Smart bulbs cost a little more to run than standard LEDs because they keep drawing power in standby to stay connected to Wi‑Fi or a hub. The extra electricity is small—often fractions of a watt—but the bulbs themselves typically cost far more upfront, and thei
The first thing people notice about smart bulbs isn’t the wattage—it’s the convenience. You can command the lights from your phone, set them on schedules, and automate routines with a smart assistant. It feels like the kind of upgrade that makes your home smarter, not hungrier for electricity.
Then there’s the question that follows, quietly but persistently: what happens when the bulb is “off”?
Smart bulbs do use a tad bit more energy than regular LED bulbs. The reason is straightforward. Both types draw the same amount of power when they’re actually lighting a room. but standard LEDs draw no power when turned off. Smart bulbs keep a small amount of power going even when not emitting light. so they can remain connected to a Wi‑Fi network or a hub.
A 2019 study published in ScienceDirect put numbers to that reality. It found that when a user turns off a smart LED bulb from a mobile device. the bulb stops emitting light—but it is constantly consuming power. Among 30 smart LED bulbs tested. 21 had standby power consumption levels of less than 0.5 watts. meeting the requirement set by the Energy Star program.
In practice, standby use is low, but it isn’t zero. The energy draw varies by manufacturer and model. One example cited is the TP-Link Tapo, advertised as consuming about 0.2 watts in standby. Philips Hue, in a whitepaper, said most of its “more modern products” consume less than 0.5 watts while in standby mode.
That standby power has a price attached, too. A single bulb’s standby power consumption is estimated to add roughly $0.35 to $1.30 per year, depending on local utility costs. For many people, that’s the kind of difference that feels almost too small to matter.
The US Department of Energy says devices left in standby mode account for around 5 to 10 percent of a home’s total electricity use. It also points to the biggest standby power offenders: microwaves. televisions. routers. and computers—machines that. unlike a light bulb. aren’t typically treated as background infrastructure.
Still, the “extra” cost isn’t the whole story. Smart bulbs can also cut how long lights are used in the first place. One of their primary functions is turning bulbs on or off at will via an app or smart assistant. Another is scheduling. Together, those features can drastically reduce time spent in use. Many models also offer dimming, which further lowers the energy load.
There is another cost factor, and it’s not hidden: the upfront price of the bulbs. Traditional LEDs cost anywhere from $1.50 to $4 per bulb, with combo packs sometimes lowering that further. Smart bulbs start at around $6—citing IKEA’s latest offering—and climb as high as around $90. The typical price lands around $8 to $15 per bulb, with combo packs helping keep costs down.
Lifespan is where things get a little uncomfortable for shoppers who expect “smarter” to also mean “lasts longer.” Smart bulbs don’t usually last longer than traditional LEDs; they’re often rated slightly under. The extra components that enable smart functionality can wear down over time. On paper, regular LEDs last for 20 to 40 years, while smart bulb LEDs last anywhere from 15 to 25 years.
But even that can be shaped by how you use them. Smart bulbs won’t stay powered on as long as old-school light bulbs in the same way. and that changes the practical picture. The control options—especially the ability to reduce usage through schedules and lower brightness with dimming—can translate into a more economical usage pattern.
So yes, smart bulbs cost a little more to run, even when they’re “off.” The energy difference is small. The bigger tradeoff is what you pay to buy into the system—and how much you actually use the features that let you keep the lights from being on longer than they need to be.
smart bulbs energy consumption standby power LED bulbs Energy Star ScienceDirect 2019 study TP-Link Tapo Philips Hue whitepaper US Department of Energy smart home automation dimming scheduling