📺 TV & Entertainment
How Much Does a Streaming Stick (Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV) Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.4¢/kWh (May 2026), a streaming stick (roku, fire tv, apple tv) costs about $0.17 per month at typical usage — 6 hours/day.
Per hour
0.1¢
at 3–8 W
Per day
0.6¢
6 hours/day
Per month
$0.17
0.9 kWh
Per year
$2.01
11 kWh
Streaming sticks and pucks draw 3–8 watts — the cheapest way to put apps on a TV. Replacing an old cable box with one eliminates a meaningful always-on load.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.1¢
Per day
0.6¢
Per month
$0.17
Per year
$2.01
Uses 0.9 kWh/month at 18.4¢ per kWh.
Cheapest and most expensive states
Monthly cost at typical usage, using each state's current average residential rate.
Cost in every state
| State | Rate (¢/kWh) | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 12.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.11 | $1.36 |
| Utah | 13.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.12 | $1.42 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.12 | $1.47 |
| Nebraska | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.12 | $1.49 |
| Nevada | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.12 | $1.49 |
| North Dakota | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.12 | $1.49 |
| Missouri | 13.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.12 | $1.50 |
| Iowa | 14.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.13 | $1.54 |
| New Mexico | 14.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.13 | $1.54 |
| Louisiana | 14.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.13 | $1.55 |
| Arkansas | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.13 | $1.58 |
| Tennessee | 14.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.13 | $1.59 |
| Montana | 14.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.13 | $1.61 |
| Wyoming | 14.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.13 | $1.62 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.14 | $1.64 |
| Washington | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.14 | $1.64 |
| Kansas | 15.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.14 | $1.65 |
| North Carolina | 15.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.14 | $1.65 |
| Arizona | 15.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.14 | $1.66 |
| Florida | 15.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.14 | $1.66 |
| South Dakota | 15.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.14 | $1.72 |
| Georgia | 15.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.14 | $1.73 |
| Colorado | 16.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.15 | $1.77 |
| Mississippi | 16.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.15 | $1.77 |
| South Carolina | 16.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.15 | $1.77 |
| Oregon | 16.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.15 | $1.78 |
| Texas | 16.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.15 | $1.80 |
| Alabama | 16.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.15 | $1.84 |
| West Virginia | 16.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.15 | $1.84 |
| Minnesota | 17.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.16 | $1.86 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.16 | $1.93 |
| Indiana | 18.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.17 | $1.99 |
| Delaware | 19.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.18 | $2.12 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.18 | $2.14 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.18 | $2.16 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.20 | $2.37 |
| Maryland | 21.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.20 | $2.39 |
| Michigan | 22.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.20 | $2.41 |
| New Jersey | 23.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.21 | $2.55 |
| Illinois | 23.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.22 | $2.62 |
| Vermont | 24.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.23 | $2.73 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.23 | $2.78 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.25 | $2.99 |
| Connecticut | 27.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.25 | $3.00 |
| Alaska | 28.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.26 | $3.09 |
| Maine | 28.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.26 | $3.13 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.26 | $3.15 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.27 | $3.23 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.27 | $3.27 |
| California | 33.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.30 | $3.65 |
| Hawaii | 52.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.47 | $5.69 |
How to lower the cost
- Disable instant-on standby modes — they can idle at 10–20 watts around the clock.
- Stream on a stick, not a console: the same show can use 10× less power.
- Turn down screen brightness or enable the ambient light sensor.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a streaming stick (roku, fire tv, apple tv) use?
A typical streaming stick (roku, fire tv, apple tv) draws about 5 watts in use. At 6 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.0 kWh per day, or 0.9 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a streaming stick (roku, fire tv, apple tv) for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.4¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.1¢. In Idaho (12.4¢/kWh) it's 0.1¢, while in Hawaii (52¢/kWh) it's 0.3¢.
How much does a streaming stick (roku, fire tv, apple tv) cost to run per month?
With typical usage (6 hours/day), expect about $0.17 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.11 in Idaho up to $0.47 in Hawaii. Rates are as of May 2026.
Does a streaming stick (roku, fire tv, apple tv) use a lot of electricity?
Not really — at typical usage it's under 1% of an average home's monthly consumption. Heating, cooling, hot water, and drying are the loads that move bills.