Data-Friendly Apps

[wickedgx]

Hi All,

So I just got my first data plan with Public Mobile $30/1GB and was wondering what kind of apps everyone uses on the go without wifi that won't hurt the data limit. I have some commute time that I would like to utilize so i'm looking for some sugguestions.

I'm on IOS, but feel free to sugguest apps on either platform so we could help those on Andriod.

[TheGx]

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@Tiprix wrote:

On the app store, there is a setting to see what app doesn't require any internet.  One type of app I would recommend is offline maps.

Additionally, to help conserve data, you can go in your setting to identify which app can and cannot use data.

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Yeah, I using Open Street Maps downloaded from F-Droid and it has offline maps option.

[Tiprix]

On the app store, there is a setting to see what app doesn't require any internet.  One type of app I would recommend is offline maps.

Additionally, to help conserve data, you can go in your setting to identify which app can and cannot use data.

[will13am]

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@TheGx wrote:

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@will13am wrote:

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@TheGx wrote:

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@will13am wrote:

@wickedgx , as others have said 1GB isn't a lot of data these days as the plain text era is will beyond the rear view mirror.  Every site is content rich.  What really exacerbate the situation is the ads, particularly the video ads.  Personally, I don't seek out apps that are data friendly as I don't believe the app has much to do about the situation as the sites do.  That said, the only strategy I have to offer is to ad block as much as you can.  It will save some data, but more importantly it will help to improve load time for a better user experience.  

BTW, here's a bit of perspective on what 1GB looks like in a qualitative terms.  The last 30 day period, I consumed 90MB for maps, 130MB for email, 700MB for web browsing, 1GB for news reading.  As you can see 1GB isn't much these days.  I don't do a lot of social media and even then I need 2GB every month for what I consider to be really basic usage that if I had to cut back on, then I might as well not have a smart phone.  

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@will13am:

You're right about content rich sites and apps using the most data via ads they make you see whether video ad or banners etc, video ads are definetly the worst for using data.

I see you use 1gb for news and 130mb for email, what email app/company are you using and what news site you using?  They're are probably other email/news apps/sites that have less ads than the ones you're using.  Obviously web browsing will use up lots as it's going to lots random sites, so I don't do random browsing without wifi, or stay away from sites with ads.

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I use Flipboard as my news app.  I use it almost daily which explains the large usage.  When you think about it, that's only 30 MB per day average which isn't that much.  My email app is Gmail.  I sync 13 accounts with it.  So lots of mail to delete daily. 

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@will13am:

Yeah, when you checking 13 email accounts that explains it, I was thinking that email can't be that much a month - then again some people use Public for their business phone so that would use lots data too, but the 1gb LTE used with wifi at an office or home office or just at home, should be able to work for most people using Public for their business phone.

For news, would RSS feeds be less on data? I don't use them myself, I still read newspapers, but I guessing RSS feeds wouldn't have ads - does flipboard have ads?

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Flipboard is ad supported, no other option.  I do use ad blocking which helps a bit.  Honestly, I haven't researched ways to save on data usage.  I am far from hitting my 4GB usage limit.

[TheGx]

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@will13am wrote:

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@TheGx wrote:

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@will13am wrote:

@wickedgx , as others have said 1GB isn't a lot of data these days as the plain text era is will beyond the rear view mirror.  Every site is content rich.  What really exacerbate the situation is the ads, particularly the video ads.  Personally, I don't seek out apps that are data friendly as I don't believe the app has much to do about the situation as the sites do.  That said, the only strategy I have to offer is to ad block as much as you can.  It will save some data, but more importantly it will help to improve load time for a better user experience.  

BTW, here's a bit of perspective on what 1GB looks like in a qualitative terms.  The last 30 day period, I consumed 90MB for maps, 130MB for email, 700MB for web browsing, 1GB for news reading.  As you can see 1GB isn't much these days.  I don't do a lot of social media and even then I need 2GB every month for what I consider to be really basic usage that if I had to cut back on, then I might as well not have a smart phone.  

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@will13am:

You're right about content rich sites and apps using the most data via ads they make you see whether video ad or banners etc, video ads are definetly the worst for using data.

I see you use 1gb for news and 130mb for email, what email app/company are you using and what news site you using?  They're are probably other email/news apps/sites that have less ads than the ones you're using.  Obviously web browsing will use up lots as it's going to lots random sites, so I don't do random browsing without wifi, or stay away from sites with ads.

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I use Flipboard as my news app.  I use it almost daily which explains the large usage.  When you think about it, that's only 30 MB per day average which isn't that much.  My email app is Gmail.  I sync 13 accounts with it.  So lots of mail to delete daily. 

