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LED vs Incandescent Bulb Cost Calculator — 2026 Break-Even

See exactly how much LED bulbs save over incandescents — weigh the tiny upfront price premium against years of lower electricity cost and find your break-even.

LED wins

$2,045 cheaper

LED

$428

Incandescent

$2,473

Break-even

Year 1

Bulbs & Use

bulbs
1 bulbs
60 bulbs
hr
1 hr
12 hr
yr
2 yr
20 yr

Electricity

$/kWh
0.05 $/kWh0.4 $/kWh

Wattage

W
4 W15 W
W
40 W100 W

Bulb Price

$
1 $10 $
$
0.5 $3 $

LED wins

Saves $2,045 over 10 years · breaks even in year 1

Best
LED

$428

Up-front$60
Per year$37
Incandescent

$2,473

Up-front$20
Per year$245

Total cost over 10 years

LED$428
Incandescent$2,473

Cumulative cost over time

Cumulative cost over time — crossover at year 1

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Example Calculations

1Average home, 20 bulbs, 4 hrs/day

Inputs

Bulbs & usage20 bulbs · 4 hrs/day
Time horizon10 years
Electricity rate$0.14/kWh
WattageLED 9W / Incandescent 60W
Bulb priceLED $3 / Incandescent $1

Result

Cheaper optionLED — saves ~$2,045 over 10 yrs
LED 10-year total$428
Incandescent 10-year total$2,473
Break-evenYear 1

LED runs ~$37/year vs ~$245/year for incandescent — a ~$208/year saving. The $40 higher upfront ($60 vs $20) is recovered in the first year, then LED saves every year after. And this ignores replacement bulbs, which only widens the gap.

2Whole-home heavy use, 40 bulbs, 6 hrs/day

Inputs

Bulbs & usage40 bulbs · 6 hrs/day
Time horizon10 years
Electricity rate$0.18/kWh (high-rate region)
WattageLED 9W / Incandescent 60W
Bulb priceLED $3 / Incandescent $1

Result

Cheaper optionLED — saves ~$7,962 over 10 yrs
LED 10-year total$1,539
Incandescent 10-year total$9,501
Break-evenYear 1

More bulbs, longer hours, and a higher rate all magnify LED savings. Incandescent running cost balloons to ~$946/year vs ~$142 for LED — nearly $8,000 saved over a decade, before counting replacement bulbs.

3Light use, 5 bulbs, 2 hrs/day

Inputs

Bulbs & usage5 bulbs · 2 hrs/day
Time horizon10 years
Electricity rate$0.12/kWh
WattageLED 9W / Incandescent 60W
Bulb priceLED $3 / Incandescent $1

Result

Cheaper optionLED — saves ~$213 over 10 yrs
LED 10-year total$54
Incandescent 10-year total$268
Break-evenYear 1

Even a handful of rarely-used bulbs favors LED. The absolute saving is smaller (~$213), but LED still costs a fifth as much to run (~$4/year vs ~$26) and pays back its tiny premium in year 1.

Did You Know?

For a typical 20-bulb home running 4 hours a day at $0.14/kWh, LED bulbs (9W) cost about $37/year to run versus about $245/year for 60W incandescents — a ~$208/year saving. LEDs cost just $40 more up front ($60 vs $20) and recover that in the first year, then save every year after, totaling roughly $2,045 over 10 years. And this excludes replacement: incandescents burn out about yearly while LEDs last 15–20 years, so the real saving runs even higher. LEDs win on cost in essentially every scenario; the only reason to pick incandescent is dimmer compatibility or warm-glow preference, not price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q

Are LED bulbs cheaper than incandescent bulbs?

Yes — dramatically, and the gap is almost entirely energy. An LED draws about a sixth of the wattage of an incandescent for the same brightness (9W vs 60W), so it costs far less to run. For a 20-bulb home on 4 hours a day at $0.14/kWh, LED runs ~$37/year versus ~$245/year for incandescent. LEDs cost a little more to buy ($60 vs $20 for 20 bulbs), but that $40 premium is recovered in the first year. Over 10 years LED totals ~$428 against ~$2,473 — a ~$2,045 saving. This even excludes the fact that incandescents burn out roughly yearly while LEDs last 15–20 years, so the real-world gap is wider still.

