LED Bulb Savings Calculator
Calculate how much you save annually by switching to LED bulbs, and how long it takes for the switch to pay for itself.
How to use the calculator
- Enter the wattage of the old bulb and the new LED bulb.
- Enter hours in use per day and how many bulbs you're replacing.
- See the annual savings and how long it takes before the extra purchase cost is earned back.
How is it calculated?
The savings come from the difference in wattage between the old and new bulb, multiplied by hours of use, number of bulbs, and your electricity price. The payback time is the extra purchase cost (LED bulbs often cost more upfront than traditional bulbs) divided by the annual savings.
Frequently asked questions
Is switching to LED always worth it?
Almost always over time, especially for bulbs used a lot (more than 1-2 hours daily). For bulbs rarely used (like in a storage room), the payback time can become long enough that it matters less financially.
Why is "extra purchase cost" a total, not per bulb?
To make it easy to enter the total cost for all the bulbs you're replacing at once — for example if 5 LED bulbs cost $20 more than 5 equivalent traditional bulbs combined.
Does the calculator account for bulb lifespan?
No, it only shows payback time based on energy savings. Since LED bulbs typically last much longer than traditional bulbs, the real total savings over the bulbs' lifetime is often higher than the payback time alone suggests.