★ COMPARISONS · HOME · GAS VS ELECTRIC FIREPLACE
GAS wins by $286.23 a season on matched heat — gas $216.00 vs electric $502.23 for the same 10.08 MMBTU. The electric fireplace looks cheaper at the same hours ($122.40 vs $216.00), but it delivers a quarter of the heat. This is a fireplace comparison — zone heating, not a stove or a space heater — and the model is built for fireplaces, not cooktops.
Compare a gas fireplace with an electric one on the heat they actually deliver — seasonal and matched-heat costs, cost per MMBTU, break-even fuel prices, and how many years until gas pulls ahead.
The sticker prices lie twice over: the electric fireplace looks cheaper to buy ($800 against $2,500 installed) and cheaper to run at the same hours ($122.40 against $216.00 a season) — and both are true, and both are misleading. The gas fireplace puts out 21,000 BTU/h of useful heat against the electric’s 5,118 BTU/h, so the same hours buy 4.1× the heat. The honest comparison matches the heat: the electric fireplace needs 1,969.52 hours to deliver the gas fireplace’s 10.08 MMBTU a season, and those hours cost $502.23 — so GAS wins by $286.23 a season. Per unit of useful heat, gas costs $21.43 per MMBTU against $49.82 for electric: gas heat costs less than half as much. This is a fireplace comparison — zone heating for one room, not a stove and not a portable space heater — so it is not a duplicate of the gas vs electric stove calculator or the propane vs electric heater calculator: different appliance, different model.
| Scenario | Gas | Electric (matched heat) | Winner | By |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Default | $216.00 | $502.23 | Gas wins | $286.23 |
| Hours a day 2 | $108.00 | $251.11 | Gas wins | $143.11 |
| Hours a day 8 | $432.00 | $1,004.45 | Gas wins | $572.45 |
| Days per season 60 | $108.00 | $251.11 | Gas wins | $143.11 |
| Days per season 180 | $324.00 | $753.34 | Gas wins | $429.34 |
| Gas price $2.50/therm | $360.00 | $502.23 | Gas wins | $142.23 |
| Gas price $4.00/therm | $576.00 | $502.23 | Electric wins | $73.77 |
| Electricity price $0.10/kWh | $216.00 | $295.43 | Gas wins | $79.43 |
| Electricity price $0.08/kWh | $216.00 | $236.34 | Gas wins | $20.34 |
| Electricity price $0.07/kWh | $216.00 | $206.80 | Electric wins | $9.20 |
| Gas efficiency 80% | $216.00 | $573.97 | Gas wins | $357.97 |
| Gas efficiency 60% | $216.00 | $430.48 | Gas wins | $214.48 |
| Gas input 20,000 BTU/h | $144.00 | $334.82 | Gas wins | $190.82 |
| Electric watts 750 | $216.00 | $502.23 | Gas wins | $286.23 |
| Horizon 5 years (10-year) | $3,580.00 | $3,311.14 | Electric wins | $268.86 |
| Horizon 20 years (10-year) | $6,820.00 | $10,844.55 | Gas wins | $4,024.55 |
| Gas unit $1,500 (10-year) | $3,660.00 | $5,822.27 | Gas wins | $2,162.27 |
| Electric unit $1,500 (10-year) | $4,660.00 | $6,522.27 | Gas wins | $1,862.27 |
At the defaults — hours a day 4, days per season 120, gas input 30,000 BTU/h, gas efficiency 70%, gas price $1.50/therm, electric watts 1,500, electricity price $0.17/kWh, gas unit $2,500, electric unit $800, horizon 10 years — the season hours are 480, the gas cost is $0.45/h, the electric cost is $0.255/h, the electric output is 5,118 BTU/h, the gas useful output is 21,000 BTU/h, the gas season cost is $216.00, the electric season cost is $122.40, the gas season heat is 10.08 MMBTU, the electric season heat is 2.45664 MMBTU, the gas cost per MMBTU is $21.43, the electric cost per MMBTU is $49.82, the electric hours to match the gas heat are 1,969.52 h, the electric matched season cost is $502.23, and GAS wins by $286.23 a season. The 10-year matched totals are $4,660.00 for gas and $5,822.27 for electric — GAS wins by $1,162.27. The first-year totals are $2,716.00 for gas and $922.40 for electric — ELECTRIC wins year 1 by $1,793.60. The break-evens are: horizon 5.94 yr (exact 5.9393), gas price $3.49/therm (exact $3.4877), electric price $0.07/kWh (exact $0.0731), days of use 713 (exact 712.72), gas unit cost $3,662.27, electric unit cost none (−$362.27). Check the identities: season hours = H × Dd; gas $/h = Gin / 100,000 × Pg; electric BTU/h = W × 3.412; electric $/h = W / 1,000 × Pe; gas useful = Gin × Eff_g; gas season = season hours × gas $/h; electric season = season hours × electric $/h; gas heat = season hours × gas useful / 1e6; electric heat = season hours × electric BTU/h / 1e6; $/MMBTU = season cost / season heat; matched hours = gas heat × 1e6 / electric BTU/h; matched cost = matched hours × electric $/h; 10-year gas = Ug + Y × gas season; 10-year electric = Ue + Y × electric matched; first-year gas = Ug + gas season; first-year electric = Ue + electric season. The winner is decided from the ROUNDED (to-the-cent) matched season totals: equal rounded values are a tie. Rounding convention: totals are computed from unrounded values, so rounded parts may differ by a cent from their rounded sum.
