How to save and manage data with Showmax

If you’re worried about your data spend while using streaming video-on-demand services, take advantage of Showmax’s unique features to manage your data while streaming and downloading.

When streaming

Streaming video can use up to 3GB of data per hour, unless you utilise one of these tips.

Use bandwidth capping

When streaming on most versions of the Showmax app, you will have the option to put a cap on your bandwidth. This will help you to use less data.

On your tablet or smartphone, simply go to Settings, and select Bandwidth Capping.

Select Low capping to use the least data while streaming – as little as 0.3GB per hour – or Medium capping, to use only 0.7GB per hour. No Capping will use as much as 3GB per hour.

Watching five hours per week, which is enough for 15 episodes of Girls or 7 episodes of Euphoria, the maximum amount of data used would be:

• Low bandwidth cap (0.3 GB/hr): 1.5 GB / week
• Medium bandwidth cap (0.7 GB/hr): 3.5 GB / week
• Uncapped (1.4 GB/hr): 7.1 GB / week

The low usage setting equates to a resolution of 360p, the medium equates to standard definition 480p, while uncapped can deliver up to 720p high definition. All Showmax apps feature dynamic streaming with active monitoring of the connection speed and automatic adjustment of resolution to the make the most of the available bandwidth, up to the selected cap.

To help estimate data usage, Showmax has created a bandwidth calculator. Choose the required quality level and the number of hours watched per week, and the calculator gives an estimate of weekly and monthly data usage. The calculator is accessible here: 

When downloading

Download series or movies onto your tablet or smartphone using the Showmax mobile apps for Android and iOS devices to watch offline for free at a later time. This is an especially handy feature if you’ll be somewhere without the internet, such as in a plane or a car.

Download up to 25 shows or episodes of a series at a time, and you’ll have 30 days in which to watch them. (Once you start watching a show, however, you need to finish it within 48 hours.)

Download in a free Wi-Fi hotspot

Rather than streaming shows on your tablet or smartphone, download your movies and series while you’re in a free Wi-Fi hotspot.

Download on mobile data at a lower quality

If you have to use your mobile data to download shows on Showmax, or if the storage space on your device is running low, make use of the Showmax quality settings for downloads.

Showmax gives you the option to download on four different quality settings. The lower the quality you select, the less data you will use and the less space the file will take up on your device.

Download on Low Quality, Standard Quality or Good Quality as opposed to High Quality to save on data.

Standard or even Low Quality are sufficient for kids’ shows, especially on small screens, and Good Quality is perfect for your own series or movies downloads.