Top Apps for Monitoring Mobile Data Usage

Many mobile devices are attached to service plans that restrict the amount of data they can transfer online. To help avoid exceeding these limits, you can monitor data usage of a smartphone or tablet using these apps. Some of these apps are free while others charge varying prices.

For more information on how to most effectively use these apps, see: How to Check and Manage Network Data Usage of Mobile Devices

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Data Usage

This app for iOS devices includes all of the essential features of a data monitoring system – easy install, the ability to track over time periods that match a user's billing cycles, separate tracking for cellular and Wi-Fi data, historical usage reports, and the ability to set thresholds and receive notifications for exceeded limits. An available Pro version includes more options for configuring customized trackers that might appeal to techies.

See Data Usage for Android and Data Usage for iOS

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3G Watchdog

This popular usage manager for Android devices provides a helpful option to automatically turn off cellular network access if usage exceeds defined thresholds. Developed years ago originally for 3G, the app supports newer 4G connections also.

Some users have stated that the app significantly undercounts data usage, however, possibly ignoring data sources like email attachments. The Pro version additionally supports reporting usage per application, historical charting, and the ability to ignore uploads (to match how some providers do billing).

See 3G Watchdog and 3G Watchdog Pro for Android

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DataMan

This app reports usage not only for a device's cellular communication but also for Wi-Fi connections. Some key features like tracking data usage on per-app basis are limited to the Pro version.

See DataMan Next and DataMan Pro for iOS

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My Data Manager

Per-app usage monitoring supported in older versions of the iOS app was removed starting with version 2.5.1. Conversely, Android versions of the app receive consistently high reviews from users.

See My Data Manager for Android and My Data Manager for iOS

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myAT&T

AT&T subscribers can try using this app to view official data usage reports for their accounts (along with other account administration functions). However, some users have noted that the usage statistics reported lag those on AT&T's customer Web site or otherwise don't work.

See myAT&T for Android and myAT&T for iOS 5+

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My Verizon Mobile

Verizon Wireless subscribers can use this app to check official data usage against plan limits. It offers only very basic data monitoring capability compared to other apps in this category.

See My Verizon Mobile for Android and My Verizon Mobile for iOS