Setup: hours a day 4, days per season 120, gas input 30,000 BTU/h, gas efficiency 70%, gas price $1.50/therm, electric watts 1,500, electricity price $0.17/kWh, gas unit $2,500, electric unit $800, horizon 10 years.
Line 1 — the season hours. 4 × 120 = 480 h.
Line 2 — the gas cost per hour. 30,000 / 100,000 × $1.50 = $0.45/h.
Line 3 — the electric cost per hour. 1,500 / 1,000 × $0.17 = $0.255/h.
Line 4 — the outputs. Electric: 1,500 × 3.412 = 5,118 BTU/h. Gas useful: 30,000 × 70% = 21,000 BTU/h — the electric fireplace is 100% efficient, so every watt becomes heat, and the gas fireplace keeps 70% of its input.
Line 5 — the same-hours season costs. Gas: 480 × $0.45 = $216.00. Electric: 480 × $0.255 = $122.40 — cheaper, but for far less heat.
Line 6 — the season heat. Gas: 480 × 21,000 / 1,000,000 = 10.08 MMBTU. Electric: 480 × 5,118 / 1,000,000 = 2.45664 MMBTU.
Line 7 — the cost per MMBTU of useful heat. Gas: $216.00 / 10.08 = $21.43. Electric: $122.40 / 2.45664 = $49.82 — gas heat costs less than half as much per unit.
Line 8 — the matched heat. The electric fireplace needs 10.08 × 1,000,000 / 5,118 = 1,969.52 h to deliver the gas fireplace’s 10.08 MMBTU, and those hours cost 1,969.52 × $0.255 = $502.23.
Line 9 — the winner on matched heat. $502.23 − $216.00 = $286.23 — GAS wins.
Line 10 — the 10-year matched totals. Gas: $2,500 + 10 × $216.00 = $4,660.00. Electric: $800 + 10 × $502.23 = $5,822.27 — GAS wins by $1,162.27.
Line 11 — the first year. Gas: $2,500 + $216.00 = $2,716.00. Electric: $800 + $122.40 = $922.40 — ELECTRIC wins year 1 by $1,793.60, because the cheap unit wins until the running costs catch up.
Line 12 — the break-evens. Horizon 5.94 yr (exact 5.9393) — at that exact horizon both totals are $3,782.90, an exact tie. Gas price $3.49/therm (exact $3.4877). Electric price $0.07/kWh (exact $0.0731). Days of use 713 (exact 712.72). Gas unit cost $3,662.27. Electric unit cost none (−$362.27).
Reverse: Reverse: the break-even gas price is $3.49 (exact $3.4877); at $3.48/therm gas is $49.71/MMBTU vs electric $49.82 — gas wins by $0.11; at $3.49 gas is $49.86 — electric wins by $0.03 (verdict: TIE). The break-even electric price is $0.07 (exact $0.0731); at $0.08/kWh electric is $23.45/MMBTU vs gas $21.43 — gas wins by $2.02; at $0.07 electric is $20.52 — electric wins by $0.91 (verdict: TIE). The break-even horizon is 5.94 yr (exact 5.9393); at 5 years electric wins by $268.86; at 6 years gas wins by $17.36 (verdict: TIE). The break-even days of use are 713 days (exact 712.72); at 712 days electric wins by $1.72; at 713 days gas wins by $0.67 (verdict: TIE). The break-even gas unit cost is $3,662.27 (exact $3,662.27); $3,662.27 + $2,160.00 = $5,822.27 = the electric 10-yr total (verdict: TIE). The break-even electric unit cost is none — the price that would tie is −$362.27; even a free electric fireplace loses over 10 matched years (verdict: NONE).
