.g. reply "yes" messages that are subject to additional charges) aren't available on our Pay Upfront plans. To maintain our everyday low prices and remove bill surprises, our Pay Upfront plans don’t allow premium SMS or calls. That might mean for example that you need to call your dentist to confirm that appointment instead of replying by SMS

Other things to keep in mind:

  • Unlimited talk and TXTs are for standard person-to-person calls to standard NZ and Aus numbers.
  • Your Rocket Mobile mobile plan is for personal mobile use only.
  • For all out of bundle charges:
  • ● If you’re a Pay Monthly customer (joined before we rebranded), click here
  • ● If you’re a Pay Upfront customer (joined as Rocket Mobile), click here

Rocket Mobile Unlimited Plan Overview

Your unlimited Rocket Mobile plan is bundled with value, including unlimited mobile data at the speed you need, plus unlimited talk and text to NZ and Aus. There are also optional extras based on how you want to connect which are outlined here:

What is it How much Do I have any other options
Voicemail Calls to voicemail are FREE Go for gold. And with unlimited talk and text on our plans, you can carry on connecting without worry.
MMS PXT 10 free MMS/PXT per month to NZ mobiles then no more can be sent. If you are a serial PXTer you are better to send your messages via a messaging app like WhatsApp or Messenger instead, using your unlimited data.
International calls & texts $10 for 250 calling minutes and 50 SMS messages to use within 30 days with our International Add-on You can also use an app like WhatsApp or Messenger to contact friends overseas while connected to WiFi or mobile data. If you're on Pay Monthly, if you call or SMS overseas outside of the International Add-on, you'll be charged per minute or per SMS at rates specific to that location.
Roaming For just $9 a day you can use your NZ non-stop data, minutes and SMS in our Daily Roaming destinations. Our Daily Roaming Add-on is a pretty choice option. Otherwise you can stay connected via WiFi or a local SIM when you're travelling.
Premium rate numbers Calls/SMS messages to premium rate numbers (e.g. reply "yes" messages that are subject to additional charges) aren't available on our Pay Upfront plans. To maintain our everyday low prices and remove bill surprises, our Pay Upfront plans don’t allow premium SMS or calls. That might mean for example that you need to call your dentist to confirm that appointment instead of replying by SMS

Other things to keep in mind:

  • Unlimited talk and TXTs are for standard person-to-person calls to standard NZ and Aus numbers.
  • Your Rocket Mobile mobile plan is for personal mobile use only.
  • For all out of bundle charges:
  • ● If you’re a Pay Monthly customer (joined before we rebranded), click here
  • ● If you’re a Pay Upfront customer (joined as Rocket Mobile), click here