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@will13am:

Yeah, when you checking 13 email accounts that explains it, I was thinking that email can't be that much a month - then again some people use Public for their business phone so that would use lots data too, but the 1gb LTE used with wifi at an office or home office or just at home, should be able to work for most people using Public for their business phone.

For news, would RSS feeds be less on data? I don't use them myself, I still read newspapers, but I guessing RSS feeds wouldn't have ads - does flipboard have ads?

[will13am]

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@TheGx wrote:

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@will13am wrote:

@wickedgx , as others have said 1GB isn't a lot of data these days as the plain text era is will beyond the rear view mirror.  Every site is content rich.  What really exacerbate the situation is the ads, particularly the video ads.  Personally, I don't seek out apps that are data friendly as I don't believe the app has much to do about the situation as the sites do.  That said, the only strategy I have to offer is to ad block as much as you can.  It will save some data, but more importantly it will help to improve load time for a better user experience.  

BTW, here's a bit of perspective on what 1GB looks like in a qualitative terms.  The last 30 day period, I consumed 90MB for maps, 130MB for email, 700MB for web browsing, 1GB for news reading.  As you can see 1GB isn't much these days.  I don't do a lot of social media and even then I need 2GB every month for what I consider to be really basic usage that if I had to cut back on, then I might as well not have a smart phone.  

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@will13am:

You're right about content rich sites and apps using the most data via ads they make you see whether video ad or banners etc, video ads are definetly the worst for using data.

I see you use 1gb for news and 130mb for email, what email app/company are you using and what news site you using?  They're are probably other email/news apps/sites that have less ads than the ones you're using.  Obviously web browsing will use up lots as it's going to lots random sites, so I don't do random browsing without wifi, or stay away from sites with ads.

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I use Flipboard as my news app.  I use it almost daily which explains the large usage.  When you think about it, that's only 30 MB per day average which isn't that much.  My email app is Gmail.  I sync 13 accounts with it.  So lots of mail to delete daily. 

[TheGx]

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@will13am wrote:

@wickedgx , as others have said 1GB isn't a lot of data these days as the plain text era is will beyond the rear view mirror.  Every site is content rich.  What really exacerbate the situation is the ads, particularly the video ads.  Personally, I don't seek out apps that are data friendly as I don't believe the app has much to do about the situation as the sites do.  That said, the only strategy I have to offer is to ad block as much as you can.  It will save some data, but more importantly it will help to improve load time for a better user experience.  

BTW, here's a bit of perspective on what 1GB looks like in a qualitative terms.  The last 30 day period, I consumed 90MB for maps, 130MB for email, 700MB for web browsing, 1GB for news reading.  As you can see 1GB isn't much these days.  I don't do a lot of social media and even then I need 2GB every month for what I consider to be really basic usage that if I had to cut back on, then I might as well not have a smart phone.  

---

@will13am:

You're right about content rich sites and apps using the most data via ads they make you see whether video ad or banners etc, video ads are definetly the worst for using data.

I see you use 1gb for news and 130mb for email, what email app/company are you using and what news site you using?  They're are probably other email/news apps/sites that have less ads than the ones you're using.  Obviously web browsing will use up lots as it's going to lots random sites, so I don't do random browsing without wifi, or stay away from sites with ads.

[will13am]

@wickedgx , as others have said 1GB isn't a lot of data these days as the plain text era is will beyond the rear view mirror.  Every site is content rich.  What really exacerbate the situation is the ads, particularly the video ads.  Personally, I don't seek out apps that are data friendly as I don't believe the app has much to do about the situation as the sites do.  That said, the only strategy I have to offer is to ad block as much as you can.  It will save some data, but more importantly it will help to improve load time for a better user experience.  

BTW, here's a bit of perspective on what 1GB looks like in a qualitative terms.  The last 30 day period, I consumed 90MB for maps, 130MB for email, 700MB for web browsing, 1GB for news reading.  As you can see 1GB isn't much these days.  I don't do a lot of social media and even then I need 2GB every month for what I consider to be really basic usage that if I had to cut back on, then I might as well not have a smart phone.  

[TheGx]

I using $30 for 1gb lte too, and have fongo for free calls and textnow for free texts, but those apps use lots data because of ads - so I try to get everyone I know ti use Signal Private Messenger, it like any other messenger such as whatapp and wechat, but uses less data.  I use less then 250mb month using Signal calls and text, but the calls have trouble connecting sometimes, but overall even using calls it doesn't use up much data.

