How much does it cost to run a tablet charging?
A tablet charging costs about 0.3¢ per hour, 0.4¢ a day, $0.14 a month and $2 a year at typical use (1.5 hours a day) and the U.S. average rate of 17.99¢/kWh. An iPad battery holds about 0.03 kWh; daily charging uses roughly 10-15 kWh a year including charger losses.
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Cost by setting
| Setting | Watts | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kindle / e-reader | 5 | 0.09¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.05 | $1 |
| iPad / tablet | 15 | 0.3¢ | 0.4¢ | $0.14 | $2 |
| iPad Pro fast charge | 30 | 0.5¢ | 0.9¢ | $0.26 | $3 |
At 1.5 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 | 0.02 | 0.3¢ | $0.09 | $1 |
| 2 hours | 0.03 | 0.6¢ | $0.18 | $2 |
| 4 hours | 0.06 | 1.1¢ | $0.34 | $4 |
| 8 hours | 0.12 | 2.2¢ | $0.67 | $8 |
| 12 hours | 0.18 | 3.3¢ | $0.99 | $12 |
| 24 hours | 0.36 | 6.5¢ | $1.97 | $24 |
Cost to run a tablet charging in every state
The same tablet charging costs $1 a year in North Dakota and $4 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¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.09 | $1 |
| Idaho | 12.65¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.10 | $1 |
| Nebraska | 12.86¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.10 | $1 |
| Louisiana | 12.99¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.10 | $1 |
| Utah | 13.32¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.10 | $1 |
| Nevada | 13.36¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.10 | $1 |
| Arkansas | 13.43¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.10 | $1 |
| Tennessee | 13.56¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.10 | $1 |
| Oklahoma | 13.70¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.10 | $1 |
| Montana | 13.84¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.10 | $1 |
| Kentucky | 13.92¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.10 | $1 |
| Missouri | 13.95¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.11 | $1 |
| Wyoming | 14.01¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.11 | $1 |
| Washington | 14.12¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.11 | $1 |
| Iowa | 14.13¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.11 | $1 |
| South Dakota | 14.20¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.11 | $1 |
| Mississippi | 14.77¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.11 | $1 |
| North Carolina | 14.77¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.11 | $1 |
| Kansas | 15.09¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.11 | $1 |
| Georgia | 15.12¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.11 | $1 |
| New Mexico | 15.32¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1 |
| Florida | 15.39¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1 |
| Arizona | 15.40¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1 |
| West Virginia | 15.48¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1 |
| Oregon | 15.50¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1 |
| South Carolina | 15.64¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1 |
| Texas | 15.96¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1 |
| Minnesota | 16.22¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1 |
| Alabama | 16.44¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1 |
| Virginia | 16.48¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1 |
| Colorado | 16.58¢ | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1 |
| Indiana | 16.94¢ | 0.3¢ | $0.13 | $2 |
| Delaware | 17.79¢ | 0.3¢ | $0.13 | $2 |
| Ohio | 18.25¢ | 0.3¢ | $0.14 | $2 |
| Wisconsin | 18.74¢ | 0.3¢ | $0.14 | $2 |
| Illinois | 18.79¢ | 0.3¢ | $0.14 | $2 |
| Pennsylvania | 20.70¢ | 0.3¢ | $0.16 | $2 |
| Maryland | 21.03¢ | 0.3¢ | $0.16 | $2 |
| Michigan | 21.05¢ | 0.3¢ | $0.16 | $2 |
| New Jersey | 23.78¢ | 0.4¢ | $0.18 | $2 |
| Vermont | 23.80¢ | 0.4¢ | $0.18 | $2 |
| District of Columbia | 24.20¢ | 0.4¢ | $0.18 | $2 |
| New Hampshire | 26.67¢ | 0.4¢ | $0.20 | $2 |
| Alaska | 26.85¢ | 0.4¢ | $0.20 | $2 |
| Connecticut | 27.99¢ | 0.4¢ | $0.21 | $3 |
| New York | 28.39¢ | 0.4¢ | $0.21 | $3 |
| Rhode Island | 29.27¢ | 0.4¢ | $0.22 | $3 |
| Maine | 29.31¢ | 0.4¢ | $0.22 | $3 |
| Massachusetts | 30.43¢ | 0.5¢ | $0.23 | $3 |
| California | 32.99¢ | 0.5¢ | $0.25 | $3 |
| Hawaii | 43.51¢ | 0.7¢ | $0.33 | $4 |
How to cut the cost
- Lower screen brightness and enable auto-brightness to cut charging needs.
- Unplug the charger when charging finishes overnight if it's an old model.
- Use an e-reader for reading; it uses about a tenth of the energy of a tablet.
Cheaper ways to get the job done
Efficient, low-standby charger.
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Compare with similar appliances
| Appliance | Watts | Typical use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tablet charging | 15 | 1.5 hours a day | $0.14 | $2 |
| Phone charger | 10 | 2 hours a day | $0.12 | $1 |
| Laptop | 40 | 6 hours a day | $1.36 | $16 |
| Mac mini | 12 | 8 hours a day | $0.61 | $7 |
| MacBook | 25 | 6 hours a day | $0.85 | $10 |
| Computer monitor | 25 | 6 hours a day | $0.85 | $10 |
| iMac / all-in-one computer | 60 | 6 hours a day | $2.07 | $25 |
Head-to-head comparisons
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a tablet charging per hour?
A tablet charging drawing 15 watts uses 0.01 kWh per hour. At the U.S. average of 17.99¢/kWh that's 0.3¢ per hour. In North Dakota (12.32¢) it's 0.2¢. In Hawaii (43.51¢) it's 0.7¢.
How much does it cost to run a tablet charging per month?
At typical use (1.5 hours a day), a tablet charging costs about $0.14 a month and $2 a year, at the U.S. average rate. Enter your ZIP in the calculator above for your utility's rate.
How many watts does a tablet charging use?
Most tablet chargings use 5 to 35 watts, depending on the setting (kindle / e-reader 5 W, ipad / tablet 15 W, ipad pro fast charge 30 W). Plugged in but off, it still draws about 0.1 W of standby power. Check the label on the back or bottom for your model's exact rating.
How many kWh does a tablet charging use?
About 0.02 kWh a day and 9 kWh a year at typical use (1.5 hours a day).
Does a tablet charging use a lot of electricity?
No. At about 9 kWh a year it's a small share (0.1%) of the average U.S. home's 10,492 kWh.
Is it cheaper to run a tablet charging or a phone charger?
At typical use, a tablet charging costs about $2 a year versus $1 for a phone charger. So the phone charger is cheaper by about $0 a year. Use the comparison table above to compare them at your own settings.
How can I lower the cost of running a tablet charging?
- Lower screen brightness and enable auto-brightness to cut charging needs.
- Unplug the charger when charging finishes overnight if it's an old model.
- Use an e-reader for reading; it uses about a tenth of the energy of a tablet.
Rates updated 2026-10-21: EIA data through July 2026. Typical wattage and usage reviewed against DOE, ENERGY STAR and manufacturer specs. Methodology.