How much does ElastiCache cost?

ElastiCache pricing depends on engine, node type, and mode. On-demand cache.r7g.xlarge Redis OSS costs $0.437/hr ($319/month). Valkey is 20% cheaper at $0.350/hr ($255/month). Reserved nodes reduce these rates by 30-55%. ElastiCache Serverless costs $0.0000034 per ECPU for Redis OSS and Memcached. Backup storage costs $0.085/GiB-month. Verify all rates at aws.amazon.com/elasticache/pricing -- rates change.

What is an ElastiCache cache node?

An ElastiCache cache node is the smallest deployable unit in a node-based ElastiCache cluster. It has a fixed amount of CPU, memory, and network capacity determined by the node type (e.g., cache.r7g.xlarge = 26.32 GiB RAM). Every node in your cluster is billed individually at the hourly rate for that node type. Replica nodes cost the same as primary nodes.

What is the discount on ElastiCache reserved instances?

ElastiCache reserved nodes offer: No Upfront: 30-40% off on-demand. Partial Upfront: 40-50% off. All Upfront: 45-55% off. 3-year All Upfront provides the maximum discount of approximately 55%. Valkey nodes add an additional 20% cost reduction on top of these reserved discounts versus equivalent Redis OSS on-demand rates.

Do ElastiCache reserved nodes work across engines?

Redis OSS reserved nodes apply to both Redis OSS and Valkey nodes in the same family and region. Since Valkey is priced 20% lower, a Redis OSS reservation covers 20% more Valkey nodes via normalization units. Memcached reservations only apply to Memcached nodes. Valkey reservations only apply to Valkey nodes.

What is ElastiCache Extended Support and how does it affect reserved node costs?

When a Redis OSS engine version reaches end-of-life (Redis 5.x reached EOL January 31, 2026), AWS charges an Extended Support premium of 80% of the on-demand rate in years 1-2 and 160% in year 3, added on top of your existing node rate. Reserved nodes reduce the base rate but do not eliminate the Extended Support premium. Always migrate to a supported engine version before purchasing long-term reserved nodes.

Can you cancel ElastiCache reserved nodes?

No. ElastiCache reserved nodes are non-refundable and non-cancellable. The upfront payment and ongoing hourly charges for the reservation term cannot be recovered. If your cluster is deprecated or resized below the reserved capacity, unused reserved node units can flow to other nodes in the same family and region within your AWS account via the normalization unit system.

AWS, ElastiCache

ElastiCache Reserved Nodes: Pricing, Savings & Buying Guide

A practical look at ElastiCache Reserved Nodes, current discounts, flexibility, and the key factors that determine whether committing will actually save you money.

Navanita Devi

Senior FinOps Practitioner

Updated August 31, 2026

20 min read

Key takeaways

ElastiCache Reserved Nodes offer one- or three-year commitments with No Upfront, Partial Upfront, or All Upfront payment options.

AWS currently advertises maximum discounts of up to 48.2%, 52%, and 55%, respectively, compared with On-Demand pricing.

Reserved Nodes are best suited to stable node-based workloads. Database Savings Plans provide a more flexible, spend-based commitment for eligible Valkey instance and Serverless usage

ElastiCache can become a significant and predictable part of an AWS bill when cache clusters run continuously.

If that baseline is stable, paying the standard On-Demand rate for every node hour may leave savings available. But committing too early can create unnecessary cost if your architecture, engine version, Region, or capacity needs change.

This guide focuses on the pricing mechanics and commitment decisions that matter when evaluating ElastiCache Reserved Nodes.

The short answer

ElastiCache Reserved Nodes are pricing commitments for node-based ElastiCache deployments. You continue creating and running ElastiCache nodes normally, while AWS applies the Reserved Node rate to eligible usage during the commitment period.

Reserved Nodes are available for Valkey, Redis OSS, and Memcached node-based deployments and are not available for ElastiCache Serverless. See AWS Reserved Node.

AWS offers one- and three-year terms with No Upfront, Partial Upfront, and All Upfront options. The maximum published discounts are currently up to 48.2% for No Upfront, 52% for Partial Upfront, and 55% for All Upfront.

These are maximum advertised discounts, not guaranteed savings for every node type, Region, engine, or offering.

Reserved Nodes are also size flexible. A reservation can apply across sizes within the applicable node family and Region, subject to the engine rules.

Existing Redis OSS Reserved Nodes have a specific exception: they can also apply to Valkey in the same family and Region.

Three terms to understand

Reserved Node: A pricing commitment that provides discounted rates for eligible node usage.
Normalized units: AWS’s measurement for applying a reservation across different node sizes.
Effective hourly rate: The total reservation cost, including any upfront payment, amortized across the full term.

Also read: Amazon EC2 Pricing: How It Works & Ways to Reduce Costs

What are the ElastiCache Reserved Node payment options?

AWS currently provides three payment structures for one- and three-year Reserved Node terms. See AWS ElastiCache pricing.

Payment option	How it works	Maximum published discount
No Upfront	No initial payment; discounted hourly charges throughout the term	Up to 48.2%
Partial Upfront	Part of the commitment is paid upfront; remaining charges are billed hourly	Up to 52%
All Upfront	The reservation is paid in full at purchase	Up to 55%

These percentages are maximum published discounts. The actual offering depends on the engine, node type, Region, term, and payment option. The payment structure also affects how you calculate the effective cost. For an upfront offering, include the upfront payment when calculating the total reservation cost over the term.

Which option should you choose?

No Upfront: useful when preserving cash is more important than maximizing the discount.
Partial Upfront: a middle ground between cash outlay and effective cost.
All Upfront: appropriate when the workload is highly predictable and the organization is comfortable paying upfront.

The payment decision should follow the workload decision. A larger discount does not help if the underlying capacity is no longer needed.

How does Reserved Node size flexibility work?

Since October 1, 2024, ElastiCache Reserved Nodes have been size flexible. A reservation can apply across different sizes within the same node family and Region.

For example, a cache.r6g.xlarge reservation represents eight normalized units and can cover two cache.r6g.large nodes, which also total eight units

A practical tip
Size flexibility does not mean unlimited flexibility. A reservation does not automatically move to another node family or Region.

How normalization units work

AWS assigns normalized units to different node sizes:

Node size

Redis OSS / Memcached

Valkey

large

3.2

xlarge

6.4

2xlarge

12.8

4xlarge

25.6

For example, eight applicable normalized units could cover one xlarge, two large nodes, or part of a larger eligible node.

If usage exceeds the reserved normalized capacity, the excess is charged at On-Demand rates.
If usage falls below the reservation and the remaining units cannot be used by other eligible nodes during that hour, the unused benefit does not roll forward.

Do Redis OSS Reserved Nodes apply to Valkey?

Yes. AWS allows existing Redis OSS Reserved Nodes to apply to Valkey nodes in the same node family and Region. See AWS Reserved Node documentation

Valkey is priced 20% lower than Redis OSS for node-based ElastiCache. Because Valkey uses lower normalization factors, an existing Redis OSS reservation can cover more Valkey capacity.

For example, AWS documents a cache.r7g.4xlarge Redis OSS reservation as 32 normalized units. The corresponding Valkey node represents 25.6 units, leaving 6.4 units available for other eligible usage in the same family and Region.

This is not a second 20% discount added to the Reserved Node discount. The benefit comes from two separate mechanics:

Valkey’s node pricing is lower than Redis OSS pricing.
Redis OSS reservation units can cover more Valkey capacity because Valkey uses lower normalization factors.

If you already have Redis OSS Reserved Nodes and are considering Valkey, model the migration before purchasing additional commitments.

What does an ElastiCache Reserved Node actually save?

The correct calculation is based on the actual Reserved Node offering, not the maximum advertised discount.

Start with:

On-Demand cost

Eligible node-hours × On-Demand hourly rate

Then:

Effective Reserved Node rate

Total reservation cost over the term ÷ Total hours in the term

For an upfront reservation, total reservation cost includes the upfront payment and any applicable recurring charges.

Finally:

Savings

Equivalent On-Demand cost − Reserved Node cost

Note: Pricing varies by Region, engine, node type, term, and offering. Check the actual offering before using a Reserved Node price in a business case. AWS provides the available offerings through the ElastiCache console and DescribeReservedCacheNodesOfferings. The published “up to 55%” figure should therefore be treated as a maximum discount, not as the expected discount for a particular configuration.

What Reserved Nodes do not cover

A Reserved Node discount applies to eligible node-hour charges. It does not mean every ElastiCache-related charge becomes discounted. Depending on the deployment, model separately for costs such as:

data transfer;
backup or storage charges;
Extended Support;
Serverless-specific charges; and
other usage-based charges that are priced separately by AWS.

Should you buy ElastiCache Reserved Nodes?

Reserved Nodes are strongest when a production cache:

runs continuously;
has a well-understood capacity baseline;
is expected to remain in the same Region and node family;
does not have an imminent move to Serverless;
runs a supported engine version; and
has enough spend for the discount to materially affect the AWS bill.

Hold off when engineering expects:

a major architecture change;
a migration to another engine or deployment model;
significant rightsizing;
a regional move;
a substantial reduction in cache capacity; or
workload retirement.

There is no universal utilization percentage that makes a Reserved Node purchase correct. The key question is whether your eligible baseline is predictable enough to justify the commitment.

Reserved Nodes vs. Database Savings Plans

Database Savings Plans use a different commitment model. Instead of committing to specific Reserved Node capacity, you commit to a consistent amount of eligible usage measured in dollars per hour for one year. For ElastiCache, AWS currently lists:

ElastiCache for Valkey Instances
ElastiCache for Valkey Serverless

as Database Savings Plans-eligible usage. Redis OSS and Memcached are not listed as eligible ElastiCache DSP usage.

Consideration	Reserved Nodes	Database Savings Plans
Commitment model	Reserved node pricing	Consistent $/hour spend
Terms	1 or 3 years	1 year
Payment	No, Partial, or All Upfront	No Upfront
Node-based ElastiCache	Valkey, Redis OSS, Memcached	Eligible Valkey usage
Serverless	Not eligible	Eligible Valkey Serverless
Flexibility	Family and Region constraints	Broader flexibility across eligible usage

AWS currently advertises Database Savings Plans at up to 35% overall, but the applicable ElastiCache discount depends on the eligible usage.

See AWS Database Savings Plans pricing.

A practical tip
Size flexibility does not mean unlimited flexibility. A reservation does not automatically move to another node family or Region.

One additional consideration is allocation. A Database Savings Plan can apply automatically across eligible database usage, so the commitment may be consumed by eligible usage beyond the specific ElastiCache workload you are evaluating.

Before attributing the entire expected benefit to ElastiCache, review account-wide eligible usage and Savings Plan coverage.

Related read: Usage.ai Now Supports All 10 AWS Database Savings Plans

Decision Rule
Use Reserved Nodes when their node-specific economics justify the family and Region commitment. Consider Database Savings Plans when broader flexibility is more valuable for eligible Valkey usage, including Serverless.

What is the Extended Support risk?

Extended Support can materially change the economics of a long-term Redis OSS commitment.

AWS currently lists Redis OSS versions 4 and 5 as reaching the end of standard support on January 31, 2026.

Starting February 1, 2026, affected caches are automatically enrolled in Extended Support unless upgraded. Redis OSS 6 reaches the end of standard support on January 31, 2027.

See AWS Extended Support versions.

