Most iPhone and iPad buyers acquire their devices with a data plan. Your plan may subject you to either speed restrictions or additional costs if you exceed a contractually set monthly allotment of data. Use a

DataMan

This app keeps track of your bandwidth consumption from your cellular and Wi-Fi connection. It gives you a nice management system for dealing with what comes over your monthly limit, with four levels of usage thresholds. An interesting feature with DataMana is the Geotag, which gives you information on where you used your data, with a map in the interface. However, these two features, along with some others, are only available in the paid version. On the downside, DataMan does not offer 4G and LTE monitoring, but this is not present in other apps either.

  • Clear overview of data usage and forecast.

  • Automatic reset at cycle end.

  • Advanced features available only with paid version.

  • Can’t track 4G and LTE usage.

My Data Usage Pro

This app policies usage limits and informs you of the percentage reach — more like a guard. You won’t need to log in to any network or leave the app running all the time. It also offers an AI module that learns your usage pattern and suggests how best you can use your data every day. The user interface is simple​ but nice and intuitive. My Data Usage Pro app costs $1.

  • “Smart” data-saving suggestions based on usage patterns.

  • Straightforward, intuitive interface.

  • Not as accurate as iPhone’s built-in usage tracker.

  • Can be glitchy.

Data Usage

Data Usage runs in the background for monitoring cellular and Wi-Fi data consumption. It works with any phone carrier. The app predicts data usage. The statistics display within an elegant interface that includes tabular data details as well as graphs. A progress bar changes color depending on the extent of data use.

  • Compatible with all service providers.

  • Clear, colorful indicators.

  • Lacks high-resolution display.

  • No notifications for projected usage.

Built-in iOS Data Usage Feature

If you don’t want to install any app for monitoring your data, use the existing data usage tool included with your iOS device. To access it, go to Settings > General > Usage. There, you get very basic information on the dates and the amount of data sent and received. Don’t rely on it if you want to be on the alert, as it does not offer the precision that other apps provide. There might be differences between what it reads and what your carrier reads. Every month or every time you want to start another cycle, just tap Reset Statistics.

  • No need to download anything.

  • Simple, basic interface.

  • Must be reset manually at the end of each billing cycle.

  • Not always as accurate as external apps.

Your Carrier’s Web Site

Most mobile carriers that offer data plans include data-usage monitors on their websites. Log in there to check your data consumption, which often comes in the form of a query or report.

  • Typically quite accurate.

  • Easy to use and understand.

  • Features vary by provider.

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