Phone charger vs. laptop: running cost
A phone charger is cheaper to run: about $1 a year versus $16 for a laptop at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $15 difference.
| Phone charger | Laptop | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 10 W | 40 W |
| Watt range | 5–30 W | 15–200 W |
| Typical use | 2 hours a day | 6 hours a day |
| Energy per year | 8 kWh | 91 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 0.2¢ | 0.7¢ |
| Cost per day | 0.4¢ | 4.5¢ |
| Cost per month | $0.12 | $1.36 |
| Cost per year | $1 | $16 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $4 | $40 |
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What drives the difference
- Phone charger: Fully charging a phone uses about 0.015-0.02 kWh; a year of daily charging is roughly 5-8 kWh. Wireless chargers waste 20-40% more than cable charging.
- Laptop: Laptops draw 15-60 W from the wall while working and charging; gaming laptops draw 100-230 W under load. Chargers left plugged in with nothing attached draw under 0.5 W.
Ways to cut either cost
GaN USB-C charger
Efficient charger with near-zero standby draw.
See options on Amazon GaN USB-C charger
More efficient and lower standby than older brick chargers.
See options on AmazonWe may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. It never changes the numbers we show. Disclosure.
Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, a phone charger or a laptop?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a laptop costs about $16 a year versus $1 for a phone charger. That's $15 more, or 11.2× as much.
How many watts do phone charger and laptop use?
A phone charger typically draws 10 W (range 5–30 W). A laptop draws 40 W (range 15–200 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.