I turned off mobile data and background refresh for every single app except Signal and Prontonmail and Tutanota, which makes sure emails and texts get through to me.  Also, using DuckDuckGo web browser I find uses less data than safari. But, mostly turning off data and background refresh for every single app except Signal and Proton and Tutanota, keeps my data usage as low as possible while still being able to be reached by email or Signal message - then I can find free wifi at almost every block or coffee shop to use the high data consuming apps such as fongo and textnow or youtube etc.  To save even more on data, I use fongo and textnow as call displays and never answer calls, so when I see I missed a call I wait till I got free wifi to call them back.  So, my Public $30 plan gets the $10 off per month for 6 months and the autopay $2 off, which makes my plan for now $18/month - which I can hopefully reduce even further by refering many friends to get the free $25 and $1 off.

To summerize, I think the apps that use the least data would be privacy apps such as Signal and Proton and Tutanota and DuckDuckGo etc, because they not collecting your metadata or spying on you or making you watch advertizing etc, like google etc or other mainstream companies.

[SkimGuy]

You can download webpages while you have WIFI and keep them in your RAM so that you can read the without reloading the page.

Also check your phone if they have any "data-saver" or "reduce background data usage" settings which will prevent apps in the background from siphoning small amounts of data while not in use. Keep in mind this may disable some functionality of the app(s), but you can always allow app exceptions

Keeping your accounts synced can also drain some data, you should be able to adjust the frequency which will help if you always need to be available.

Hope this helps

[JuniorJunior]

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@wickedgx wrote:

Hi All,

So I just got my first data plan with Public Mobile $30/1GB and was wondering what kind of apps everyone uses on the go without wifi that won't hurt the data limit. I have some commute time that I would like to utilize so i'm looking for some sugguestions.

I'm on IOS, but feel free to sugguest apps on either platform so we could help those on Andriod.

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Try PressReader. The logo is a green 'P'.   Powered by NewspaperDirect, it provides access to a ton of magazines & newspapers from 92 countries in 48 languages.  Your hometown library is probably already a member, which allow you to download  tons of them, and read while offline.  The magazines you downloaded stays with your device until you delete them, so you can take your time reading them.

Then there are some games that once installed, you van play while offline.  I like Sudoku.

[powerg21]

The last Koodo migration offer was $35/5GB or $40/8GB. Data prices will probably go up so if a similar offer comes again it might be $40/5GB and $45/8GB.  

[wickedgx]

Yeah I agree but 1GB data is better than no data. I was with Rogers $20 talk and text plan before I switched to Public Mobile $30 1Gb/plan (with the deductables its around $28 after the promotions end). I'm hoping I get into the Koodo migration plan in the future with a decent amount of data if the price is right. 

But for right now i'm just trying to make use of the 1gb that i have as best as i can

[powerg21]

1GB data is not a lot of data. I had 2.5G on one of my previous plans and I was very conservative on my usage, My last data plan had 10GB (on Telus) and it was great not having to worry about overage. I would watch YouTube, check e-mails, do speed tests and even broadcast my data for family and freinds around me. The most I hit was 7GB,  Now I'm on a 5GB plan on PM but not I'm really concerned about data usage. 

I recomemend you try out the $40 plan with 5GB and you won't have to worry as much about data usage. I think 8GB is what I want eventually a the $40 price (like a Koodo migration offer).  

[Sbrown917]

I download shows from Netflix on my phone and watch those on a long commute.   Gotham is good

[wickedgx]

I'm a huge user of Reddit but it looks like it uses a lot of data. Any sugguestions of an alternative? 

[stonechucker]

Thank you @Anonymous, my mind was working faster than my fingers again.  I will adjust.

[Anonymous]

Edited.

[stonechucker]

@wickedgx, I've got a 12 GB over 90-days plan, so my usage will allow me a greater amount of data, but I still generally observe the suggestions made by @Anonymous  above.

I've streamed music at 'lower quality' without using too much data, but generally, I download the music on WiFi, then go into offline mode if available.

Checking email, using data for traffic on GPS type apps also don't use too much data.

I would suggest you get a data monitoring app for your iPhone that works on a 30-day cycle.  Your built-in monitor will only do monthly intervals, which is not what Public Mobile uses.

EDIT: Added the word 'not' to the last sentence in the final paragraph to correct the comment.

[Anonymous]

Don't allow OS and app updates while on cell data.

Don't view HD videos while on cell data.

Don't do speedtests while on cell data.

Don't download entire emails...just headers while on cell data.

Don't stream music while on cell data.