Hours a day 2: Gas $108.00, electric $61.20, matched electric $251.11 — GAS wins by $143.11. Half the hours, half the money — the cost per MMBTU does not move, so the winner does not change.
Hours a day 8: Gas $432.00, electric $244.80, matched electric $1,004.45 — GAS wins by $572.45. Twice the hours, twice the money — the gap doubles with the use.
Days per season 60: Gas $108.00, electric $61.20, matched electric $251.11 — GAS wins by $143.11. Half the season is the same as half the hours: exactly the H 2 branch.
Days per season 180: Gas $324.00, electric $183.60, matched electric $753.34 — GAS wins by $429.34. A longer season scales both sides together — the gap grows with the days.
Gas price $2.50/therm: Gas $360.00, electric $122.40, matched electric $502.23 — GAS wins by $142.23. Dear gas narrows the gap, but gas still wins — $2.50 is below the $3.49 break-even.
Gas price $4.00/therm: Gas $576.00, electric $122.40, matched electric $502.23 — ELECTRIC wins by $73.77. Past the $3.49 break-even gas price, the answer flips — the first flip. Per MMBTU, gas is $57.14 against electric $49.82.
Electricity price $0.10/kWh: Gas $216.00, electric $72.00, matched electric $295.43 — GAS wins by $79.43. Cheaper electricity narrows the gap — $0.10 is still above the $0.07 break-even.
Electricity price $0.08/kWh: Gas $216.00, electric $57.60, matched electric $236.34 — GAS wins by $20.34. Close: the gap is only $20.34, and per MMBTU electric is $23.45 against gas $21.43 — $0.08 is just above the $0.07 break-even.
Electricity price $0.07/kWh: Gas $216.00, electric $50.40, matched electric $206.80 — ELECTRIC wins by $9.20. Below the break-even: the answer flips — the second flip. Per MMBTU, electric is $20.52 against gas $21.43.
Gas efficiency 80%: Gas $216.00, electric $122.40, matched electric $573.97 — GAS wins by $357.97. A more efficient gas fireplace costs the same $216.00 a season but delivers more heat, so the electric fireplace needs more hours to match it — the matched cost rises and the gap widens.
Gas efficiency 60%: Gas $216.00, electric $122.40, matched electric $430.48 — GAS wins by $214.48. A less efficient gas fireplace delivers less heat for the same $216.00, so the matched cost falls — but gas still wins.
Gas input 20,000 BTU/h: Gas $144.00, electric $122.40, matched electric $334.82 — GAS wins by $190.82. A smaller gas fireplace burns less gas and delivers less heat, so the matched electric cost falls — gas still wins.
Electric watts 750: Gas $216.00, electric $61.20, matched electric $502.23 — GAS wins by $286.23. The matched cost is unchanged — wattage scales the season cost and the heat together, so the matched answer does not move. On the small-heat lens, the electric’s 1.22832 MMBTU needs only 58.49 h of gas run time costing $26.32 against electric $61.20 — GAS wins by $34.88 on that lens too.
Horizon 5 years: 10-year: gas $3,580.00, electric $3,311.14 — ELECTRIC wins by $268.86. Under the 5.94-year break-even horizon, the cheap electric unit wins — the third flip. The running costs have not had time to catch up.
Horizon 20 years: 10-year: gas $6,820.00, electric $10,844.55 — GAS wins by $4,024.55. Over 20 years the running costs dominate — gas wins by a wide margin.
Gas unit $1,500: 10-year: gas $3,660.00, electric $5,822.27 — GAS wins by $2,162.27. A cheaper gas unit widens the lead — the gas 10-year total falls.
Electric unit $1,500: 10-year: gas $4,660.00, electric $6,522.27 — GAS wins by $1,862.27. A dearer electric unit widens the gap the other way — the electric 10-year total rises.
The model assumes the gas fireplace runs at its rated input the whole time it is on, the efficiency stays at the percent you enter, fuel prices stay flat, and the electric fireplace is 100% efficient — every watt becomes heat in the room, which is true for resistance heat. It assumes the gas fireplace’s useful heat is its input times its efficiency, and it leaves out the pilot light, the fan’s electricity, maintenance, and any replacement unit over the horizon. It assumes the 10-year lens buys no new unit and the prices do not move. With 0 hours a day, both season costs are $0.00 and the matched comparison is a tie at $0.00. With 0 days a season, the same: $0.00 both. With 0 watts, the electric season cost is $0.00 and there is no matched-heat comparison at all — the page shows “—”, not a number, because the electric fireplace produces no heat to match with. Rounding convention: totals are computed from unrounded values, so rounded parts may differ by a cent from their rounded sum; the reverses are nearest-value solutions, and the exact unrounded figures ($3.4877, $0.0731, 5.9393, 712.72, $3,662.27, −$362.27) are stated wherever the rounded figures appear.
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Season hours | hours a day × days per season | 480. |
| Gas cost per hour | gas input / 100,000 × gas price | $0.45. |
| Electric cost per hour | watts / 1,000 × electricity price | $0.255. |
| Electric output | watts × 3.412 | 5,118 BTU/h. |
| Gas useful output | gas input × gas efficiency | 21,000 BTU/h. |
| Gas season cost | season hours × gas $/h | $216.00. |
| Electric season cost | season hours × electric $/h | $122.40. |
| Gas season heat | season hours × gas useful / 1,000,000 | 10.08 MMBTU. |
| Electric season heat | season hours × electric BTU/h / 1,000,000 | 2.45664 MMBTU. |
| Gas cost per MMBTU | gas season / gas heat | $21.43. |
| Electric cost per MMBTU | electric season / electric heat | $49.82. |
| Electric hours to match the gas heat | gas heat × 1,000,000 / electric BTU/h | 1,969.52 h. |
| Electric matched season cost | matched hours × electric $/h | $502.23. |
| Winner (matched-heat season) | matched electric vs gas season, rounded to the cent | GAS wins by $286.23. |
| Gas 10-year matched total | gas unit + years × gas season | $4,660.00. |
| Electric 10-year matched total | electric unit + years × electric matched | $5,822.27. |
| Winner (10-year) | 10-year totals, rounded to the cent | GAS wins by $1,162.27. |
| Gas first-year total | gas unit + gas season | $2,716.00. |
| Electric first-year total | electric unit + electric season | $922.40. |
| Winner (year 1) | first-year totals, rounded to the cent | ELECTRIC wins year 1 by $1,793.60. |
| Break-even horizon | (gas unit − electric unit) / (electric matched − gas season) | 5.94 yr (exact 5.9393). |
| Break-even gas price | gas price where gas $/MMBTU = electric $/MMBTU | $3.49/therm (exact $3.4877). |
| Break-even electric price | electric price where electric $/MMBTU = gas $/MMBTU | $0.07/kWh (exact $0.0731). |
| Break-even days of use | (gas unit − electric unit) × days per season / (electric matched − gas season) | 713 days (exact 712.72). |
| Break-even gas unit cost | electric unit + years × electric matched − years × gas season | $3,662.27. |
| Break-even electric unit cost | gas unit + years × gas season − years × electric matched | none (−$362.27). |
| Gas price for a tie | gas price where gas $/MMBTU = electric $/MMBTU | $3.4877 → $3.49. |
| Electric price for a tie | electric price where electric $/MMBTU = gas $/MMBTU | $0.0731 → $0.07. |
| Horizon for a tie | (gas unit − electric unit) / (electric matched − gas season) | 5.9393 → 5.94 yr. |
| Days of use for a tie | (gas unit − electric unit) × days per season / (electric matched − gas season) | 712.72 → 713 days. |
| Gas unit cost for a tie | electric unit + years × electric matched − years × gas season | $3,662.27 → $3,662.27. |
| Electric unit cost for a tie | gas unit + years × gas season − years × electric matched | −$362.27 → none. |
| Hours a day 2 | same model | Gas $108.00, electric $61.20, matched electric $251.11 — GAS wins by $143.11. |
| Hours a day 8 | same model | Gas $432.00, electric $244.80, matched electric $1,004.45 — GAS wins by $572.45. |
| Days per season 60 | same model | Gas $108.00, electric $61.20, matched electric $251.11 — GAS wins by $143.11. |
| Days per season 180 | same model | Gas $324.00, electric $183.60, matched electric $753.34 — GAS wins by $429.34. |
| Gas price $2.50/therm | same model | Gas $360.00, electric $122.40, matched electric $502.23 — GAS wins by $142.23. |
| Gas price $4.00/therm | same model | Gas $576.00, electric $122.40, matched electric $502.23 — ELECTRIC wins by $73.77. |
| Electricity price $0.10/kWh | same model | Gas $216.00, electric $72.00, matched electric $295.43 — GAS wins by $79.43. |
| Electricity price $0.08/kWh | same model | Gas $216.00, electric $57.60, matched electric $236.34 — GAS wins by $20.34. |
| Electricity price $0.07/kWh | same model | Gas $216.00, electric $50.40, matched electric $206.80 — ELECTRIC wins by $9.20. |
| Gas efficiency 80% | same model | Gas $216.00, electric $122.40, matched electric $573.97 — GAS wins by $357.97. |
| Gas efficiency 60% | same model | Gas $216.00, electric $122.40, matched electric $430.48 — GAS wins by $214.48. |
| Gas input 20,000 BTU/h | same model | Gas $144.00, electric $122.40, matched electric $334.82 — GAS wins by $190.82. |
