Grow light vs. LED shop light: running cost
An LED shop light is cheaper to run: about $8 a year versus $210 for a grow light at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $202 difference.
| Grow light | LED shop light | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 200 W | 40 W |
| Watt range | 15–1,100 W | 20–150 W |
| Typical use | 16 hours a day | 3 hours a day |
| Energy per year | 1,169 kWh | 44 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 3.6¢ | 0.7¢ |
| Cost per day | 58¢ | 2.2¢ |
| Cost per month | $17.52 | $0.66 |
| Cost per year | $210 | $8 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $509 | $19 |
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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 shop light: A 4-foot LED shop light draws about 36-45 W and replaces a 2-lamp fluorescent fixture.
Ways to cut either cost
Eliminates hours of garage and basement lights left on.
See options on AmazonModern quantum-board LEDs deliver more usable light per watt than blurple panels or HPS.
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Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, a grow light or an LED shop light?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a grow light costs about $210 a year versus $8 for an LED shop light. That's $202 more, or 26.7× as much.
How many watts do grow light and LED shop light use?
A grow light typically draws 200 W (range 15–1,100 W). An LED shop light draws 40 W (range 20–150 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.