OBS does not have a fixed electricity cost because OBS is software. The cost comes from the computer and other equipment drawing power while OBS renders, encodes and sends your stream.
To calculate it accurately, measure the whole computer’s average wall power under the workload you intend to leave running. Convert that reading to kilowatt-hours, then multiply it by the per-kWh rate on your electricity bill.
Why OBS has no fixed electricity cost
The same OBS installation can run on very different computers. A compact desktop, an older laptop and a gaming PC may all stream the same video, but their wall power can differ because of their processors, graphics hardware, displays, cooling systems and power settings.
The workload also matters. A static devotional image with a simple audio source is not the same task as a scene containing several browser sources, animated overlays, filters and a game. Resolution, frame rate, encoder choice and scene complexity all change what the computer has to do.
OBS’s own system requirements guidance says that CPU requirements vary with the chosen encoder, resolution, FPS and scene complexity. That is why a figure such as “OBS uses 100 watts” would be misleading. OBS itself is not a separate appliance with a standard draw.
The useful question is therefore not “How many watts does OBS use?” It is “How many watts does my complete streaming setup draw while running my actual OBS scene?”
Include the computer at the wall, rather than relying on the power supply’s printed rating. A power supply rated for a certain maximum output does not mean the computer continuously consumes that amount. It describes capacity, not the load being drawn at that moment.
If a monitor, speakers, capture device, network equipment or other hardware must remain switched on for the stream, decide whether to include them. For the narrowest PC estimate, measure the computer alone. For a household bill estimate, measure every item that will remain powered because of the stream.
Measure average wall power under your OBS workload
The most practical method is to use a plug-in electricity usage monitor, sometimes called a plug-in watt meter. Place it between the wall socket and the computer’s power plug, then observe the reading while the intended stream is running.
A meter measures the load at the wall, not OBS in isolation. That is what you need for an electricity-cost calculation. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s explanation of measuring electricity distinguishes watts, which describe power at a moment, from watt-hours, which describe electricity used over a period.
Set up the test so it resembles the continuous operation you are planning:
- Open the same OBS profile and scene collection you expect to use.
- Load the same video, audio, browser sources, overlays and filters.
- Use the intended output resolution, frame rate and encoder.
- Start streaming or recording if that is part of the normal workload.
- Leave the background applications running if they will remain open during the real broadcast.
- Record the meter’s average reading rather than relying on a brief peak or the first number shown.
Some meters show an accumulated energy reading as well as instantaneous watts. If yours shows an average over the test period, use that. If the display moves between values, note a representative average over a meaningful period while the workload is stable.
Do not measure only an idle desktop if you plan to stream a video all night. Conversely, do not test with a demanding game running if your actual channel will show a quiet playlist. The point is to measure the setup you will actually operate.
You can also take separate readings for different real configurations. For example, measure OBS with a static scene, OBS streaming a looped video, and OBS running alongside another application. Keep the measurement method consistent, then compare the average wall watts. A guide to making a sleep music live stream with OBS may help you identify the scene and sources that need to be included in a test for that type of channel.
A short test can be useful for a first estimate, but it may miss changes caused by source loading, scheduled tasks, cooling behaviour or occasional scene activity. If your meter can retain an average reading, use that rather than recording a single moment.
Convert watts into kilowatt-hours
Electricity bills normally use kilowatt-hours, written as kWh. To convert an average watt reading into energy, divide watts by 1,000 and multiply by the number of hours.
Energy (kWh) = average watts ÷ 1,000 × hours
For continuous operation, the time periods are straightforward:
- A 30-day month has 720 hours.
- A 365-day year has 8,760 hours.
Suppose a meter records an illustrative average whole-system draw of 100 W. This is an example assumption, not a measurement of OBS and not a claim about a typical computer.
For one 30-day month:
100 ÷ 1,000 × 720 = 72 kWh
For one 365-day year:
100 ÷ 1,000 × 8,760 = 876 kWh
The calculation uses average power. If the computer briefly rises to a higher draw when a scene changes, that does not mean the peak should be multiplied across every hour. A sustained or meter-reported average gives a more useful estimate.
