GKE Pricing Calculator
Note: This calculator provides estimated GKE costs based on Google Cloud pricing as of 2024. Actual costs may vary based on region, discounts, sustained use discounts, and committed use contracts. For accurate pricing, consult the official Google Cloud Pricing Calculator.
Managing a Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) cluster requires careful planning, especially when it comes to cost. With variables like cluster type, node count, machine types, storage, load balancers, and network traffic, estimating monthly and annual expenses can be challenging.
Our GKE Pricing Calculator simplifies this process by providing a comprehensive estimate of your total GKE costs. Whether you are running a small development cluster or a large production environment, this tool helps you budget accurately and avoid surprises on your cloud bill.
How the GKE Pricing Calculator Works
The calculator considers multiple pricing factors to provide a realistic estimate:
- Cluster Type – Standard or Autopilot clusters affect management costs.
- Cluster Management Fee – Some clusters incur hourly management fees.
- Node Count – Total number of nodes in the cluster.
- Machine Type – Node cost varies based on CPU and memory specifications.
- Persistent Disk – Storage costs per node based on disk size and type (HDD or SSD).
- Load Balancer – Optional network or HTTP(S) load balancer costs.
- Network Egress – Monthly outbound traffic costs, tiered based on usage.
- Monitoring & Logging – Optional cloud monitoring or logging costs.
- Region – Costs adjusted based on the selected geographic region.
The calculator combines all these factors to produce:
- Monthly total cost
- Annual cost
- Cost per node
- Detailed breakdown by component
How to Use the GKE Pricing Calculator
- Select the Cluster Type (Standard or Autopilot).
- Choose the Cluster Management Fee.
- Enter the Number of Nodes.
- Select the Machine Type for your nodes.
- Enter Persistent Disk size per node and choose the Disk Type.
- Choose Load Balancer type if applicable.
- Enter Monthly Egress Traffic (GB).
- Select Monitoring/Logging plan.
- Pick your Region for pricing adjustments.
- Click Calculate to see your estimated monthly and annual costs.
Example Calculation
Let’s consider a medium-sized production cluster:
- Cluster Type: Standard
- Management Fee: $0.10/hour
- Node Count: 3
- Machine Type: e2-medium ($24/month per node)
- Persistent Disk: 100 GB per node, SSD ($0.17/GB)
- Load Balancer: HTTP(S) Load Balancer ($25/month)
- Egress Traffic: 200 GB/month
- Monitoring: Basic ($20/month)
- Region: US/Europe
Results:
- Cluster Management Fee: $21.90/month
- Compute Cost: $72/month
- Storage Cost: $51/month
- Load Balancer: $25/month
- Network Egress: $21.88/month
- Monitoring: $20/month
- Total Monthly Cost: $211.78
- Annual Cost: $2,541.36
- Cost per Node: $70.59/month
This quick calculation shows how each component contributes to your total cost and helps you optimize your cluster for budget and performance.
Benefits of Using This Calculator
- Quickly estimate monthly and annual GKE costs
- Compare different node sizes and machine types
- Factor in storage, load balancers, egress traffic, and monitoring
- Helps with budget planning for cloud infrastructure
- Free, accurate, and easy-to-use
Tips for Reducing GKE Costs
- Use Autopilot clusters for small workloads to save on management fees.
- Choose smaller machine types if workloads allow.
- Optimize persistent disk usage and select HDD for cost-sensitive workloads.
- Minimize unnecessary network egress traffic.
- Turn off monitoring/logging if not needed or choose the Basic plan.
- Use regional pricing options strategically for savings.
- Consider committed use contracts for predictable workloads.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is GKE?
GKE (Google Kubernetes Engine) is a managed Kubernetes service for deploying, managing, and scaling containerized applications.
2. Does this calculator include all Google Cloud costs?
It estimates major GKE components. Additional costs may apply, such as Cloud SQL or Cloud Functions.
3. Can I calculate costs for Autopilot clusters?
Yes, simply select “Autopilot Cluster” in the calculator.
4. How does network egress cost work?
The calculator uses tiered pricing for outbound traffic based on Google Cloud rates.
5. Can I adjust disk size per node?
Yes, you can enter custom persistent disk sizes and select HDD or SSD.
6. Are load balancers optional?
Yes, choose None, Network Load Balancer, or HTTP(S) Load Balancer.
7. What regions are included?
US/Europe, Asia Pacific (10% premium), and Australia (20% premium).
8. Does monitoring affect pricing?
Yes, Basic and Advanced monitoring have additional monthly fees.
9. Is this calculator free?
Yes, it’s completely free for estimates.
10. Can I use this for budgeting multiple clusters?
Yes, simply calculate each cluster separately and sum totals.
11. Are the results exact?
No, they are estimates. Actual costs may vary due to discounts, committed use contracts, and real-time pricing.
12. Can I calculate annual cost automatically?
Yes, the calculator shows monthly and annual totals.
13. Can I get cost per node?
Yes, the tool provides cost per node in addition to total costs.
14. Does the calculator include sustained use discounts?
No, estimates are based on standard pricing. Apply discounts separately for precise calculation.
15. Is it safe to use this calculator?
Yes, it doesn’t store any personal data and runs entirely on your browser.
Conclusion
The GKE Pricing Calculator is a practical tool for developers, DevOps engineers, and cloud architects looking to plan, estimate, and optimize Google Kubernetes Engine costs. By breaking down costs by node, storage, network, monitoring, and regional factors, it provides a clear understanding of your monthly and annual cloud expenses.
Use this calculator to avoid surprises, optimize your cluster, and make informed decisions about scaling, machine types, and region selection. It’s an essential first step for anyone managing GKE workloads efficiently.