A PC drawing 120–200 watts at the wall would use about 86.4–144 kWh over 30 days if it ran continuously. Using the example tariffs of ₹7–₹8 per kWh, that works out to roughly ₹605–₹1,152 in electricity alone. Those are illustrative calculations, not a typical-PC measurement or a tariff that applies across India. Measure your own computer and use your bill’s marginal rate before deciding whether a cloud service costs less.
How much does it cost to run a PC 24/7 in India?
The electricity calculation depends on the computer’s average power draw at the wall and the marginal rate you pay for another unit of electricity. A power supply’s rated capacity is not the same as the PC’s actual consumption. StreamNeo’s published examples use a 120–200 W desktop and example rates of ₹7–₹8 per kWh; the figures below are arithmetic based on those assumptions, not independently measured PC usage. StreamNeo’s cost example
Use this formula
Daily kWh = average wall watts ÷ 1,000 × 24
Daily electricity cost = daily kWh × your marginal tariff per kWh
For a 30-day estimate, multiply the daily kWh or daily cost by 30. Use the rate relevant to your household and consumption slab, not a national average. Electricity tariffs differ by state and consumer category; the Central Electricity Authority’s 2025 publication includes FY 2024–25 tariff material, but your local DISCOM bill or current tariff schedule is the useful reference for your own marginal rate. Central Electricity Authority tariff publication
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Worked examples
| Average wall draw | Energy per day | Example rate | Daily electricity | 30-day electricity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 W | 2.88 kWh | ₹7/kWh | ₹20.16 | About ₹605 |
| 150 W | 3.6 kWh | ₹7/kWh | ₹25.20 | Not stated for this example |
| 200 W | 4.8 kWh | ₹8/kWh | ₹38.40 | About ₹1,152 |
These examples are published by StreamNeo and assume continuous operation for 24 hours a day. A separate StreamNeo guide estimates about 86.4 kWh, or about ₹690 at its assumed ₹8/kWh, for a 120 W PC running 720 hours in a month. That is another worked example, not a measurement of a representative Indian PC. StreamNeo’s 24/7 streaming cost guide
Measure your actual draw
Use a plug-in electricity usage meter rated for the load, connected between the computer and the wall socket. Check its load rating before use. Measure while the PC is doing the work you intend to stream—encoding, playing or looping the video, and maintaining the connection. A short measurement may miss variation, so observe it across representative operating conditions and use an average rather than the highest momentary reading.
If the monitor, router, or UPS will also remain on only for the stream, measure or estimate those separately and include them. UPS conversion losses can add to the wall draw. If the PC is already running for another reason, count only the additional power attributable to keeping the stream going; the full PC electricity bill is not necessarily the stream’s incremental cost.
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Is cloud streaming cheaper than leaving your PC on?
It depends on your measured watts, marginal tariff, existing equipment use, internet plan, the cloud service’s full charges, and how you value setup and recovery time. A dedicated desktop left on solely for one stream can have a substantial recurring electricity cost. An already-running PC may have a much smaller incremental cost, while a self-managed VPS can have a lower invoice than a managed streaming subscription. Cloud is not automatically the cheapest route.
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|---|---|---|
| StreamNeo managed cloud loop service | Daily $0.99 per day; weekly $2.99 per week; monthly $9.99 per month; 6 months $49.99 for 6 months; yearly $89.99 a year. The page displays the relevant currency to visitors by location. | The service runs the uploaded video from its cloud; you still need to configure your YouTube stream and account, choose suitable content, and account for provider dependency and subscription terms. |
| Existing home PC with OBS | No OBS software charge is cited here. Estimate power from wall watts and your own tariff; home broadband carries the sustained upload. | Home PC, power, broadband reliability, configuration, monitoring, and reconnect or recovery work. |
| Self-managed VPS with FFmpeg | StreamNeo cites ₹300–₹800/month as a general VPS example, not a verified quote for an India plan with suitable transfer allowance. | Check transfer limits, IPv4, taxes and currency, sustained bitrate, setup time, monitoring, and recovery. You operate the server and stream process. |
| StreamSetu managed cloud service | Its pricing page lists ₹649 per channel per month plus 18% GST, with storage priced separately; check the current terms and storage charges. | Confirm the complete plan cost and service terms, and account for provider dependency. |
The third-party and vendor prices above are published snapshots, not a promise that prices or plan terms will remain unchanged. StreamNeo’s published plan includes 10 GB of storage per slot, pooled across active slots; review the current pricing page for details. StreamNeo pricing · StreamSetu pricing · StreamNeo’s PC, VPS, and cloud comparison
Account for data and operating work
A 24/7 stream uses sustained upload bandwidth and may count against a home broadband data cap or a VPS transfer allowance. StreamNeo estimates that a 4.5 Mbps stream transfers roughly 2 GB per hour and about 1.4 TB over 30 days. This is an approximate calculation; monthly transfer changes with bitrate, interruptions, and the units used. The traffic is carried by whichever connection sends the stream: home broadband for local OBS, VPS transfer for a self-managed server, or the managed provider’s connection.
