💻 Computers & Office
How Much Does a Video Doorbell Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a video doorbell costs about $0.53 per month at typical usage — 24 hours/day (always on).
Per hour
0.1¢
at 2–6 W
Per day
1.8¢
24 hours/day (always on)
Per month
$0.53
2.9 kWh
Per year
$6.41
35 kWh
Hardwired video doorbells trickle 2–6 watts around the clock. Annual cost lands around a dollar or two — the subscription costs far more than the electricity.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.1¢
Per day
1.8¢
Per month
$0.53
Per year
$6.41
Uses 2.9 kWh/month at 18.3¢ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 12.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.37 | $4.45 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.37 | $4.49 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.38 | $4.59 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.39 | $4.70 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.40 | $4.80 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.40 | $4.80 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.40 | $4.84 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.40 | $4.84 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.42 | $5.01 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.42 | $5.05 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.42 | $5.05 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.42 | $5.08 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.43 | $5.15 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.26 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.26 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.33 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.45 | $5.36 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.45 | $5.40 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.45 | $5.40 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.45 | $5.43 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.46 | $5.54 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.46 | $5.57 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.47 | $5.61 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.47 | $5.61 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.47 | $5.64 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.47 | $5.64 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.48 | $5.71 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.48 | $5.75 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.49 | $5.85 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.50 | $5.96 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.51 | $6.13 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.51 | $6.17 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.54 | $6.48 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.56 | $6.69 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.56 | $6.73 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.57 | $6.83 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.62 | $7.50 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.63 | $7.60 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.67 | $8.09 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.69 | $8.34 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.71 | $8.48 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.74 | $8.83 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.74 | $8.83 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.78 | $9.32 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.83 | $9.92 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.84 | $10.09 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.87 | $10.48 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.89 | $10.69 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.95 | $11.35 |
| California | 33.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.98 | $11.77 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 0.2¢ | $1.40 | $16.82 |
How to lower the cost
- Enable sleep after 15–20 minutes of idle — modern machines wake in seconds.
- Anything always-on (servers, mining, chargers on strips) deserves a smart plug and a schedule.
- Laptops do the same office work as desktops on a quarter of the power.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a video doorbell use?
A typical video doorbell draws about 4 watts in use. At 24 hours/day (always on), that works out to roughly 0.1 kWh per day, or 2.9 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a video doorbell for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.1¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 0.1¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's 0.2¢.
How much does a video doorbell cost to run per month?
With typical usage (24 hours/day (always on)), expect about $0.53 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.37 in Louisiana up to $1.40 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a video doorbell 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.