The short answer: pick by usage pattern, not by unit price
Whether a data pack or a monthly plan is the better deal isn't decided by the price list — it's decided by your usage pattern. There's only one step: count how many of the past 12 months you actually needed international routes. If you use them every month, a monthly subscription has the lowest average monthly cost. If you only need them two or three months a year, a data pack wastes the least.
The two products measure their allowance differently: a monthly plan refills each month, while a data pack gives you the full amount up front with no expiry date. So the real comparison isn't price per GB — it's your usage pattern. Start with the estimate below.
Estimating monthly data: three typical patterns and how to work them out
Data only counts traffic that actually goes through the routes, and has nothing to do with your local broadband speed. Estimate it as usage per hour × hours per month — far more reliable than guessing. The three patterns below cover most people's real-world use.
| Typical pattern | Assumption | Per hour | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light browsing | 1–2 hours a day of web pages, social media and messaging | About 100–300MB | About 5–15GB |
| Regular streaming | 2 hours a day of 1080p streaming | About 1.5–2.5GB | About 90–150GB |
| Remote work | 6 hours a day of video calls, cloud documents and code sync | About 350–650MB | About 60–120GB |
Two variables can shift these numbers noticeably. The first is resolution: 4K runs about 7–10GB per hour, several times that of 1080p; short videos are small individually, but an hour of scrolling usually adds up to a few hundred MB to 1GB. The second is routing rules: only apps that go through the routes count towards your data, and anything connecting directly doesn't.
The type of route doesn't change this. IEPL dedicated lines and relay routes affect latency and stability; the same episode of a show uses the same amount of data whichever route it takes.
- ✅ Look back at the past 30 days with your system's built-in data tools: on Windows, Settings → Network & Internet → Data usage shows per-app consumption, and Android and iOS have equivalent statistics pages in system settings.
- ✅ Add up all your devices: desktop, mobile and tablet usage all count — tracking only one will underestimate.
- ❌ Don't infer data usage from a speed test: a speed test measures instantaneous bandwidth, while data usage measures cumulative transfer.
- ❌ Don't count traffic that connects directly: only data that goes through the routes counts towards your allowance.
Monthly plans: who they suit, and how the ¥9.9/month 60GB math works out
A monthly plan bills every month, and the allowance resets on your activation date. VPNOh monthly plans come in three tiers — ¥9.9, ¥18 and ¥28 — with 60GB in the ¥9.9 tier and 250GB in the ¥18 tier. Against the estimates above: light browsing fits inside 60GB, while regular streaming and remote work are better served by the higher tiers.
The cost structure is simple: a fixed charge every month, whether you use it or not. Its only waste is a month you don't use at all. Conversely, as long as you use it every month, its average monthly cost is the lowest of the payment options.
Another way to see it: ¥9.9 × 12 = ¥118.8. Used continuously all year, a monthly plan costs ¥118.8 for the year, below the ¥158 one-time price of the cheapest data pack. Note this compares total spend, not price per GB — the two products measure their allowance differently, with monthly plans refilling each month and data packs giving you the full amount up front.
Signs a monthly plan suits you:
- You used international routes at least a few times in each of the past 6 months.
- You keep devices online for long stretches: an always-on computer or tablet keeps consuming data.
- Your monthly usage stays under 60GB, or you're happy to move up to the ¥18 tier as it grows.
Data packs: who they suit, and how a one-time purchase from ¥158 works out
Data packs are paid for once, and the allowance never expires. Three tiers — ¥158, ¥358 and ¥658 — with no renewals to manage: you decide when to use it and how much.
What it solves is idle cost. A monthly plan keeps billing in months you don't use; a data pack has no concept of months — the allowance sits there and is still there when you open it months later. For someone who travels for two or three weeks a year, or only has occasional needs, that waste disappears entirely.
Two differences to accept up front. First, a data pack is measured by allowance: once it runs out you buy again, rather than refilling automatically each month. Second, a one-time purchase concentrates the spend on the day you buy, which is different from monthly billing when it comes to budgeting.
Signs a data pack suits you:
- In the past 12 months, no more than 3 months genuinely needed international routes.
- Your needs cluster around specific situations: business trips, travel, occasional research, seasonal projects.
- You'd rather not be tied to a monthly charge, and prefer a one-time purchase you use as needed.
Side by side: monthly plans vs data packs
| Item | Monthly plan | Data pack |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Monthly charge, ¥9.9 / ¥18 / ¥28 | One-time purchase, ¥158 / ¥358 / ¥658 |
| Data validity | Resets monthly on your activation date | Never expires |
| Idle months | Still charged | No charge |
| When the allowance runs out | Refills on the next reset date | Buy again |
| Best for | Used every month | Intermittent or seasonal use |
| Typical scenarios | Regular streaming, remote work, always-on devices | Business trips, travel, occasional research |
Both products share the same account rules: unlimited simultaneous devices, no email address required to get started, 14-day no-questions-asked refunds, and payment via Alipay, WeChat or USDT. Device count and payment methods aren't the deciding factors — your usage pattern is. Tiers and prices are listed on the pricing page.
30-second decision: three questions
Turn the estimates above into a simple flow: ask yourself three questions in order. If the answers don't conflict, the direction is settled.
- Over the past 12 months, how many months did you actually need international routes? More than 6 → monthly plan; 2–3 or fewer → data pack; in between, go to question 2.
- Will your monthly usage reliably exceed 60GB? Yes → stay on a monthly plan and move up to the ¥18 tier (250GB) as usage grows; no → the ¥9.9 tier is enough, and there's no need to spend more.
- Will you go several weeks in a row without using it at all? Yes → a data pack has a lower idle cost, keeping your budget for the months you actually use.
Three common misconceptions and some caveats
Data packs are always cheaper than monthly plans
Not necessarily. A data pack's advantage is not wasting idle months, not an absolutely lower unit price. For someone who uses it every month of the year, a monthly plan costs ¥9.9 × 12 = ¥118.8 — below the ¥158 one-time price of the cheapest data pack.
Reading never expires as unlimited
Never expires means the allowance doesn't reset to zero over time — not that it never runs out. Once it's used up you buy again, which is different from a monthly plan's automatic monthly refill. Work out your annual usage with the estimates in section 2 first, then decide which tier to buy.
Inferring data usage from a speed test
A speed test measures instantaneous bandwidth — how much can flow per second; data usage measures cumulative transfer — how much was sent in total. A 100 Mbps route still uses around 1.5–2.5GB for an hour of 1080p, regardless of the bandwidth figure.
The monthly estimates in this article are based on common bitrates and usage durations. Actual consumption depends on content resolution, background app behaviour and personal habits; they're meant to help you pick a tier, not as a usage guarantee. For client installation and subscription import steps, see the getting started guide; for other questions about data and accounts, see the FAQ.