Get your calculator ready… or don’t, because we’ve already done the maths for you.

We’re still all glued to our phones. Streaming, scrolling, snapping, replying, repeat. And yes — most of us still do the classic: all-day use, overnight charge.

But with energy prices still a talking point in the UK, it’s fair to wonder: what does that daily top-up actually cost over a year?

Spoiler: it’s still surprisingly low.

So what’s the real cost in 2026?

Let’s use a modern baseline.

UK electricity: roughly 25–30p per kWh (we’ll use 28p as a realistic midpoint).

Typical modern smartphone charge: 0.03–0.05 kWh per full charge.

USB-C fast charging: usually 20W–30W: topping up in around 1–2 hours depending on the device.

That means: one full phone charge (0.03–0.04 kWh × 28p) = 0.8p to 1.1p per charge. So even on the higher end, you’re talking roughly about a penny per full charge.

Annual cost (every day charging): 1 charge per day × 365 days = £3.00 to £4.00 per year.

Real-world examples:

iPhone (modern equivalent of iPhone 15–17 range):

Modern iPhones typically use very efficient battery systems (around 12–15Wh battery capacity), so a full wall-to-wall charge is still extremely light on energy.

Cost per full charge: 0.8p–1p = a yearly cost: £3-ish.

Samsung Galaxy (S-series range):

With slightly larger batteries, energy use is a touch higher, but still minimal in real terms.

Cost per full charge: 1p–1.3p = a yearly cost: £4–£5.

What this actually means.

Even with higher electricity prices compared to a few years ago, charging your phone is still one of the cheapest energy uses in your home. To put it in perspective:

  • A year of charging your phone costs less than a couple of coffees
  • Or roughly the price of a single takeaway side order

Even with faster charging, bigger batteries, and heavier daily use, the reality hasn’t changed much — charging your phone is still one of the lowest-cost energy habits in your home.

Even with today’s UK electricity prices, you’re typically looking at just a few pounds a year per device.

So whether it’s an iPhone or Samsung, you can keep topping up overnight without worrying about your energy bill taking a hit. It’s efficient, predictable, and still one of the cheapest bits of tech running in your house.