YouTube is an excellent platform to search for different audio and videos. When you want to enjoy music without going for options like Spotify or Apple Music, you can choose to use YouTube Music.
The only concern many users have is the amount of data required to use YouTube Music comfortably. The cost will depend on different factors, and we will see how much data YouTube Music uses by the end of the post.
Factors that affect the data consumption rate include the data rate, file type, etc. When using a low data rate of 48-96kbps, you can use around 43Mb/hour. For the normal data rate of 128-160kbps, the data usage is about 72Mb/hour. Lastly, the high data rate of 192-320kbps will consume around 115Mb/hour. Holding other factors constant, that’s the amount of data YouTube Music will use.
We will discuss YouTube Music in detail. We will see the estimated amount of data it requires while giving tips on how best to reduce the amount of data it consumes. Let’s begin!
Can You Play Music on YouTube?
Yes, you can. Many YouTube users rely on the platform to watch videos or join live streams. With YouTube, you can find tons of videos in different categories. Moreover, you can use it to listen to music when engaging in other tasks. When you search for music on YouTube, you can leave your smart TV, computer, or phone playing the music.
The only drawback is that when enjoying YouTube Music on a mobile phone, you can’t leave the YouTube screen or turn off the screen. Doing so will immediately stop the music. Nonetheless, YouTube Music is a cheap way to enjoy music, as you only need an active internet connection.
Once you do, search for any music or playlist, play it, and leave your device on and connected to the internet for the music to keep playing.
How Much Data Does YouTube Music Use?
When enjoying YouTube Music, it’s wise understanding the amount of data it consumes. That way, you can know how best to budget for it or control the data usage.
When talking about YouTube Music, you must understand that the data usage rate depends on the quality of the music stream. The music’s bitrate will reflect the amount of data being consumed.
YouTube Music has three data rate options. If you are on the free mode, you can consecutively use the low or normal rates at 48kbps and 128kbps. Premium users can enable the high data rate, which stands at an average of 256kbps.
The amount of data YouTube Music will use will depend on your data rate. For the low data rate, which is around 48 to 96kbps, your data usage is about 43Mb/hour.
For the normal data rate of around 128 to 160kbps, the data usage is approximately 72Mb/hour. For the high data rate option of about 192 to 320kbps, the data usage is approximately 115Mb/hour.
Despite these estimates, data usage can increase due to the bit depth, file type, and other factors. If you want to reduce this data usage, ensure you don’t have any data-consuming apps running in the background. Still, close other tabs and pause any updates or downloads.
Conclusion
YouTube Music consumes varying data amounts depending on your data rate. If using the low data rate, you can consume 43Mb/hour. For the normal data rate, the data usage is about 72Mb/hour.
As for the high data rate, the data usage is approximately 115Mb/hour. This post has explained everything about data usage by YouTube Music.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both platforms are excellent options for listening to music, and your preference determines which is the best. Spotify is a better choice if your focus is purely on streaming music without interruptions.
The amount of data YouTube Music uses will depend on the data rate option you wish to use. You will incur a high data usage rate for a high data rate.
