How Much Does It Cost to Run a Streaming Stick or Box in Ontario? (2026)

A streaming stick draws 2 to 5 watts while playing, and most stay on in a low-power state around the clock. They are the cheapest way to stream, far below a console or a desktop PC.

A typical streaming stick or box (4 W) costs C$0.001 per hour, or about C$0.072 per month at 4 hours a day in Ontario. Cheap to run

Hours used per day
WattagePer hourPer dayPer monthPer year
Low 2 WC$0.000C$0.001C$0.036C$0.44
Typical 4 WC$0.001C$0.002C$0.072C$0.87
High 10 WC$0.001C$0.006C$0.18C$2.18

Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 4 h/day ≈ 6 kWh per year.

One day of a streaming stick or box (0.10 kWh) is the same electricity as

Electricity per year at typical use, on a log scale: #6 of 95 appliances, from least to most.

In Ontario, with electricity at 15.0¢ per kWh (source: Hydro-Québec 2025 comparison, 2025-04), a typical streaming stick or box costs C$0.001 per hour and about C$0.87 per year at 4 hours a day. That is about 7% more than the national average for Canada (C$0.067 per month), because electricity in Ontario costs 15.0¢ per kWh against 14.0¢ nationally. Each C$1.00 of electricity buys roughly 1,671.1 hours of use.

How to lower the cost of running a streaming stick or box

In standby it draws about 2 W, which adds roughly 18 kWh (C$2.62) per year if it is never unplugged.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a streaming stick cost to run?

Around 20 to 30 kWh a year including standby, a dollar or two.

Do streaming devices use electricity when off?

Most never truly turn off. They draw 1 to 3 watts waiting for a remote press.

Which streaming device uses the least power?

Small HDMI sticks. Full-size boxes with more processing draw 5 to 10 watts.

Compare with

Cost by region

US states
Canadian provinces

Related appliances

Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz