Grow light vs. LED bulb: running cost
An LED bulb is cheaper to run: about $2 a year versus $210 for a grow light at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $208 difference.
| Grow light | LED bulb | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 200 W | 9 W |
| Watt range | 15–1,100 W | 4–20 W |
| Typical use | 16 hours a day | 3 hours a day |
| Energy per year | 1,169 kWh | 10 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 3.6¢ | 0.2¢ |
| Cost per day | 58¢ | 0.5¢ |
| Cost per month | $17.52 | $0.15 |
| Cost per year | $210 | $2 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $509 | $4 |
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What drives the difference
- Grow light: Full-spectrum LED grow lights draw roughly 30-40 W per square foot of flowering canopy; seedlings and vegetative growth run 16-18 hours a day, flowering 12.
- LED bulb: LED bulbs use about 75-85% less power than incandescents for the same light: a 60 W-equivalent LED draws about 8-9 W. DOE uses about 3 hours a day for typical residential lighting.
Ways to cut either cost
Turns lights off automatically in rooms people leave, cutting lighting hours 20-50%.
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Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, a grow light or an LED bulb?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a grow light costs about $210 a year versus $2 for an LED bulb. That's $208 more, or 118.5× as much.
How many watts do grow light and LED bulb use?
A grow light typically draws 200 W (range 15–1,100 W). An LED bulb draws 9 W (range 4–20 W). Watts alone don't decide cost. Hours of use, cycling and standby matter just as much.
Rates: EIA, 12 months ending 2026-07. Methodology.