| Electric watts 750 | same model | Gas $216.00, electric $61.20, matched electric $502.23 — GAS wins by $286.23. |
| Horizon 5 years | same model | 10-year: gas $3,580.00, electric $3,311.14 — ELECTRIC wins by $268.86. |
| Horizon 20 years | same model | 10-year: gas $6,820.00, electric $10,844.55 — GAS wins by $4,024.55. |
| Gas unit $1,500 | same model | 10-year: gas $3,660.00, electric $5,822.27 — GAS wins by $2,162.27. |
| Electric unit $1,500 | same model | 10-year: gas $4,660.00, electric $6,522.27 — GAS wins by $1,862.27. |
The math is exact for the numbers you enter: season hours = H × Dd; gas $/h = Gin / 100,000 × Pg; electric BTU/h = W × 3.412; electric $/h = W / 1,000 × Pe; gas useful = Gin × Eff_g; gas season = season hours × gas $/h; electric season = season hours × electric $/h; gas heat = season hours × gas useful / 1e6; electric heat = season hours × electric BTU/h / 1e6; $/MMBTU = season cost / season heat; matched hours = gas heat × 1e6 / electric BTU/h; matched cost = matched hours × electric $/h; 10-year gas = Ug + Y × gas season; 10-year electric = Ue + Y × electric matched; first-year gas = Ug + gas season; first-year electric = Ue + electric season. The winner is decided from the ROUNDED (to-the-cent) matched season totals: equal rounded values are a tie. What the model cannot do is know how you really use the fireplace: check the hours and the days, because the answer scales with use — at 2 hours a day the gap is $143.11, at 8 hours it is $572.45. It assumes the efficiency and the fuel prices stay flat, and it leaves out the pilot light, the fan, maintenance, and any replacement unit. It is a fireplace cost comparison, not a heating design: for a stove, see the gas vs electric stove calculator; for a portable heater, see the propane vs electric heater calculator; for whole-house heat, see the heat pump vs furnace calculator.
Bright Side Kit. "Gas vs Electric Fireplace: Annual Cost Calculator 2026" https://brightoolbox.com/gas-vs-electric-fireplace/ Accessed October 25, 2026.GAS wins by $286.23 a season on the matched-heat lens. The gas fireplace costs $216.00 a season and the electric one costs $502.23 to deliver the same 10.08 MMBTU, because gas heat is $21.43 per MMBTU against $49.82 for electric. But the electric fireplace wins year 1 by $1,793.60 — its $800 unit beats gas’s $2,500 before the running costs catch up after 5.94 years.
Because the gas fireplace puts out 4.1× the heat. At the same 480 hours, gas costs $216.00 and electric costs $122.40 — but gas delivers 10.08 MMBTU and electric only 2.45664 MMBTU. Comparing the same-hours costs is comparing a fireplace with a quarter of the heat. Match the heat — 1,969.52 hours of electric run time for the same 10.08 MMBTU — and electric costs $502.23, not $122.40.
$3.49/therm (exact $3.4877). At $3.48/therm gas heat is $49.71 per MMBTU against electric $49.82 — gas wins by $0.11. At $3.49 gas is $49.86 — electric wins by $0.03. At $4.00/therm the electric fireplace wins by $73.77 a season. The same question the other way round: the break-even electricity price is $0.07/kWh (exact $0.0731); at $0.08 gas wins by $2.02 per MMBTU, at $0.07 electric wins by $0.91.
5.94 years (exact 5.9393). At 5 years the electric fireplace still wins by $268.86 on the 10-year matched totals (gas $3,580.00 vs electric $3,311.14); at 6 years gas wins by $17.36 (gas $3,796.00 vs electric $3,813.36). In days of use, the break-even is 713 days (exact 712.72): at 712 days electric still wins by $1.72, at 713 gas wins by $0.67.
No — there is no break-even electric unit cost. The price that would tie is −$362.27: even a free electric fireplace loses over 10 matched years, because its running costs are $286.23 a season higher. The other way round, the break-even gas unit cost is $3,662.27: a $3,662.27 gas fireplace plus $2,160.00 of running costs equals the electric 10-year total of $5,822.27 exactly.
No. This is a fireplace calculator — zone heating for one room, with a gas fireplace’s rated input and efficiency against an electric fireplace’s watts. The gas vs electric stove calculator is about cooking, and the propane vs electric heater calculator is about portable heaters — different appliances, different models.