---
title: "Billing"
sidebar_label: "Billing"
description: "Understand Qdrant Vector Database billing, cost components, and optimization tips"
---

# Billing

## Pricing Model

Qdrant Vector Database is billed based on three components: **compute**, **storage**, and **snapshots**.

### Cost Components

| Component | Formula | Rate Type |
|-----------|---------|-----------|
| **Compute** | `usage_hours x replicas x hourly_rate` | Per hour |
| **Storage** | `(disk_GB x replicas x hours) / 720 x monthly_rate` | Per GB per month |
| **Snapshots** | `(snapshot_GB x hours) / 720 x monthly_rate` | Per GB per month |

:::info
*   **Compute** is charged only while the database is in **Running** state.
*   **Storage** charges continue as long as the database exists, even when stopped.
*   **Snapshot** charges continue until the snapshot is deleted.
:::

---

## Example Costs

### Example 1: Small Development Cluster

**Configuration:**
*   3 nodes, 30 GB disk per node
*   Running 8 hours/day for 30 days = 240 hours

**Compute Cost:**
```
240 hours x 3 replicas x hourly_rate = 720 billable hours
```

**Storage Cost:**
```
(30 GB x 3 replicas x 240 hours) / 720 = 30 GB-months
```

### Example 2: Production Cluster (Always On)

**Configuration:**
*   5 nodes, 100 GB disk per node
*   Running 24/7 for 30 days = 720 hours

**Compute Cost:**
```
720 hours x 5 replicas x hourly_rate = 3,600 billable hours
```

**Storage Cost:**
```
(100 GB x 5 replicas x 720 hours) / 720 = 500 GB-months
```

### Example 3: With Snapshots

**Configuration:**
*   3 nodes, 50 GB disk per node, always on
*   1 snapshot of 50 GB, stored for 15 days (360 hours)

**Snapshot Cost:**
```
(50 GB x 360 hours) / 720 = 25 GB-months
```

---

## What Affects Your Bill

| Factor | Impact |
|--------|--------|
| **Node count** | More nodes = higher compute and storage cost. |
| **Disk size** | Larger disks = higher storage cost per node. |
| **Uptime** | Compute billed only when running. Stop to pause compute charges. |
| **Snapshots** | Snapshot storage billed by size and duration until deleted. |
| **Scaling up** | Cannot scale down; new nodes add to cost permanently. |

---

## Cost Optimization Tips

### 1. Stop When Idle

Stop the database when not in use to pause compute billing. Storage charges continue, but compute is the larger cost component.

### 2. Right-Size Your Disk

*   Start with the minimum disk size you need (10 GB minimum).
*   Increase as needed — disk size **cannot be decreased** once increased.

### 3. Clean Up Snapshots

Delete old snapshots to avoid ongoing snapshot storage charges.

**Example savings:**
```
Deleting a 100 GB snapshot = eliminates ~100 GB-month storage charges
```

### 4. Plan Your Node Count

You **cannot downscale** nodes once added. Start conservatively and scale up only when needed.

---

## Cost Calculator

Use the **E2E Cost Calculator** to estimate your total infrastructure costs:

> [E2E Cloud Cost Calculator](https://calculator.e2enetworks.com)

---

## Billing Details

### How Billing Works

1.  **Hourly Charges:** Compute is billed hourly based on the selected plan and node count.
2.  **Monthly Storage:** Storage is prorated hourly and presented as a monthly equivalent.
3.  **Automatic Calculation:** Charges are automatically calculated and added to your account.
4.  **View Usage:** Check current costs in the **Billing and Usage** section.

### Important Billing Notes

:::warning Billing Continues
Storage charges continue as long as the database exists, even if:
- The database is stopped
- No data is stored
- No clients are connected
:::

**To stop all charges:** You must delete the database.

---

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Am I charged while the database is stopped?**
A: Compute billing stops. Storage charges continue for the provisioned disk capacity.

**Q: What happens to billing when I scale up nodes?**
A: Billing immediately adjusts. New nodes are charged from the moment they are provisioned.

**Q: What happens to billing when I resize disk?**
A: Storage billing adjusts to reflect the new capacity across all nodes.

**Q: How are snapshots billed?**
A: Snapshot storage is billed by size and duration. Charges stop when the snapshot is deleted.

**Q: Are there any hidden fees?**
A: No. You are charged for compute (hourly), storage (per GB/month), and snapshots (per GB/month). There are no additional fees for API calls or data transfer within the same region.


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