How Much Does It Cost to Run an Exercise Bike or Smart Trainer? (2026)
Most exercise bikes use almost nothing. Magnetic resistance and the display draw a few watts; bikes with large touchscreens and smart trainers draw 30 to 100 watts while streaming a class.
A typical exercise bike or smart trainer (30 W) costs $0.006 per hour, or about $0.12 per month at 0.75 hours a day in the US. Cheap to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 5 W | $0.001 | $0.001 | $0.021 | $0.25 |
| Typical 30 W | $0.006 | $0.004 | $0.12 | $1.51 |
| High 100 W | $0.018 | $0.014 | $0.41 | $5.02 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 0.75 h/day ≈ 8 kWh per year.
One day of an exercise bike or smart trainer (0.72 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 4.0km in an electric car
- 7.2hours of TV
- 16hours of a laptop
- 80hours of an LED bulb
Around the world per year at typical use, local prices
How to lower the cost of running an exercise bike or smart trainer
- Turn off the screen when not in use. The display is the main consumer.
- Use a tablet instead of a built-in screen on trainers that allow it.
- Nothing else matters here. The bike costs pennies to run.
In standby it draws about 2 W, which adds roughly 18 kWh ($3.21) per year if it is never unplugged.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does an exercise bike use?
Under 0.1 kWh per session for most bikes, a bit more with a big screen.
Does a Peloton use a lot of electricity?
Around 30 to 60 watts during a class, so a 45 minute ride is under 0.05 kWh.
Do exercise bikes use power when off?
Smart models draw 1 to 3 watts in standby.
Cost by region
- United States (average)
- Canada (average)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Australia
- India
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
- Treadmill700 W typical
- Aquarium (Heater, Filter, Light)80 W typical
- 3D Printer120 W typical
- Sewing Machine80 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz