Phone charger vs. tablet charging: running cost
A phone charger is cheaper to run: about $1 a year versus $2 for a tablet charging at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $0 difference.
| Phone charger | Tablet charging | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 10 W | 15 W |
| Watt range | 5–30 W | 5–35 W |
| Typical use | 2 hours a day | 1.5 hours a day |
| Energy per year | 8 kWh | 9 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 0.2¢ | 0.3¢ |
| Cost per day | 0.4¢ | 0.4¢ |
| Cost per month | $0.12 | $0.14 |
| Cost per year | $1 | $2 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $4 | $4 |
Compare at your rate and settings
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.
- Tablet charging: An iPad battery holds about 0.03 kWh; daily charging uses roughly 10-15 kWh a year including charger losses.
Ways to cut either cost
GaN USB-C charger
Efficient charger with near-zero standby draw.
See options on Amazon GaN USB-C charger
Efficient, low-standby charger.
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 tablet charging?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a tablet charging costs about $2 a year versus $1 for a phone charger. That's $0 more.
How many watts do phone charger and tablet charging use?
A phone charger typically draws 10 W (range 5–30 W). A tablet charging draws 15 W (range 5–35 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.