How much data does Discord use, and how can it be reduced?

Discord has quickly become a popular app with low data usage for voice calls and chatting, consuming around 20 to 44 MB every five minutes. But is the data usage the same when streaming a game? What about a work meeting with over 20 people in the same virtual room? 

If you’re using mobile data for these activities, it’s important to ask: How much data does Discord use?

We’ve created a guide to help manage Discord data usage and understand which activities contribute the most to your data consumption. We’ve also included alternatives to save data and money for heavy Discord users.

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How much data does Discord use?

Discord data usage varies depending on what you’re using it for, as voice and video calls use different amounts of data. 

Data usage for audio calls is around 3 MB every five minutes, while video calls use 22 MB at the lowest video quality. 

Other activities, like text messaging, use up to 100 MB when including GIFs, whereas text-only messages use around 0.02 MB per message.

Watching or live streaming on Discord consumes around 125 to 175 MB every five minutes. However, data usage is limited since basic streaming is capped at 720p and 30 FPS. This limit increases only if you subscribe to Discord Nitro, their premium plan.

Here’s a table with Discord data usage per hour:

Note: Data consumption increases when joining group audio and video calls. Additionally, data usage in chats will increase based on the number of participants and the volume of messages they send.

How to check and monitor Discord data usage 

If you’re traveling abroad or have a limited data plan, monitoring how much data Discord uses is essential to avoid unexpected costs.

Let’s see how to check the Discord data usage on different platforms.

Check Discord data usage on Android

Here’s how to check Discord data usage on Android:

• Go to “Settings” 
• Select “More connectivity options” 
• Go to “Data Usage”
• Scroll down and select “Discord”
• Click on “Today” and choose the period you want to check

Discord data usage on iPhone

Here’s a step-by-step guide to checking Discord data usage on iPhone:

• Go to “Settings”
• Click “Cellular/Mobile Data”
• Look for Discord to check the data usage

Note: If no data consumption information appears for the app, there is no data usage to track.

Track Discord data usage on desktop PC

Checking Discord data usage on a PC differs slightly because it only displays data consumption for the connected WiFi network. Here’s how to check it:

• Open the “Settings” app
• Go to “Network & Internet” and click “Advanced network settings”
• Click “Data usage” and choose the period you want to check
• Look for “Discord” and check the data usage on your WiFi network

Note: Your Discord data usage will change when you switch WiFi networks or connect an Ethernet cable, so the values may vary depending on when you check.

How to reduce Discord data usage

Even though Discord doesn’t consume a lot of mobile data, as Holafly’s data usage research shows, it can quickly add up. 

So, if you use Discord for work or entertainment purposes, like streaming League of Legends for three hours straight, here’s how to save some data.

Lower voice call bitrate and video resolution

This option is only available for Discord channels. Here’s how to adjust these settings to reduce data usage.

• Choose a Discord channel
• Select a group and hold it for a few seconds
• Click “Edit Channel”
• Scroll down and look for the “Bitrate” and “Video Quality” options
• Set the bitrate to 64kbps and keep the video quality on “Auto” to optimize data usage

When changing these settings, consider these two things:

• You can change the bitrate to a higher level, but this increases data usage and affects participants with a poor internet connection.
• Video quality is set in “Auto” by default, and the highest quality available for non-premium users is 720p; this only changes for those with Discord Nitro.

Use push-to-talk instead of continuous voice detection

The push-to-talk option is available on every platform where Discord is available. Here’s how you activate it:

• Open Discord and go to “Settings”
• Click “Voice”
• Select “Input Mode” and change to “Push to talk”
• “Push to talk” is now activated

Disable GIF and media auto-downloads in chat settings

This option is available for mobiles and PCs. Here’s the step-by-step guide to activate it:

• Open Discord and go to “Settings”
• Click “Chat” and look for “Display images, video, and lolcats”
• Deactivate “When posted as links to chat” and “When uploaded directly to Discord” to save more data

Activate the “Data Saving Mode” on Discord

This option is only available for mobile devices, as it helps reduce data usage on cellular networks. Here’s how to activate it:

• Open Discord and go to “Settings”
• Click “Chat” and scroll down to “Data Consumption”
• Toggle on “Data Saving Mode” to reduce the image and video quality while connected to a mobile network

Other features to deactivate on Discord to save data

Discord has many features that will increase data usage little by little. Let’s start with auto-saving and image quality, which are only available for mobile.

• Open Discord and go to “Settings”
• Click “Chat” and go to “Camera Uploads”
• Deactivate the option “Save to device”
• Scroll down to “Video uploads” and change the quality to “Data Saver” to decrease the image quality

You can share your activity on mobile devices and PCs with apps like Spotify, Steam, Riot Games, Facebook, and many others. This will continually use data, especially Spotify, as it will change what you’re listening to. Here’s how to deactivate this:

• Open Discord and go to “Settings”
• Click on “Connections”
• All your account connections will appear here. To start saving more data, turn off “Display on profile” and “Display Spotify on your status”

Use an eSIM when traveling to avoid excess roaming charges

If Discord is your default app to communicate with friends, co-workers, or your community, using an eSIM can help avoid roaming charges.

Imagine traveling abroad with Verizon or AT&T data roaming pay-as-you-go rates of $2.05 per MB. Live streaming for as little as five minutes can cost you over $350; here’s where an eSIM can help you save money.

Holafly offers eSIMs for different types of travelers. Looking for a single-country or regional eSIM? Holafly has coverage in over 200 destinations, with up to 5G connectivity, up to 1 GB of data sharing per day, and pricing starting at $6.90/day. But, the more days you buy, the lower it gets, costing as little as $1.55/day.

But what if you’re a more demanding user? What if you spend hours talking with your co-workers or streaming God of War to your friends? You need a more complete plan, and that’s what Holafly Connect offers.

With Holafly Connect, you’ll also get the following:

• Monthly renewal for as long as you need 
• Data plans ranging from 10 GB to unlimited data
• Up to unlimited data sharing per day
• 24/7 customer support 

Still using Discord with public WiFi?

Get an eSIM with unlimited data instead. Stay connected without depending on public hotspots.

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The verdict: How much data does Discord use? 

How much data Discord consumes depends on the activities you use it for. Calls use as little as 36 MB per hour, while streaming consumes over 1.9 GB.

For demanding users, Discord can rapidly increase data usage anywhere from 1.7 to 2 GB per day, translating into over 50 GB per month. Just imagine how much a data plan can cost for that usage.

To reduce data usage, disable non-essential features that you don’t regularly use. However, if you prefer a complete experience and without worrying about how much data Discord uses, then an unlimited data eSIM can help you out and give you peace of mind.

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Julio Osuna

English Content Writer

I first started my content creation journey as a freelancer in 2019, before connecting with Holafly in 2021. At Holafly, my travel and tech interests come together in one place as I craft high-quality articles about the eSIM and related markets. My content aims to help travelers stay connected, wherever they are.

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