For provisioned Redis OSS instances, Extended Support currently adds:

80% premium in Year 1
80% premium in Year 2
160% premium in Year 3

The premium is calculated against the applicable On-Demand rate.

Before buying a three-year commitment, check the support schedule for the exact Redis OSS major version you run.

A practical checklist before you buy

Confirm these inputs before purchasing:

Engine: Valkey, Redis OSS, or Memcached.

Deployment: node-based or Serverless.

Region: confirm the workload's long-term Region.

Node family: confirm the family is unlikely to change.

Baseline: calculate the stable normalized capacity you actually need.

Engine lifecycle: check for upcoming Extended Support.

Architecture: identify planned migrations, rightsizing, or retirement.

Offering: compare the actual Reserved Node price, term, and payment option.

Alternatives: for eligible Valkey workloads, compare the economics and flexibility of Database Savings Plans.

Total bill: model node-hour savings separately from data transfer, storage, backup, and other applicable charges.

What happens if you stop using a Reserved Node?

Deleting the underlying cache does not cancel the Reserved Node commitment. The reservation remains available for eligible usage during the remaining term. AWS states that Reserved Node purchases cannot be cancelled.

Size flexibility can help absorb changes within the same eligible family and Region, but it does not eliminate commitment risk. If overall eligible usage falls below the reservation, the unused commitment remains a cost.

How Usage.ai approaches ElastiCache commitment management

Usage.ai helps teams evaluate and manage eligible cloud commitments based on actual usage patterns. For ElastiCache, teams can use Reserved Nodes to reduce predictable node-based costs.

Through our Flex Insured Commitment Program, teams can capture up to 50% savings on covered cloud spend, on average, without taking on a three-year commitment risk. Our fee is a percentage of realized savings, and eligible commitments include cashback protection for underutilization.

The best time to commit is after you have stabilized and right-sized your ElastiCache configuration. Once the baseline is predictable, Usage.ai can manage the commitment strategy around that baseline, allowing your team to focus on the workload while Usage.ai handles the commitment management.

Evaluate with your own data

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Frequently asked questions

What are ElastiCache Reserved Nodes?

ElastiCache Reserved Nodes are one- or three-year pricing commitments that provide discounted rates for eligible node-based ElastiCache usage. AWS offers No Upfront, Partial Upfront, and All Upfront options.

How much can ElastiCache Reserved Nodes save?

AWS currently advertises maximum discounts of up to 48.2% for No Upfront, 52% for Partial Upfront, and 55% for All Upfront. Actual savings depend on the engine, node type, Region, term, and specific offering.

Are ElastiCache Reserved Nodes size flexible?

Yes. Reserved Nodes are size flexible within the applicable node family and Region. Normalized units determine how the reservation applies when node sizes change.

Do Redis OSS Reserved Nodes work with Valkey?

Yes. Existing Redis OSS Reserved Nodes can apply to Valkey nodes in the same family and Region. Valkey's lower pricing and normalization factors can allow an existing reservation to cover more capacity.

Are Reserved Nodes available for ElastiCache Serverless?

No. Reserved Nodes apply to node-based ElastiCache deployments. Eligible Valkey Serverless usage can instead use Database Savings Plans.

Can I cancel an ElastiCache Reserved Node?

No. AWS states that Reserved Node purchases cannot be cancelled. Deleting a cache covered by a reservation does not cancel the underlying commitment.

What is the difference between Reserved Nodes and Database Savings Plans?

Reserved Nodes are one- or three-year commitments with three payment options. Database Savings Plans are one-year, No Upfront commitments based on consistent hourly spend. AWS currently lists eligible Valkey instance and Serverless usage for ElastiCache DSPs.

What should I check before buying a three-year Reserved Node?

Check the stable workload baseline, node family, Region, engine version, planned architecture changes, actual Reserved Node offering, and the total ElastiCache cost. Also verify the engine support lifecycle before making a long commitment.