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For a more complete comparison, include any data overage, storage, taxes, and the value of time spent configuring and maintaining a VPS or PC. A hypothetical hardware depreciation figure is not a universal cash bill: StreamNeo’s comparison uses a ₹50,000 PC amortized over three years as an assumption, which should be kept separate from the electricity total unless those are your own purchase and useful-life assumptions.
What can change the cost or make a stream unreliable?
Output quality affects bandwidth
Do not use the 4.5 Mbps transfer example as a recommended bitrate for every resolution. YouTube’s encoder guidance lists H.264 minimum bitrates of 5 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps and 6 Mbps for 1080p at 60 fps, with recommended settings of 10 Mbps and 12 Mbps respectively. It recommends a stable upload connection and headroom; its streaming tips suggest leaving about 20% beyond the total bitrate. YouTube encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions · YouTube streaming tips
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As a rough illustration, a 10 Mbps stream sustained for 30 days transfers about 3.2 TB using decimal units, before accounting for interruptions or overhead. Treat transfer estimates as planning figures, then check the provider’s billing units and your actual connection use.
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Channel eligibility and content rights still matter
YouTube says a channel must be verified and have had no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days to live stream. Test the encoder before going live and monitor stream health. YouTube live-streaming tips
Cost and uptime do not establish that a video is allowed to stream or eligible for monetization. Use content you own or have permission to broadcast, and check applicable music, footage, and other rights. Repeated or reused material can also raise monetization-policy concerns; do not assume that putting a prerecorded video into a live stream resolves them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which option fits your situation?
- Your PC already runs and the stream adds little load: calculate the incremental electricity and data cost. Keeping the existing setup may be economical if your connection is stable and you are comfortable handling interruptions.
- You would keep a desktop on solely for one stream: measure its wall draw and compare the monthly electricity estimate with cloud options, while including any monitor, router, or UPS that must also stay on.
- You are comfortable administering servers: compare a VPS’s full recurring cost and transfer allowance against a managed service. A low base invoice does not include the value of your configuration, monitoring, and recovery time.
- You want the home computer and its internet connection out of the streaming path: a cloud loop service may be worth the subscription even if its invoice is not the lowest, because it shifts continuous playback to the provider’s infrastructure.
Or let it run in the cloud
StreamNeo is #1 among the cloud options covered here because it runs an always-on YouTube stream from the cloud, accepts video at up to 4K 60fps as uploaded for one flat price per slot, and gives each account one free first day without a card. It plays uploaded videos; it does not stream from a camera, and it is for YouTube only.
Best Value
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- Enhanced Functionality: Packed with handy features, including a 5x9" precision tracking mouse pad and a built-in phone slot for seamless work or video calls. Plus, enjoy laptop support with the integrated device ledge.
- Cool Comfort: Enjoy a stable surface with our lap desk's dual bolster cushion, designed for comfort and airflow, keeping your lap cool during extended use.
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- Upload a recording or build a playlist.
- Add your YouTube stream key once.
- Go live; StreamNeo loops the video from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not need to stay on.
Each slot includes one always-on stream, 10 GB storage per slot pooled across active slots, playlists and 24/7 looping, automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream, and support from the StreamNeo team. All plans have the same product; only billing length changes. StreamNeo describes automatic recovery as a feature, not a guarantee that every stream issue can be prevented.
There is no home PC that has to stay powered for the stream, any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps is one price per slot, and automatic recovery is available if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card; after that, the monthly plan is $9.99 per month. For Indian customers, UPI and cards are available; card checkout is available worldwide. If you need five or more slots, contact StreamNeo support. Learn about StreamNeo, or start the free first day.
Common cost-estimate mistakes
- Using the PSU label as the wattage: measure actual wall draw under representative streaming conditions.
- Applying one tariff to every Indian household: use your own applicable marginal rate and consumption slab.
- Counting only the PC: add equipment that must remain on solely for the stream, and consider UPS losses.
- Ignoring data limits: check the home broadband plan or VPS transfer allowance against the selected bitrate and hours streamed.
- Comparing a base VPS price with a managed plan total: account for taxes, storage, transfer, setup and maintenance on each route.
- Treating a service feature as a guarantee: managed hosting shifts some operating work, but it does not make YouTube, the provider, or the stream failure-proof.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much electricity does a 24/7 YouTube stream use?
It depends on average wall draw. At 120 W, continuous operation uses 2.88 kWh per day; calculate your own figure as watts ÷ 1,000 × 24.
Can I stream 24/7 without keeping your computer on?
Yes. A cloud service can play an uploaded recording or playlist without a home PC staying on; StreamNeo supports uploaded-video looping to YouTube, not camera streaming.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
