Gallery: 7 Apps for Mastering Your Mobile Data Usage
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Data is power, as the saying goes. But when it comes to mobile data plans, that power lies squarely in the hands of wireless network providers. Consumers pay too much for too little: AT&T’s cheapest data plan option is $20 a month for 300MB, and Verizon’s is $30 for 2GB. There’s also the risk of overage charges: Watch too many YouTube videos on your smartphone, and you’ll pay extra for exceeding your monthly data allotment. And data management is even an issue for people lucky enough to be grandfathered into now-defunct unlimited data plans. These folks suffer reduced bandwidth speeds as they explore the limits of what “unlimited” really means. Nonetheless, with the help of a few crafty apps, you can wrestle a bit of data power back into your hands. The following seven downloads will help manage your data usage, track and compare data speeds, and help you get more out of the limited data you have. CarrierCompare -------------- If you’re an iPhone user, and have ever considered changing your wireless carrier because of shoddy network speeds, SwayMarket’s CarrierCompare app might be just what you need to make a final decision. The app compares your network’s data speeds, at any given location, to those of other carriers. Upon launching CarrierCompare, just tap its screen to test network quality in your precise location. The app measures speed by downloading a small image file from a cloud host location, and measuring the time it takes for that file to transfer. It also measures response time by firing a signal at the network, and seeing how fast it takes to fire back. You’ll see your test results compared to two other networks’ results within the same vicinity. For example, when I used the app in San Francisco’s SOMA neighborhood, I found that my AT&T network had "Fair Service" compared to Verizon’s "Poor Service" 143 yards away from my location, and Sprint’s "Poor Service" 619 yards away. But keep in mind that CarrierCompare’s data is only as good as its users: The app uses crowdsourced data from other people who use the app. So, if you’re in an area where nobody on a certain network has used the app, you won’t be able to make an accurate comparison. And because the app is only available on the iPhone, it’s only measuring HSPA+ speeds and isn’t as useful for people considering switching to an LTE phone. Available on the [App Store](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/carriercompare-find-best-service/id516075262?mt=8); Free *Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired* [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/about/#faq13)
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My Data Manager --------------- My Data Manager is a data-packed app that’ll keep you fully informed of all your data-gobbling habits. It’s especially useful for people on limited data plans who want to avoid overage charges, but is still handy for people with unlimited plans who want to avoid throttling. Mobidia Technology’s app tracks your data usage on three levels: Mobile, Roaming, and Wi-Fi. Mobile tracks your wireless data usage, and when you exceed whatever data limit you’ve defined, the app will trip an alert. For example, if you have a 300MB data plan, you might want to set alerts to sound when you reach 150MB and 280MB. The Roaming and Wi-Fi reports offer similar information, but are less useful. How often do we really roam? And who really cares about data consumption over Wi-Fi? Regardless, you can set up to three alarms for each type of data usage. Under each section, you can also access easy-to-understand charts that show your data usage over time, as well as a map showing data usage levels by location. Set the app to Detailed Mode, and it will also gather real-time stats on an app-by-app basis. This is useful for seeing which specific apps suck the most data (hello, Tunein). If you want the nitty, gritty details of your data use in a well-organized package, then My Data Manager is for you. Similar data management is directly available in Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), but if you’re running an iPhone, Windows Phone or Android 2.3 phone, My Data Manager can help. Available on the [App Store](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-data-manager/id477865384?mt=8) and [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mobidia.android.mdm&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5tb2JpZGlhLmFuZHJvaWQubWRtIl0.); Free
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Onavo Extend ------------ Sprint is the sole remaining carrier to offer an unlimited data plan, but that doesn’t Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile users have to fall prey to extra fees at the end of the month. The Onava Extend app gets you more for your byte by compressing the data you use while checking emails, using apps, and browsing the web. You’ll need to register your device and download the Onava Extend profile onto your phone in order to use the app. But once installed, Onava Extend automatically does all of the work. The app connects your smartphone to its company’s server, routing all downloads through the servers, which compress your data before sending it back to your device. The app can double or even triple your data plan, depending on how you use it. For example, Onava Extend can compress emails up to 80 or 90 percent. You can also adjust how much you’re willing to give up in image quality in order to save more data. The reroute of data might slow down some apps, and Onava Extend can’t compress data for media streaming or VoIP apps. But for a free app, these aren’t many drawbacks, especially if you live in fear of overage fees. Onava Extend does what it claims. You can even see how much data the app has saved total, and on an app-by-app basis. Available on the [App Store](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/onavo-data-usage-get-more/id423545287?mt=8) and [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onavo.android.onavoics&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLm9uYXZvLmFuZHJvaWQub25hdm9pY3MiXQ..); Free *Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired* [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/about/#faq13)
