LED vs Bulb Calculator - Annual Cost Comparison and Savings

Same room, two electricity bills - what switching to LED actually saves

A 60W incandescent bulb running 6 hours a day costs roughly $19.70 per year in electricity at $0.15/kWh. Its 10W LED replacement costs $3.29. Multiply by 15 bulbs in a typical home and that gap becomes $246 per year. The comparison table below breaks down electricity, replacement costs and total savings so you can see the numbers for your exact setup.

BEFORE (Traditional)

60W per bulb x 15 bulbs = 900W total
6 h/day = 1,971 kWh/year
At $0.15/kWh = $295.65/year electricity
Replace every 5.5 months = $40.95/year bulbs
Total: $336.60/year

AFTER (LED)

10W per bulb x 15 bulbs = 150W total
6 h/day = 328.5 kWh/year
At $0.15/kWh = $49.28/year electricity
Replace every 11.4 years = $6.57/year bulbs
Total: $55.85/year

Annual savings: $280.75 | 5-year savings: $1,403.77

How to use this calculator - step by step

Traditional bulb wattage - check the bulb or packaging. Common values: 40W, 60W, 75W, 100W incandescent. Halogen equivalents: 28W, 42W, 53W, 70W.
Traditional bulb price - what you pay per bulb. Incandescent: $0.50-2.00. Halogen: $2-5.
Traditional lifespan - rated hours. Incandescent: 1,000 hours. Halogen: 2,000 hours. CFL: 8,000-10,000 hours.
LED wattage - the equivalent LED. 60W incandescent = 8-10W LED. 100W = 14-17W LED. Check the "equivalent to" label.
LED price and lifespan - budget LED: $2-4, 15,000 h. Quality LED: $5-8, 25,000 h. Premium: $8-15, 50,000 h.
Hours per day and rate - average daily usage and your electricity rate per kWh.
Number of bulbs - how many you plan to switch. Typical home: 15-25 sockets.

LED equivalents - wattage reference table

Traditional	LED equivalent	Lumens	Energy saved	$/year saved (6h, $0.15)
25W incandescent	4W	250	84%	$6.89
40W incandescent	6W	450	85%	$11.15
60W incandescent	10W	800	83%	$16.43
75W incandescent	12W	1,100	84%	$20.69
100W incandescent	15W	1,600	85%	$27.92
150W incandescent	22W	2,600	85%	$42.05

FAQ - Frequently asked questions

How much does switching 10 bulbs to LED actually save?

Replacing 10 x 60W incandescent bulbs with 10W LEDs at $0.15/kWh and 6 hours/day saves approximately $164/year in electricity alone. Add replacement cost savings and the total reaches $187/year. Over 5 years that is $935.

Do LED bulbs really last 25,000 hours?

Quality LEDs from major brands (Philips, Cree, GE) consistently reach 25,000-50,000 hours in testing. At 6 hours/day that is 11-23 years. Budget LEDs may only last 10,000-15,000 hours. The rated lifespan is when the bulb reaches 70% of its initial brightness, not total failure.

Is a $2 LED as good as a $10 LED?

Not quite. Budget LEDs often have lower lifespan (10,000 vs 25,000 hours), worse color rendering (CRI 70 vs 90+), and faster brightness decay. For main living areas, spend $5-8 per bulb for better quality. For closets and storage, $2 LEDs work fine.

What about CFL bulbs - are they still worth buying?

CFLs are 75% more efficient than incandescent but still 50% less efficient than LED. They contain mercury, take time to warm up, and last only 8,000-10,000 hours. LED prices have dropped enough that CFLs no longer make economic sense for new purchases.

Does turning LED bulbs on and off reduce their lifespan?

No. Unlike CFLs and incandescent bulbs, LEDs are not affected by frequent switching. They reach full brightness instantly and the on/off cycle does not stress the components. This makes them ideal for motion sensors and frequently used bathrooms.

How much CO2 does switching to LED save?

At the US average grid emission of 0.42 kg CO2/kWh, switching 15 bulbs from 60W to 10W saves about 690 kg CO2 per year - roughly equivalent to driving 2,700 fewer kilometers in a gasoline car.

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