10 Must-Know Statistics on How Much Data Does YouTube Use
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YouTube is the number one video-sharing and streaming platform that offers various videos and content. From music videos to informative documentaries, users can stream any video they want anytime.
However, YouTube consumes a lot of data. Data consumption can go from 300 MB to 7.2GB per hour, depending on the video streaming quality.
If you are using data to watch YouTube videos, this article has YouTube data usage statistics you need to know for a finer and more efficient streaming experience.
Editor’s Choice
- YouTube is the second-highest social media platform, with 2.5 billion monthly active users following Facebook.
- Video playing in SD or Standard Definition consumes 700MB per hour.
- Streaming in 4K consumes 7.2GB of mobile data per hour.
- The total average runtime of a single YouTube video is 11.7 minutes.
- In 2022, YouTube generated a total revenue is $29.2 billion.
- MrBeast garnered total revenue of $54 million, making him YouTube’s content creator with the highest income.
- YouTube has localized versions in 100 countries and is supported in 80 languages.
- India has 467 million YouTube users making it the world’s country with the most platform engagements.
2023 YouTube Statistics
As the most prominent video social media platform, YouTube has 30,000 hours of uploaded content hourly. Enjoyed by 2.5 billion monthly active users, YouTube significantly impacted globally.
India has the highest number of users, with a total of 467 million user engagements with the platform. That’s a total of 32.8% of the total population of India.
Knowing these numbers highlights how relevant the platform is today. Despite the amount of data it uses, users are still flocking to YouTube. Keep reading to learn more about valuable YouTube data usage statistics and how much data YouTube consumes for a better viewing experience.
YouTube Data Usage Statistics
Data consumption varies from one video quality to another. YouTube allows you to choose the quality of the YouTube video you are streaming. The higher the video quality you watch, the higher the data consumption.
The statistics presented below are estimations but will help you monitor or track YouTube’s data usage on your mobile device.
1. Watching YouTube videos on 240p or 320p consumes 300MB.
(iNews)
300MB or 0.3GB is consumed per hour when the video is low-quality. SD quality or standard definition quality of YouTube is 480p. Watching videos with this quality consumes about 700MB per hour. It is also the standard resolution YouTube uses to play video streaming over cellular or mobile data.
2. Videos in HD quality or resolutions between 720p and 2K consume 0.9GB to 3GB per hour.
(iNews)
For better streaming quality, you can watch YouTube videos using HD resolutions. Here are the following HD resolutions options you can choose to stream your videos and their data consumption per hour:
- 720p – 0.9GB/900MB per hour
- 1080p – 1.5GB per hour
- 2K – 3GB per hour
3. Ultra HD quality or 4K streamed videos consume up to 7.2GB per hour.
(iNews)
The highest option to watch your favorite YouTube videos is Ultra HD or 4K. Being the highest resolution option, it also consumes the highest mobile data compared to other resolutions. Videos streamed in this quality option consume up to 7.2GB per hour.
4. On average, the length of a YouTube video is 11.7 minutes.
(Statista)
The average runtime of all videos uploaded to YouTube is 11.7 minutes. Currently, gaming content has the highest average video length, with 24.7 minutes. At the same time, music videos or song-related content only averages 6.8 minutes.
5. The average data consumption of a single YouTube video goes up to 136.53MB.
(iNews, Statista)
When played on a standard resolution or SD, 11.7 minutes of YouTube videos can consume up to 136.53MB. The MB consumed per minute is 11.67MB multiplied by the average runtime of a single YouTube video.
Youtube Revenue Statistics
As of 2022, YouTube’s annual revenue increased by $29.2 billion. 5% of it came from its advertisement revenues. YouTube also offers In-App Purchases (IAP), contributing to its revenue. The United States is also the leading contributing country, with $39.5 million in IAP revenue as of June 2022.
Read further and unveil YouTube’s revenue statistics to see how far YouTube has come and triumphed its way to becoming number one.
6. As of Q1 2022, the reported total revenue of YouTube had gone up to $29.2 billion.
(Business of Apps)
As of 2022, YouTube generated total revenue of $29.2 billion. It is an almost 50% increase from its reported income in 2020 of $19.7 billion.
7. The global ad revenue of YouTube for Q1 2023 went up to $6.69 billion.
(Statista)
As of Q1 2023, the reported ad revenue of YouTube is $6.69 billion. It slightly decreased compared to its previous quarter, which generated $7.96 billion. This might sound alarming, but YouTube is still doing well. Advertisements are only one of YouTube’s money makers, and they’re doing well in other aspects.
8. Mr.Beast is currently the highest-paid content creator, with total revenue of $ 54 million.
(Business of Apps, Social Blade)
Aside from advertisements, the video-sharing site also values its content creators. As of 2021, MrBeast, the highest-paid content creator, generated total revenue of $54 million. As of 2023, MrBeast had over 738 videos, 156 million subscribers, and over 20 million views, managing to secure the spot as the highest-paid content creator, followed by :
| Content Creator | Total Revenue |
| Jake Paul | $45 million |
| Markiplier | $38 million |
| Rhett and Link | $30 million |
| Unspeakable | $28.5 million |
| Nastya | $28 million |
YouTube Users by Country 2023
YouTube demonstrated its impact internationally with a recorded annual user of 2.6 billion and 72 billion generated global mobile visits. Wherever you go, regardless of which country your next destination is, YouTube will be there.
Let’s hover over the globe and see which countries use YouTube the most.
9. YouTube is accessible in over 100 countries
(TechJury, YouTube)
With its audience expanding globally, YouTube is accessible in over 100 countries and even localized in most of them. It supports up to 80 languages as part of YouTube’s accessibility features. With captions available in multiple languages, users around the globe will have a better viewing experience.
10. There are around 467 million YouTube users in India.
(Statista)
According to data compiled as of January 2023, India has the largest audience, attracting 467 million members. Followed by the United States, which recorded 246 million users. Other countries are as follows:
| Country | YouTube users |
| Brazil | 142 million |
| Indonesia | 139 million |
| Mexico | 81.8 million |
| Japan | 78.4 million |
| Pakistan | 71.7 million |
| Germany | 70.9 million |
| Vietnam | 63 million |
| Turkey | 57.9 million |
| Philippines | 57.7 million |
| United Kingdom | 57.1 million |
| France | 52.1 million |
| South Korea | 46 million |
| Egypt | 45.9 million |
| Italy | 43.9 million |
| Thailand | 43.9 million |
| Spain | 40.7 million |
| Bangladesh | 34.4 million |
| Canada | 33.1 million |
Final Thoughts
YouTube significantly shaped today’s technology. Not only did it assist everyone in resolving their daily lives, but it also served as an essential platform for others to express themselves.
These data present how essential YouTube is for its users. Video media’s continuous development aims to provide accessible platforms for users and creators. Through this, anyone can use and experience the best with YouTube – whether under a data plan, through 4k resolution, or with a WiFi connection.