The same method works for any measured figure. If your computer averages 65 W, use 65 in the formula. If it averages 180 W, use 180. Do not substitute the power supply’s rating, a generic online estimate or the maximum shown by a monitoring application unless that is genuinely the average wall draw.
Multiply by your electricity rate
Once you know the energy in kWh, multiply it by the variable electricity price that applies to the computer’s consumption.
Cost = energy (kWh) × price per kWh
Look at your electricity bill or tariff information for the applicable per-kWh charge. Some tariffs use different rates at different times, and some use tiers. If your rate changes by time of day, calculate each period separately or use a weighted average based on when the computer operates.
For a simple illustration, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a 2025 U.S. residential average of 17.30 cents per kWh, as listed in its electricity price data published with February 2026 preliminary data. That is a national average, not a reader’s tariff, and it should not replace the rate on your own bill.
Using that illustrative rate, a 100 W average draw uses 72 kWh in a 30-day month:
72 × $0.173 = $12.46
Over 365 days, the same assumed draw uses 876 kWh:
876 × $0.173 = $151.55
These are calculated examples using the stated U.S. average and the 100 W assumption. They are not an OBS benchmark. If you are in India, use the applicable charge on your electricity bill, including any relevant slab or time-based treatment, rather than converting this example into a local expectation.
The EIA’s electricity prices and factors page shows why a published average is only a reference point. Prices vary by location and tariff. Your marginal cost may also differ from a simple headline rate if your bill includes slabs, taxes or other variable charges.
What different measured draws would cost
The table below keeps the calculation consistent so you can see how the measured wall reading affects the result. The figures use the illustrative U.S. 2025 residential average of $0.173 per kWh, as listed on the EIA’s site in 2026, and are not local tariff advice or measurements of OBS.
| Average whole-system draw | 30-day energy | 30-day illustrative cost | 365-day energy | 365-day illustrative cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 W | 36 kWh | $6.23 | 438 kWh | $75.77 |
| 100 W | 72 kWh | $12.46 | 876 kWh | $151.55 |
| 200 W | 144 kWh | $24.91 | 1,752 kWh | $303.10 |
The important column for your own decision is the first one, once you have measured it. The cost columns must be recalculated with your rate. A computer that draws twice as much average power will use twice as much energy over the same period, before any tariff complications are considered.
If your bill uses a different currency, keep the formula unchanged and replace the rate. For example, if your measured system averages 120 W and your applicable rate is 8 currency units per kWh, a 30-day estimate is 120 ÷ 1,000 × 720 × 8. The result is expressed in the same currency units as the rate.
Estimate a month or year of continuous operation
For a 24/7 channel, start with the hours rather than assuming that a calendar month is always the same length. A 30-day estimate uses 720 hours. A 365-day estimate uses 8,760 hours. A particular calendar month may have fewer or more hours, so use its actual number if you are matching a specific bill.
A simple worksheet can contain four values:
- Average wall watts from the meter
- Hours in the period
- Applicable price per kWh
- Resulting energy and cost
For example, if your measured average is 75 W and your tariff is 10 currency units per kWh, the monthly calculation is:
75 ÷ 1,000 × 720 = 54 kWh
Then:
54 × 10 = 540 currency units
That estimate assumes the computer runs continuously at the measured average. If you stop it for maintenance, lose power, sleep the computer or run a lower-power scene for part of the day, the actual total will be different.
You can make the estimate more useful by recording separate averages for different parts of the schedule. A channel might show a simple overnight loop and a more complex daytime scene. Calculate the energy for each block, then add the results. This is more work than multiplying one average across the whole day, but it reflects the operation more closely.
Remember that a 24/7 stream can have costs beyond electricity. Internet service, replacement hardware, storage, cooling and the time needed to check the broadcast may matter to the operating decision. They should not be quietly folded into the electricity figure because they are separate costs.
If the aim is a continuous YouTube channel rather than learning OBS itself, compare the power calculation with the practical work of leaving a computer on. A cloud-based option such as StreamNeo removes the need to keep your own computer running for the uploaded video, while you still need to consider your channel setup, internet access for account management and the service’s stated terms.
