How much does it cost to run a Wi-Fi router?
We've pre-filled a typical Wi-Fi router below. Set your electricity rate and adjust the hours to match how you use yours — the cost updates instantly.
Typical power 10W
Usual range 5–20W
Category Entertainment & office
A Wi-Fi router barely registers moment to moment — five to twenty watts — but it's the definition of an always-on device: it runs every hour of every day, all year. That turns a tiny draw into a small but permanent line on the bill.
It's not worth turning off (you'd just disconnect everything), but it's a good reminder that the real always-on cost in a home is lots of little 5–20W devices left on together: the router, modem, smart speakers, chargers and standby lights.
What drives the cost of running a Wi-Fi router
- It's the hours, not the watts — 24/7 operation is the whole cost.
- A separate modem, mesh satellites and an always-on switch each add their own small draw.
- It's representative of a home's whole 'vampire'/standby load.
How to cut it
- Don't bother switching the router off — instead, hunt down other always-on devices you don't use.
- Put truly idle electronics (a spare console, an unused printer) on a switched power strip.
- Replacing several old always-on gadgets with efficient ones beats fussing over the router.