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Data Usage ---------- While Data Usage isn’t the most creatively named app in this roundup, it does a clever job of presenting your data usage in a comprehensive package. Of all the iOS apps I tested, Data Usage provided the most crucial information a smartphone user would want to know. For example, the app calculates ideal usage (both to avoid extra charges and to get the most out of your data plan), whether an overage is likely, and projected usage based on your data habits. At the top of the screen, you’ll also see how many days you have left in your plan and the average amount of data per day you can use. And, most importantly, you’ll see a battery icon that shows the percentage of data you’ve used -- the battery will change from green to yellow to red indicating the danger of you going over your data limit. You can see the history of your cellular or Wi-Fi data usage in the History tab. From there you can e-mail your history, export it to CSV, or view it as a chart by tapping the Send To button at the top right. This was the only feature that wasn’t as intuitive to locate. But, overall, Data Usage is worth the extra dollar since it gives you a few more useful data points than the free apps. Available on the [App Store](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/data-usage/id386950560?mt=8); $1
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DataMan ------- If you don’t want to track too much information on your data plan, DataMan’s free app is a simple and clean option that gives you real-time reports on your overall data use. DataMan launches directly into its Usage tab, which shows your cellular and Wi-Fi usage. It’s sparse, but gives you all the information you need to know where your data usage stands. Next to the number of bytes you’ve used in the cellular bar, you’ll see the total percentage of your plan you’ve used as well. You can tap either the cellular or the Wi-Fi usage to see how many bytes you downloaded versus uploaded. Beyond that, DataMan features only one other tab: Settings. Here you specify your billing date, data allowance, and when you want the app to send alerts. For example, the app automatically sets alerts for 50, 70, 90 and 100 percent data usage. The free version of DataMan isn’t packed with exacting reports, but it’s perfectly fine for simply tracking data use to avoid overage charges. You can always upgrade to the $2 Pro version for more features, such as app-specific data use, hourly usage details, data usage on maps, and more. Available on the [App Store](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dataman-free-real-time-data/id404513413?mt=8); Free
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3G Watchdog ----------- This Android-only app monitors your data usage and sends you warnings before you pass your data limit and suffer charges from AT&T, Verizon, and the like. And don’t let the name mislead you. 3G Watchdog can monitor all wireless usage -- 3G, 4G, Edge, and GPRS. 3G Watchdog tracks both your mobile cellular usage and your Wi-Fi usage. The app is well-designed and easy to navigate. One of the most useful features is a data counter at the top that shows the amount of data you’ve used in relation to the amount of time you have left in your billing cycle. You can set up how often you want the app to gauge data use, and when the app should alert you. And if you want to further analyze your data, you can access a detailed report of how much data you’ve sent and received on a day-by-day basis. You can even export the report as a CSV file. Available on [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.rgruet.android.g3watchdog&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsIm5ldC5yZ3J1ZXQuYW5kcm9pZC5nM3dhdGNoZG9nIl0.); Free *Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired* [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/about/#faq13)
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Speedtest.net ------------- The Speedtest.net app is made for the pure speed freak. The app measures your phone’s download, upload, and ping speeds in less than a minute, giving you a simple picture of your network’s current speeds. You can choose to see your speed results in either kbps, Mbps, or kB/s. Since the app only captures speed tests, there aren’t many other customization options. The app’s interface, however, is very easy to use and pleasant to look at with its futuristic style and animations. If you’re especially interested in analyzing your Speedtest.net data, you can export your results to CSV or email. You’ll also be able to see fine details of every testing run, including what type of network you were on at the time, the external and internal IP addresses, the latitude and longitude coordinates, and more. I only wish I could see speed results in a map view to quickly determine where my network performs best. And because the app does collect location information, it doesn’t seem like this would be too hard to implement. Otherwise, Speedtest.net is a one-trick app that does its trick well. Available on the [App Store](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/speedtest-net-mobile-speed/id300704847?mt=8&ign-impt=clickRef%3DSoftware%2520Page-US-Speedtest.net%2520Mobile%2520Speed%2520Test-300704847-Lockup) and [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.zwanoo.android.speedtest&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsIm9yZy56d2Fub28uYW5kcm9pZC5zcGVlZHRlc3QiXQ..); Free
