There is no fixed monthly electricity-unit figure for an OBS YouTube stream. Your estimate depends on how many hours the setup runs and the average power the equipment draws at the wall.
For the computer alone, multiply its average watts by streaming hours and days, then divide by 1,000. A hypothetical 120 W computer streaming around the clock for 30 days would use 86.4 units; that is an arithmetic example, not a standard OBS measurement or a forecast of your household bill.
Why OBS has no fixed monthly unit count
OBS is software running on a computer. It does not have one electricity draw that applies to every stream. The computer's components, video settings, encoding method and other active work all affect the power drawn at the wall. Runtime matters just as much: a computer used for a few hours each evening accumulates less streaming-time energy than one left on all day.
YouTube's encoder guidance describes a computer or a standalone hardware encoder as possible ways to send a stream, alongside connected production equipment such as microphones and webcams. That guidance does not establish a typical monthly electricity figure for OBS. In practice, the relevant load is the equipment you actually keep powered, not the word OBS in your software setup.
For instance, two channels can both use OBS and send a looping video to YouTube, while one runs an existing desktop for a few evening hours and the other leaves a computer on continuously. Their monthly units will differ even if the output looks similar. An encoding workload can also change the computer's draw, so a label on the power supply or a guess based on the software is not a substitute for measurement.
If you are still deciding whether continuous broadcasting suits your channel, first consider the format and workflow in ideas for a 24/7 live stream. The electricity calculation comes after you know what will be running and for how long.
The units formula
An electricity unit is one kilowatt-hour, or kWh. To estimate units, convert watts into kilowatts by dividing by 1,000, then multiply by the number of hours the equipment runs. Written for a month, the formula is:
Monthly units (kWh) = average wall power (W) × streaming hours per day × days in month ÷ 1,000.
Use average power at the wall, rather than the maximum rating printed on a power supply. The power supply rating describes capacity, not a measurement of what the computer continuously consumes. A computer's draw can rise or fall during a session; a representative average over normal streaming is more useful than a momentary peak.
You can use the formula without a rupee tariff. For a billing period that is not exactly 30 days, use the actual number of days in that period. If streaming is not daily, use total streaming hours for the period instead: units = average watts × total hours ÷ 1,000. Keeping the time period consistent helps you compare the estimate with a bill.
The resulting number covers only the load represented by the wattage you entered. If you measured the computer alone, do not silently treat that result as a total for a monitor, router, lights, cameras or the rest of the home. The distinction is particularly useful when planning whether a continuous channel is affordable; the broader operating choices are discussed in VPS versus managed 24/7 streaming.
Worked example: 24 hours a day at 120 W
For a transparent continuous-stream calculation, assume the computer averages 120 W at the wall and runs for 24 hours each day in a 30-day month:
120 × 24 × 30 ÷ 1,000 = 86.4 kWh, or 86.4 units.
The 120 W figure is illustrative. It is not an OBS benchmark, a claim about a typical desktop, or a prediction for your particular computer. The actual result could be higher or lower; measure your own setup if the monthly estimate will inform a purchase or operating decision. Also, 86.4 units represents only the computer at the assumed draw. It does not predict the whole household's bill.
The calculation can help you understand the effect of time: at the same assumed 120 W, running the computer for fewer hours reduces the computer's streaming-time units in proportion. It does not tell you that the computer only consumes power while OBS is open, either. If you leave it running for other tasks or idle between sessions, decide whether those hours belong in the question you are estimating.
For a channel intended to be continuous, consider the full operating arrangement as well as electricity. A cloud service that runs an uploaded video while your computer is switched off addresses the particular burden of leaving your own computer on, but it is not the same as running an interactive OBS production from your desktop. StreamNeo turns an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream, which can remove the need to keep a local computer running for that file-based format.
Compare with a four-hour streaming day
Use the same hypothetical 120 W average draw, but assume the computer streams four hours a day for 30 days:
120 × 4 × 30 ÷ 1,000 = 14.4 kWh, or 14.4 units.
This is an arithmetic illustration using the same assumed draw, not a measurement or a claim that computers use 120 W when streaming. It shows why stating “OBS uses this many units” without saying how long the computer runs is incomplete.
| Streaming schedule | Assumed average computer draw | Days | Estimated computer use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 hours each day | 120 W | 30 | 86.4 units |
| 4 hours each day | 120 W | 30 | 14.4 units |
These examples isolate runtime by keeping the assumed wattage and month length the same. In your own comparison, actual average wall draw may also change between uses. For example, a stream with encoding and other production tasks may not draw the same power as a computer doing little else. The available evidence does not support a model-by-model ranking that can replace checking your own equipment.
If you stream only on some days, multiply by the number of days you actually stream, or use total hours directly. For example, do not use a daily-hours figure for every day in the month if you take regular days off. Recording the real schedule first makes the estimate easier to explain and revise.