Compare settings by measuring, not guessing
Changing an OBS setting can alter the computer’s workload, but there is no universal electricity saving to assign to a particular encoder, resolution or frame rate. The result depends on the hardware and the rest of the scene.
OBS’s hardware encoding guidance explains that hardware encoders move encoding work to a specialised component and are generally recommended for performance. That does not establish that hardware encoding reduces total wall power on every computer. The specialised component may consume power, and the computer’s total load is what affects the bill.
OBS also describes scene compositing and rendering in its encoding performance troubleshooting guide. A scene that is simple to encode can still place work on the graphics processor if it contains animated or GPU-intensive elements.
If you want to compare configurations, change one meaningful variable at a time and repeat the measurement:
| Test | Keep constant | Change | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline | Scene, source, duration and output | Nothing | Average wall watts |
| Encoder comparison | Scene, resolution and frame rate | Encoder method | Average wall watts and stream stability |
| Quality comparison | Scene and encoder | Resolution or frame rate | Average wall watts and required quality |
| Scene comparison | Output settings and duration | Scene complexity | Average wall watts |
Do not choose the lowest watt reading if it produces dropped frames, poor audio or a stream that cannot run reliably. Electricity is only one part of the operating requirement. A slightly higher measured draw may be acceptable if it avoids repeated intervention, but measure the actual difference instead of assuming it.
For a 24/7 channel, include the full path from source to broadcast in your test. If the computer will display a browser dashboard, refresh a playlist, run an automation tool or record a local copy, those activities may affect the reading. A guide to looping multiple videos on YouTube Live with OBS can help you identify the exact sources and transitions that belong in the test.
Check what the estimate excludes
The electricity formula is simple, but the boundary of the measurement matters. A computer-only meter reading excludes equipment connected elsewhere unless you deliberately include it.
Check these items before treating the result as a household cost:
- Display: A monitor may use power if it remains on for supervision. If it can sleep while OBS continues, measure the computer with and without the display.
- Network equipment: A router or broadband modem may already be running for other household purposes. Count it only if you are estimating the incremental cost of the stream.
- Audio and capture hardware: USB devices, capture cards, mixers and speakers can add their own draw.
- Cooling: Fans and room cooling are not normally included in a PC-only reading, although they may matter in a warm room.
- Standby and restart behaviour: A computer that restarts after a failure may spend some time at a different load from the measured streaming state.
- Tariff structure: Fixed monthly charges generally do not change simply because this computer runs. Variable consumption charges are the part this calculation is designed to estimate.
If you already pay for an internet connection and keep a router on all day, adding its entire electricity use to the stream would overstate the stream’s incremental cost. On the other hand, if you install a separate router or keep extra equipment powered only for the channel, include it when making the decision.
A meter also cannot tell you whether the stream is technically healthy. It measures electricity. Continue checking YouTube’s live control room, dropped frames, audio and any monitoring alerts separately. Electricity efficiency is not a substitute for a stable broadcast.
For a fully self-managed setup, you may also want to read about running a 24/7 YouTube stream with FFmpeg. The same wall-power principle applies: measure the complete machine under the workload you will actually leave running, whatever software performs the encoding.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
How much does it cost to leave OBS running 24/7?
There is no single answer because the cost depends on the computer’s average wall draw and your electricity tariff. Measure the whole system, convert watts to kWh, and multiply by your applicable price per kWh.
How much electricity does OBS use?
OBS has no independent fixed wattage. The computer’s consumption changes with its encoder, resolution, frame rate, scene complexity and other work, so use a wall meter under the intended workload rather than a generic OBS figure.
How do I calculate PC electricity cost per month?
Multiply average watts by 720 hours, then divide by 1,000 to obtain monthly kWh. Multiply that energy figure by the variable price per kWh on your bill, adjusting for tiered or time-based rates where necessary.
Should I use my power supply’s wattage rating?
No. The rating describes the maximum capacity the power supply can deliver, not the computer’s continuous consumption. For a bill estimate, use the average reading from the wall while your actual OBS setup is running.