How much does it cost to run a smart speaker?
EIA data · June 2026About 40.2¢ a month at the U.S. average price of 18.34¢ per kilowatt-hour — but that figure moves a long way depending on where you live. Set your state below.
2.2 kWh a month at the U.S. average, 18.34¢/kWh for June 2026. Excludes fixed charges, taxes and time-of-use rates, which vary by utility and are on your bill.
Typical 1.5–10 W. Use the figure on your own label if you have it.
A smart speaker sits mid-table at #77 of 88, which means something else in the house costs more. See whether electronics or something else drives your bill.
This figure covers the hours it is switched on. What it costs while you are not using it.
How many watts a smart speaker uses
Compact smart speakers draw 1.5–3 W idle and 3–5 W playing audio. Larger speakers with a bigger driver reach 10 W at volume.
- Low
- 1.5 W
- Typical
- 3 W
- High
- 10 W
What it costs across the country
Same appliance, same usage, different electricity price. Annual cost at 3 W and the default usage above.
| State | ¢/kWh | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 52.72 | $13.85 |
| California | 34.74 | $9.13 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61 | $7.78 |
| New York | 29.49 | $7.75 |
| Ohio | 19.19 | $5.04 |
| Texas | 15.94 | $4.19 |
| Florida | 15.10 | $3.97 |
| Utah | 13.37 | $3.51 |
| Nebraska | 13.25 | $3.48 |
| Nevada | 13.11 | $3.45 |
Worth knowing
- A smart speaker is never off — it listens continuously, so it is billed 24 hours a day at close to its idle draw.
- Even so, the annual cost is a few dollars. It is the clearest example of an always-on device that is genuinely cheap.
- Several speakers around a house add up to a small but permanent baseline load.
Other appliances
Prices are statewide residential averages for June 2026 from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. They exclude fixed monthly charges, taxes and time-of-use rates. See how these figures are calculated.