  • LED uses ~9W vs ~60W incandescent for the same light
  • Running cost: ~$37/yr (LED) vs ~$245/yr (incandescent)
  • $40 higher upfront is recovered in year 1
  • 10-year total: ~$428 vs ~$2,473 — saves ~$2,045
  • Excludes replacement: incandescents die ~yearly, LEDs last 15–20 yrs
Bulb typeUpfront (20)Running / year10-Year Total
LED (9W)$60~$37~$428
Incandescent (60W)$20~$245~$2,473
LED whole-home (40 bulbs, 6 hr)$120~$142~$1,539
Q

What is the break-even point for switching to LED?

Break-even is when LED's energy savings repay its higher purchase price. Divide the upfront gap by the yearly running-cost gap: for 20 bulbs that is ($60 − $20) ÷ ($245 − $37) = $40 ÷ $208 ≈ 0.19 years, which rounds up to year 1. In practice the premium is repaid within the first few months of normal use. Because LED's price premium is so small and its energy saving so large, break-even is year 1 in essentially every realistic scenario — more bulbs, longer hours, or a higher electricity rate only make payback faster. There is no usage pattern where incandescent comes out cheaper over time.

  • Break-even = upfront gap ÷ yearly running gap
  • 20 bulbs: $40 ÷ $208 ≈ 0.19 yr → year 1
  • Heavier use shortens payback, never lengthens it
  • Incandescent never overtakes LED on total cost
  • Premium typically repaid within a few months
Q

How much do LED bulbs save per year?

It scales with how many bulbs you have, how long they run, and your electricity rate. A single 60W incandescent on 4 hours a day at $0.14/kWh costs ~$12/year; the equivalent 9W LED costs ~$2 — about $10 saved per bulb per year. Multiply that across a home: 20 bulbs save ~$208/year, and a 40-bulb home running 6 hours a day at $0.18/kWh saves ~$804/year. The three levers all push the same direction — more bulbs, longer hours, or pricier power widen LED's lead. Annual savings are largest exactly where electricity is most expensive.

  • About $10/year saved per bulb at average use
  • 20-bulb home: ~$208/year
  • 40 bulbs, 6 hrs, $0.18/kWh: ~$804/year
  • More bulbs / hours / higher rate = bigger savings
  • Savings are largest where power is most expensive
Q

Is there ever a reason to choose incandescent over LED?

Not on cost — never. The only reasons to pick incandescent are non-financial: some older dimmer switches buzz or flicker with cheap LEDs (though modern dimmable LEDs fix this), and a few people prefer the very warm, instant-on glow and color rendering of a traditional filament. Incandescents also tolerate enclosed fixtures and extreme cold better than some LEDs. But every one of those is a comfort or compatibility preference, not an economic case — over any time horizon LED is cheaper to run and lasts far longer. If cost is the question, LED wins outright.

  • On cost, LED wins in every scenario — no exceptions
  • Incandescent only for dimmer compatibility or warm-glow taste
  • Modern dimmable LEDs remove most flicker issues
  • Incandescent handles extreme cold / enclosed fixtures
  • These are preferences, not a money-saving reason
Q

Do LEDs really last longer, and does this calculator count that?

LEDs are rated for roughly 15,000–25,000 hours versus about 1,000 hours for an incandescent — so an LED lasts 15–25 times longer, often 15–20 years in a home. This calculator deliberately counts only the first purchase of each bulb plus energy, so it does NOT include the cost of repeatedly replacing burned-out incandescents. That makes the comparison conservative: in reality you would buy a new incandescent roughly every year while the LED keeps going, adding bulb cost and hassle to the incandescent column. The true savings are therefore larger than the headline number shown above.

  • LED: ~15,000–25,000 hrs vs ~1,000 hrs incandescent
  • LED lasts ~15–20 years in typical home use
  • Calculator counts one bulb purchase + energy only
  • Excludes ~yearly incandescent replacements
  • Real savings exceed the headline figure

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Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

This calculator is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Results are estimates and should not be considered professional financial, medical, legal, or other advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making important decisions. UseCalcPro is not responsible for any actions taken based on calculator results.

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