It's the question we're asked more than any other before checkout: how much data will my 4G camera actually use? The honest answer is "it depends on how the camera is designed and how you use it" — but the factors are simple, and once you understand them you can size a SIM plan with confidence instead of guesswork.
What uses data — and what doesn't
A common misconception is that a 4G camera is streaming constantly, like a phone on a video call all day. A well-designed one isn't. Data is consumed by four things:
- Live viewing. Data flows only while you're actually watching in the app. A quick evening check of the gate uses a trivial amount; leaving a live stream running on your office monitor all day uses a lot.
- Alert clips. When person or vehicle detection triggers, a short clip is pushed to your phone. These are small, and on most sites there are a handful a day.
- Cloud uploads — if your camera depends on them. This is the big one. Cameras built around cloud storage upload footage continuously, which burns data around the clock. Cameras that record locally don't.
- Housekeeping. Keep-alive pings, app connections and occasional firmware updates — background noise, a rounding error next to the other three.
The design choice that changes everything: local recording
Our cameras record 24/7 to a memory card inside the camera (64GB included, expandable to 256GB) rather than streaming everything to a cloud server. Footage is written locally for free, and mobile data is only spent on the things you actually want pushed to you: alert clips and whatever live viewing you choose to do. That single design decision is why a camera watching a gateway all month can run on a modest plan, while a cloud-first camera on the same gateway would need a far bigger one.
Rules of thumb for sizing a plan
Every camera and resolution setting differs, so treat these as rules of thumb rather than lab figures:
- Light use — alert clips plus the odd live check-in: a small monthly allowance is typically plenty. This is the pattern for most gateways, yards and vacant sites.
- Moderate use — several live check-ins a day, busy detection zones: a mid-tier allowance gives comfortable headroom.
- Heavy use — long daily live viewing sessions or many cameras' alerts to many phones: budget generously, or reconsider whether continuous viewing is what you actually need (recorded footage is always there on the card).
Two practical tips that cut usage meaningfully: set detection zones so passing traffic on a road doesn't trigger clips all day, and watch live in standard rather than maximum quality when you're just checking — you can always pull the full-quality recording from the card if something matters.
Why the SIM itself matters as much as the plan
Data allowance is only half the SIM decision. The other half is which network the SIM can use. A single-network SIM in a rural postcode is a coverage gamble; our multi-network streaming SIM connects through EE, O2, Three or Vodafone — whichever is strongest at the camera's exact mounting point — with plans from £5 per month when paid annually. It ships in the box with the Solar 360 Mini and works in any unlocked 4G camera, including ones you already own.
The bottom line
With local recording and sensible detection zones, a 4G security camera is a light data user, not a heavy one — alert clips and check-ins, not a round-the-clock stream. Choose a camera that doesn't force footage through the cloud, pair it with a multi-network SIM, start on a modest plan and move up only if your viewing habits demand it.
Unsure what your site needs? Ask our UK team — tell us what you're watching and how often you'll check it, and we'll recommend a plan honestly. More background: how security cameras work without WiFi.