💻 Computers & Office
How Much Does a Video Doorbell Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.4¢/kWh (May 2026), a video doorbell costs about $0.54 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
$0.54
2.9 kWh
Per year
$6.45
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
$0.54
Per year
$6.45
Uses 2.9 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 | 0.0¢ | $0.36 | $4.34 |
| Utah | 13.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.38 | $4.56 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.39 | $4.70 |
| Nebraska | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.40 | $4.77 |
| Nevada | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.40 | $4.77 |
| North Dakota | 13.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.40 | $4.77 |
| Missouri | 13.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.40 | $4.80 |
| Iowa | 14.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.41 | $4.94 |
| New Mexico | 14.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.41 | $4.94 |
| Louisiana | 14.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.41 | $4.98 |
| Arkansas | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.42 | $5.05 |
| Tennessee | 14.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.42 | $5.08 |
| Montana | 14.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.43 | $5.15 |
| Wyoming | 14.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.43 | $5.19 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.26 |
| Washington | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.26 |
| Kansas | 15.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.29 |
| North Carolina | 15.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.29 |
| Arizona | 15.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.33 |
| Florida | 15.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.33 |
| South Dakota | 15.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.46 | $5.50 |
| Georgia | 15.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.46 | $5.54 |
| Colorado | 16.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.47 | $5.68 |
| Mississippi | 16.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.47 | $5.68 |
| South Carolina | 16.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.47 | $5.68 |
| Oregon | 16.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.48 | $5.71 |
| Texas | 16.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.48 | $5.75 |
| Alabama | 16.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.49 | $5.89 |
| West Virginia | 16.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.49 | $5.89 |
| Minnesota | 17.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.50 | $5.96 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.51 | $6.17 |
| Indiana | 18.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.53 | $6.38 |
| Delaware | 19.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.57 | $6.80 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.57 | $6.83 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.57 | $6.90 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.63 | $7.57 |
| Maryland | 21.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.64 | $7.64 |
| Michigan | 22.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.64 | $7.71 |
| New Jersey | 23.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.68 | $8.16 |
| Illinois | 23.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.70 | $8.37 |
| Vermont | 24.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.73 | $8.72 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.74 | $8.90 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.80 | $9.57 |
| Connecticut | 27.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.80 | $9.60 |
| Alaska | 28.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.82 | $9.88 |
| Maine | 28.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.83 | $10.02 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.84 | $10.09 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.86 | $10.34 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.87 | $10.48 |
| California | 33.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.97 | $11.67 |
| Hawaii | 52.0 | 0.2¢ | $1.52 | $18.22 |
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 18.4¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.1¢. In Idaho (12.4¢/kWh) it's 0.0¢, while in Hawaii (52¢/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 $0.54 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.36 in Idaho up to $1.52 in Hawaii. Rates are as of May 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.