How to check data usage and balance?

When you’re traveling, it’s easy to lose track of the mobile data you’re using. Knowing how to check data usage lets you see an estimate directly in your phone’s settings, while checking your data balance shows the exact remaining data or days of service from your provider.

In practice, your phone gives you a usage estimate, but only the carrier or eSIM provider can show your real balance. In this guide, you’ll learn where to check on both iPhone and Android, so you always know how much data you’ve used and what you still have available.

How to check data usage on your phone

Before tracking your data usage, you need to manually reset your phone’s data statistics. Phones don’t automatically sync with your trip start date or billing cycle, so the usage shown in settings often includes data from previous weeks or months. 

To get an accurate reading, reset the statistics as soon as you land or activate your eSIM. On iPhone, you’ll find Reset Statistics at the bottom of the Cellular menu. On Android, look for Reset or Billing cycle within Data Usage. Once reset, your phone will only show data used from that point forward. Then, follow the steps below to easily track your usage during your trip.

To check data usage on iPhone

• Go to Settings → Tap Mobile Data → Scroll down to Cellular Data → You’ll see the total data usage for the current period on your active line.

Tip: Make sure your travel eSIM is turned ON and selected as the line for Cellular Data. To avoid mixed usage statistics, we also recommend turning OFF your Primary SIM so the data shown reflects only your travel plan.

To check data usage on Android

• Go to Settings → Connections → Select Data Usage → Check data usage: You’ll see the total data consumption for the current period.

How to check your data balance with your provider

If you want to know how much data you have left, your provider’s app or website is the most reliable option. Unlike phone settings, it shows your official data balance, not just an estimate of data usage on your phone.

Here, limited plans display the remaining GB available, while unlimited plans show the number of service days left instead of data usage. Use this option when your phone’s data usage estimate doesn’t match your plan or when you need a clear answer beyond the current period shown in your device settings.

To check your data balance (app or website)

You can check your data balance through your provider’s app or website. With providers like Holafly, you’ll need to log in to your account and follow the same steps outlined below.

• Log in to your carrier's customer portal via a browser or the mobile app → Navigate to your active plans or the "My eSIMs" section → Select the eSIM on which you need to check the information → Tap on View details → Here, you will find information about usage days, activation date, and expiration date.

How to check Hotspot data usage

If you use your phone as a hotspot, checking hotspot data usage helps you understand how much data has been shared with other devices. This is especially useful if you want to control your internet data usage while traveling.

On iPhone:

• Open Settings → Tap Mobile service → Scroll down and tap Personal Hotspot to see the data shared with other devices.

Note: This shows the hotspot data used by the SIM or eSIM currently set as your mobile data line.

On Android:

• Go to Settings → Tap on Connections → Select Mobile Hotspot and Tethering → Choose the Mobile Hotspot option to see how much hotspot data you’ve shared.