How much does it cost to run an NAS?
An NAS costs about 0.6¢ per hour, 15¢ a day, $4.60 a month and $55 a year at typical use (24 hours a day) and the U.S. average rate of 17.99¢/kWh. Spinning hard drives add 5-8 W each; a 4-bay NAS averages 30-40 W, about 300 kWh a year.
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Cost by setting
| Setting | Watts | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-bay | 20 | 0.4¢ | 8.6¢ | $2.63 | $32 |
| 4-bay | 35 | 0.6¢ | 15¢ | $4.60 | $55 |
| 8-bay | 70 | 1.3¢ | 30¢ | $9.20 | $110 |
At 24 hours a day and 17.99¢/kWh.
Cost by hours of use
| Hours per day | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year (all year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | 0.04 | 0.6¢ | $0.19 | $2 |
| 2 hours | 0.07 | 1.3¢ | $0.38 | $5 |
| 4 hours | 0.14 | 2.5¢ | $0.77 | $9 |
| 8 hours | 0.28 | 5.0¢ | $1.53 | $18 |
| 12 hours | 0.42 | 7.6¢ | $2.30 | $28 |
| 24 hours | 0.84 | 15¢ | $4.60 | $55 |
Cost to run an NAS in every state
The same NAS costs $38 a year in North Dakota and $133 in Hawaii, at each state's average residential rate (12 months ending July 2026).
| State | Rate | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.32¢ | 0.4¢ | $3.15 | $38 |
| Idaho | 12.65¢ | 0.4¢ | $3.23 | $39 |
| Nebraska | 12.86¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.29 | $39 |
| Louisiana | 12.99¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.32 | $40 |
| Utah | 13.32¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.41 | $41 |
| Nevada | 13.36¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.42 | $41 |
| Arkansas | 13.43¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.43 | $41 |
| Tennessee | 13.56¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.47 | $42 |
| Oklahoma | 13.70¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.50 | $42 |
| Montana | 13.84¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.54 | $42 |
| Kentucky | 13.92¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.56 | $43 |
| Missouri | 13.95¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.57 | $43 |
| Wyoming | 14.01¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.58 | $43 |
| Washington | 14.12¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.61 | $43 |
| Iowa | 14.13¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.61 | $43 |
| South Dakota | 14.20¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.63 | $44 |
| Mississippi | 14.77¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.78 | $45 |
| North Carolina | 14.77¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.78 | $45 |
| Kansas | 15.09¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.86 | $46 |
| Georgia | 15.12¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.87 | $46 |
| New Mexico | 15.32¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.92 | $47 |
| Florida | 15.39¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.93 | $47 |
| Arizona | 15.40¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.94 | $47 |
| West Virginia | 15.48¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.96 | $47 |
| Oregon | 15.50¢ | 0.5¢ | $3.96 | $48 |
| South Carolina | 15.64¢ | 0.5¢ | $4.00 | $48 |
| Texas | 15.96¢ | 0.6¢ | $4.08 | $49 |
| Minnesota | 16.22¢ | 0.6¢ | $4.15 | $50 |
| Alabama | 16.44¢ | 0.6¢ | $4.20 | $50 |
| Virginia | 16.48¢ | 0.6¢ | $4.21 | $51 |
| Colorado | 16.58¢ | 0.6¢ | $4.24 | $51 |
| Indiana | 16.94¢ | 0.6¢ | $4.33 | $52 |
| Delaware | 17.79¢ | 0.6¢ | $4.55 | $55 |
| Ohio | 18.25¢ | 0.6¢ | $4.67 | $56 |
| Wisconsin | 18.74¢ | 0.7¢ | $4.79 | $57 |
| Illinois | 18.79¢ | 0.7¢ | $4.80 | $58 |
| Pennsylvania | 20.70¢ | 0.7¢ | $5.29 | $64 |
| Maryland | 21.03¢ | 0.7¢ | $5.38 | $65 |
| Michigan | 21.05¢ | 0.7¢ | $5.38 | $65 |
| New Jersey | 23.78¢ | 0.8¢ | $6.08 | $73 |
| Vermont | 23.80¢ | 0.8¢ | $6.09 | $73 |
| District of Columbia | 24.20¢ | 0.8¢ | $6.19 | $74 |
| New Hampshire | 26.67¢ | 0.9¢ | $6.82 | $82 |
| Alaska | 26.85¢ | 0.9¢ | $6.86 | $82 |
| Connecticut | 27.99¢ | 1.0¢ | $7.16 | $86 |
| New York | 28.39¢ | 1.0¢ | $7.26 | $87 |
| Rhode Island | 29.27¢ | 1.0¢ | $7.48 | $90 |
| Maine | 29.31¢ | 1.0¢ | $7.49 | $90 |
| Massachusetts | 30.43¢ | 1.1¢ | $7.78 | $93 |
| California | 32.99¢ | 1.2¢ | $8.43 | $101 |
| Hawaii | 43.51¢ | 1.5¢ | $11.12 | $133 |
How to cut the cost
- Enable HDD hibernation after 20-30 minutes idle; spun-down drives use under 1 W each.
- Schedule the NAS off overnight if you don't need backups or remote access at night.
- Use fewer, larger drives instead of many small ones.
- Use SSDs for small arrays; they draw 2-3 W less per drive.
Cheaper ways to get the job done
Consolidating to fewer drives cuts NAS draw by 5-8 W per drive removed.
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Compare with similar appliances
| Appliance | Watts | Typical use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAS | 35 | 24 hours a day | $4.60 | $55 |
| Home server | 80 | 24 hours a day | $10.51 | $126 |
| Wi-Fi router | 10 | 24 hours a day | $1.31 | $16 |
| Desktop computer | 90 | 6 hours a day | $3.15 | $38 |
| Mesh Wi-Fi system | 24 | 24 hours a day | $3.15 | $38 |
| Starlink | 55 | 24 hours a day | $7.23 | $87 |
| Inkjet printer | 15 | 6 minutes a day, 3 days a week | $0.20 | $2 |
Head-to-head comparisons
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run an NAS per hour?
An NAS drawing 35 watts uses 0.04 kWh per hour. At the U.S. average of 17.99¢/kWh that's 0.6¢ per hour. In North Dakota (12.32¢) it's 0.4¢. In Hawaii (43.51¢) it's 1.5¢.
How much does it cost to run an NAS per month?
At typical use (24 hours a day), an NAS costs about $4.60 a month and $55 a year, at the U.S. average rate. Enter your ZIP in the calculator above for your utility's rate.
How many watts does an NAS use?
Most NASs use 10 to 90 watts, depending on the setting (2-bay 20 W, 4-bay 35 W, 8-bay 70 W). Check the label on the back or bottom for your model's exact rating.
How many kWh does an NAS use?
About 0.84 kWh a day and 307 kWh a year at typical use (24 hours a day).
Does an NAS use a lot of electricity?
It's a moderate load: 307 kWh a year is about 3% of the average U.S. home's yearly use.
Is it cheaper to run an NAS or a home server?
At typical use, an NAS costs about $55 a year versus $126 for a home server. So the NAS is cheaper by about $71 a year. Use the comparison table above to compare them at your own settings.
How can I lower the cost of running an NAS?
- Enable HDD hibernation after 20-30 minutes idle; spun-down drives use under 1 W each.
- Schedule the NAS off overnight if you don't need backups or remote access at night.
- Use fewer, larger drives instead of many small ones.
Rates updated 2026-10-21: EIA data through July 2026. Typical wattage and usage reviewed against DOE, ENERGY STAR and manufacturer specs. Methodology.