How Much Does It Cost to Charge an iPhone in the UK? (2026 Figures)
Let’s cut straight to it.
Charging an iPhone every single day for a year costs between £1.30 and £2.00.
That’s it. Even with 2026 electricity prices, your phone is one of the cheapest things in your house to run. With the April 2026 Ofgem price cap sitting at 24.67p per kWh, I’ve used 25p for these calculations to keep things simple and cautious.
If you’re wondering whether you should be charging it at work to save money… you’ll save more by skipping one single kettle boil.
How Much Does It Cost to Fully Charge an iPhone?
A modern iPhone battery stores roughly 14–20 watt-hours of electricity.
That’s about 0.014–0.020 kWh.
At 25p per kWh:
0.018 × £0.25 = £0.0045
That’s under half a penny per full charge.
Even allowing for around 20% energy loss during charging, you’re still looking at:
👉 0.3p–0.5p per full charge in the UK
You would need to charge your iPhone around 8–10 times to equal the cost of boiling a kettle once.
How Much Does It Cost to Charge an iPhone for a Year?
If you charge your iPhone once per day, it will cost:
👉 £1.30 to £2 per year, depending on the model and your electricity tariff.
That’s based on 25p per kWh and daily charging from near empty.
Even the largest Pro Max models stay under £2 annually.
Latest iPhone Models (2026): Daily Charging Cost
Model | Battery Capacity | Estimated Yearly Cost (25p/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
iPhone 17 Pro Max | 5,088 mAh | £1.98 |
iPhone 17 Pro | 4,252 mAh | £1.66 |
iPhone 17 | 3,692 mAh | £1.44 |
iPhone 17 Air | 3,149 mAh | £1.23 |
iPhone 16 Pro Max | 4,685 mAh | £1.83 |
iPhone 15 | 3,349 mAh | £1.31 |
Even the biggest iPhone 17 Pro Max costs under £2 per year if charged daily.
What About Older iPhones?
If you’re holding onto an older model, the cost is even lower because the batteries are smaller.
Estimated yearly cost (daily charging at 25p per kWh):
- iPhone SE (3rd Gen): £0.79
- iPhone 13: £1.26
- iPhone 12 Pro Max: £1.44
- iPhone 11: £1.21
- iPhone X / XS: £1.06
- iPhone 8: £0.71
Even older large models barely cross £1.50 per year.
How Much Does It Cost to Charge a Mobile Phone in the UK?
Most modern smartphones cost between £1 and £2 per year to charge daily in the UK.
Per charge, you’re looking at less than half a penny.
So if you’re searching for:
- cost of charging a phone
- cost to charge a mobile phone UK
- how much does it cost to charge a cell phone
The answer is the same.
Very little.
How Much Does It Cost to Charge an iPad?
iPads have larger batteries, but they’re typically charged less often.
For this example, I’ve assumed two full charges per week at 25p per kWh.
Model | Battery Capacity | Estimated Yearly Cost (2x per week) |
iPad Pro 13″ (M4) | 10,290 mAh | £1.12 |
iPad Pro 11″ (M4) | 8,160 mAh | £0.89 |
iPad Air 13″ (M2) | 9,720 mAh | £1.06 |
iPad (10th Gen) | 7,606 mAh | £0.83 |
iPad Mini (6th Gen) | 5,124 mAh | £0.56 |
Even the largest iPad Pro costs just over £1 per year with typical usage.
Perspective: What Actually Costs More?
To put these numbers into context:
- Electric shower: around 50p+ per hour
- Tumble dryer: 70p–£1 per cycle
- Kettle: roughly 3–4p per boil
Charging your iPhone for a month costs about the same as:
👉 3–4 kettle boils
This simply isn’t where your electricity bill is going.
Also worth reading
Lighting makes far more difference than phone charging. Here’s how much it really costs to run LED bulbs.
Should You Worry About Charging Costs?
No.
Charging a house full of gadgets — two iPhones and two iPads — will usually cost under £10 per year in total.
If you want to make a real dent in your electricity bill, focus on:
- Heating
- Tumble dryers
- Electric showers
- Old lighting
Your phone charger is not the problem.
The bigger savings come from your tariff — here’s why paying by Direct Debit is usually cheaper.
If you’re serious about cutting your bill, have a look at:
👉 The best energy-saving devices to save you money
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to charge an iPhone in the UK?
Charging an iPhone in the UK typically costs between £1.30 and £2 per year if you charge it once per day. A single full charge costs around 0.3p to 0.5p, based on electricity prices of about 25p per kWh.
How much does it cost to fully charge an iPhone?
A full iPhone charge usually costs less than half a penny. Even allowing for charging inefficiency, you’re looking at roughly 0.3p–0.5p per charge.
How much does it cost to charge an iPhone for a year?
If you charge your iPhone daily, the yearly cost is normally £1 to £2, depending on the model and your electricity tariff.
Even the largest Pro Max models rarely exceed £2 per year.
How much does it cost to charge an iPad in the UK?
Most iPads cost around £0.75 to £1.10 per year if charged twice per week. Larger iPad Pro models may cost slightly more if used heavily, but they are still extremely cheap to run.
What is the average cost of charging a mobile phone?
The average cost of charging a modern smartphone in the UK is around £1–£2 per year, or less than half a penny per full charge.
Does charging your phone overnight cost more?
No. Modern smartphones stop drawing meaningful power once they reach 100%. Leaving your phone plugged in overnight may use a tiny amount of standby electricity, but the cost difference is negligible — typically pennies per year. If you’re on an Economy 7 or EV tariff, charging overnight could be even cheaper.
Is it cheaper to charge your phone at work?
Technically yes — but the savings are tiny. Charging your phone at home usually costs 3–5p per week at most. You’ll save more by reducing heating use or cutting one tumble dryer cycle.