Measure the computer at the wall
A plug-in energy meter that accumulates kWh can help measure a computer's consumption, if it is compatible with the computer and the electrical load is within the meter's rating. Check the rating and instructions before connecting equipment. No particular meter model is being recommended here, and the computer's power supply label alone is not a substitute for a wall measurement.
To get a useful reading, measure during a representative session. Start the stream in the usual way, with the same OBS scene, encoding settings and other applications you normally keep open. If your workload varies substantially, leave the meter in place through a typical operating period and use the accumulated energy over that period, rather than treating one brief reading as a monthly average.
An energy meter may show cumulative kWh directly. If it instead gives a power reading in watts, record a representative average and apply the formula to the hours you expect to run. For variable loads, an average across a normal session is more defensible than the highest number displayed or the computer's rated capacity.
Keep the measurement scope clear. If the meter is attached to a power strip that includes the computer and monitor, the reading covers both. If it measures only the computer, other connected equipment remains outside the result. Note what is plugged into the measured outlet, how long you measured, and the stream workload, so you can repeat the test after changing the setup.
For a channel where the stream occasionally disconnects or needs hands-on intervention, runtime can differ from the schedule you intended. The practical checks in troubleshooting an Indian internet 24/7 stream can help you distinguish the planned streaming hours from actual operation. Use the actual hours for an energy estimate, rather than assuming a broadcast ran continuously just because the plan was to leave it on.
Add other equipment separately
The computer-only calculation is not necessarily the energy use of a complete production setup. A monitor, camera, microphone interface, lights, speakers, router or standalone encoder may draw power while in use. Some devices may already be included if they share the outlet or meter used for your computer reading; avoid counting them twice.
You can estimate each additional device separately using its average watts and hours, then add the resulting units. If equipment runs for the same period, the combined calculation can also use the sum of its measured average watts. If a monitor is switched off during unattended streaming, do not count it as though it ran all day. Conversely, if a router remains powered beyond the stream hours, decide whether you are calculating the channel's extra use or the entire equipment arrangement.
A small inventory is enough to make the boundary visible:
| Item | Include it when | How to account for it |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming computer | It is part of the estimate | Measure its wall draw during a representative stream |
| Monitor | It stays on during the hours being counted | Measure with the computer or separately, but not both |
| Camera, lights or audio equipment | They are powered for production | Add their measured use for their own operating hours |
| Router or other shared household device | You want the full setup estimate | Include only the portion relevant to the question you are asking |
This is not a complete inventory for every studio. Its purpose is to stop a computer figure being mistaken for a whole-room figure. If you are making a prerecorded loop rather than producing a live scene, the required equipment can differ; how prerecorded live works on YouTube explains that format separately.
Turn units into a local bill estimate
A unit estimate is not yet a rupee estimate. For a rough added-energy cost, multiply the estimated extra units by the applicable per-unit energy charge on your own bill. Treat the result as an approximation, not an exact prediction of the next bill.
There is no single domestic electricity rate that safely applies to every Indian household. The Ministry of Power notes that State Electricity Regulatory Commissions determine retail electricity tariffs, and state governments may subsidise consumer classes. Check the current official tariff information for your jurisdiction and the category that applies to your connection. The Central Electricity Authority's tariff and duty reference and the Puducherry Electricity Department tariff-order index illustrate why tariff material should be local and dated rather than treated as a national flat rate.
Your bill can include more than an energy charge multiplied by units. Tariff slabs, duties, adjustments, subsidies and fixed charges can affect what you pay. A stream's additional units may also fall into a different slab depending on the household's total usage. For those reasons, multiplying added units by one per-unit figure is useful for a rough comparison, but it will not reliably reproduce the full bill.
For an estimate you can revisit, write down the measured computer watts, hours streamed during the billing period, additional equipment included, and the tariff basis you used. When the tariff changes, the energy estimate can remain the same while the rupee approximation changes. Check the latest official page or your bill before relying on the cost figure.
If you are deciding whether to leave a computer running or use a different arrangement, compare the same scope on both sides: hours, measured equipment, and the local tariff.
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 electricity does streaming on OBS use?
There is no standard number for OBS, because the software runs on equipment whose power draw and runtime vary. Measure the computer at the wall during a representative stream, then multiply average watts by hours and divide by 1,000 to get units.
Is 86.4 units a typical monthly OBS result?
No. It is the arithmetic result for a hypothetical 120 W computer running 24 hours a day for 30 days. The 120 W assumption is illustrative, not a universal OBS measurement, and the result covers neither additional equipment nor your household's total bill.
Should I include a monitor and router?
Include devices that are part of the estimate you want, and account for their own operating time. A meter covering a shared outlet may already include them, so check what it measures before adding separate estimates.
How do I know the rupee cost in my state?
Use the tariff and billing conditions that apply to your connection, rather than a presumed national rate. State-level tariffs, slabs, duties and subsidies can affect the bill, so check your current bill and relevant official tariff page.