LED vs incandescent vs fluorescent vs halogen — how do the four main bulb types compare? LED uses 88% less electricity than incandescent, lasts 25 times longer than halogen, and beats CFL on cold-start, dimming, and lifespan. Here’s the complete cost and performance comparison.
Quick answer: LED wins on every practical metric. A 60W incandescent costs around $13/year to run; the equivalent LED costs $1.50/year — a 88% reduction. CFLs sit in the middle at around $3/year but lose on cold-start speed, dimming, and lifespan. Halogen is essentially a more efficient incandescent — still far behind LED.
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LED vs incandescent vs CFL vs halogen — at a glance
Incandescent
40–60W
to produce 600 lm
1,000h
rated life
$13/yr
electricity cost
Banned
US (2023), UK/EU (2009)
Halogen
35–50W
to produce 600 lm
2,000h
rated life
$11/yr
electricity cost
Banned
UK/EU since 2021
CFL
11–15W
to produce 600 lm
10,000h
rated life
$3/yr
electricity cost
Slow start
30–60s warm-up time
LED
6–9W
to produce 600 lm
25,000h
rated life
$1.50/yr
electricity cost
Instant
full brightness immediately
Based on $0.15/kWh electricity rate, 4 hours per day use.
Full comparison — every metric that matters
| Property | Incandescent | Halogen | CFL | LED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watts (600 lm) | 40–60W | 35–50W | 11–15W | 6–9W |
| Efficacy (lm/W) | 10–17 | 15–20 | 40–70 | 80–200 |
| Rated life | 1,000–2,000h | 2,000–4,000h | 6,000–15,000h | 25,000–50,000h |
| Electricity cost/yr | $9–13 | $8–11 | $2–3 | $1.30–2 |
| Bulb replacement cost | $1–2 (every yr) | $3–6 (every 2 yrs) | $5–10 (every 7 yrs) | $4–10 (every 25 yrs) |
| Total 10-year cost | $100–140 | $90–120 | $25–40 | $18–30 |
| Heat output | 95% heat | 90% heat | 75% heat | 20% heat |
| Instant on | Yes | Yes | No (30–60s warm-up) | Yes |
| Dimmable | Yes | Yes | Only special types | Yes (trailing-edge dimmer) |
| Colour rendering (CRI) | 100 | 100 | 80–85 | 80–97 (choose CRI 90+) |
| Mercury content | None | None | Yes — special disposal | None |
| Works in cold temps | Yes | Yes | Poor below 5°C | Yes (down to -40°C) |
| UV emission | Yes | Yes (significant) | Some | Negligible |
| Currently available | Banned in most markets | Banned UK/EU; phased US | Available, declining | Universally available |
10-year cost per bulb — the real number
The upfront bulb price is almost irrelevant. The real cost is electricity plus replacements over time. Here’s the true 10-year cost per socket at 4 hours use per day:
$120
Incandescent
10-year cost
10-year cost
$100
Halogen
10-year cost
10-year cost
$32
CFL
10-year cost
10-year cost
$22
LED
10-year cost
10-year cost
Switching 20 sockets from incandescent to LED saves roughly $2,000 over 10 years. From CFL to LED, the saving is smaller — around $200 over 10 years — but LED still wins on lifespan, cold-start, and dimming performance.
Where each technology still makes sense
✅ When LED is the right choice
Any frequently used room — living room, kitchen, office
Rooms that are frequently switched on and off
Outdoor and garage lighting (cold temperatures)
Anywhere on a dimmer switch
Enclosed or semi-enclosed fittings (heat matters)
High ceilings — don’t want to change bulbs often
⚠️ Where CFL might still be acceptable
Rarely used rooms (storage rooms, loft) — where long warm-up is acceptable
Already installed and working — replace with LED when they fail
Not on a dimmer circuit
Not in cold locations
Budget is very tight — CFLs are still cheaper upfront than LED in some markets
CFL disposal reminder: CFLs contain mercury — do not put them in general household waste. Take them to a recycling centre or hardware store collection point. LEDs contain no mercury and can be disposed of normally (or recycled for the electronics).
Equivalent bulb wattages — what replaces what
| Incandescent watts | Halogen equiv. | CFL equiv. | LED equiv. | Lumens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25W | 18W | 5–7W | 2–4W | ~250 lm |
| 40W | 28W | 8–10W | 4–6W | ~450 lm |
| 60W | 42W | 13–15W | 7–9W | ~800 lm |
| 75W | 53W | 18–20W | 10–12W | ~1,100 lm |
| 100W | 70W | 23–25W | 13–15W | ~1,600 lm |
| 150W | 105W | 30–35W | 18–22W | ~2,400 lm |
Don’t buy by watts — buy by lumens. Watts measure energy consumption, not brightness. A 9W LED and a 60W incandescent both produce around 800 lumens — identical brightness, very different running cost. Always check the lumen output on the packaging.
Frequently asked questions
Is LED better than CFL?
Yes on every practical measure: LED uses 30–50% less energy than CFL for the same output, lasts 3–5× longer, starts instantly (no 30-second warm-up), dims smoothly, contains no mercury, and works in cold temperatures. The only advantage CFL ever had was lower upfront cost — that gap has now largely closed.
Is LED better than incandescent?
Yes — LED uses 75–90% less electricity than incandescent for the same brightness, lasts 25× longer, and produces far less heat. The only things incandescent does better are CRI (perfect colour rendering at CRI 100) and dimming smoothness — modern CRI 95 LEDs have essentially closed the colour gap, and dimming works well with the right dimmer switch.
Should I replace working CFLs with LED now?
If they’re working fine, you don’t have to rush — the payback period on replacing a working CFL with LED is typically 3–5 years. Prioritise replacing CFLs that: flicker or take long to warm up, are in frequently switched locations, are on a dimmer circuit, or are in cold locations like garages.
Do LED bulbs look the same as incandescent?
Modern LED bulbs with CRI 90+ are visually indistinguishable from incandescent in most settings. Lower CRI 80 LEDs can look slightly flatter or less warm. Choose 2700K at CRI 90+ to match the warm glow of a traditional incandescent bulb exactly.
How much money do I save switching 20 bulbs to LED?
Switching 20 x 60W incandescent bulbs to LED (9W equivalent) at $0.15/kWh and 4 hours/day saves approximately $280–320 per year in electricity alone, plus around $40–60 per year in replacement bulb costs. Use the calculator below to enter your exact wattage, usage hours, and electricity rate.
Calculate your savings
Enter your current bulbs, wattage, daily hours, and electricity rate — the calculator shows annual saving, payback period, and 10-year total saving.
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