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Key takeaways
1
AlloyDB pricing covers more than the primary. Standby and read-pool nodes add compute costs alongside shared storage, backups and networking.
2
Our modeled Iowa examples cost $494.58/month for a basic primary, $949.17 with HA and $1,858.34 with HA plus two read-pool nodes.
3
Commitment discounts cover CPU and memory, excluding storage, backups and network transfer. Unused commitments still have to be paid.
AlloyDB pricing becomes easier to budget when you count the nodes your application needs. An availability decision adds a standby; a reporting workload may need a read pool. Each choice changes the estimate before discounts enter the picture.
This guide builds three deployments with the same machine shape and region, then shows the formulas behind their monthly costs. Use the worksheet to replace the assumptions with your own.
These modeled, on-demand subtotals use us-central1, USD, 730 hours, N2 4-vCPU/32-GiB nodes, 100 GiB database storage and 100 GiB billable standard backup storage. Chargeable networking, enhanced backups, extended support, taxes and external services are excluded.
This guide builds three deployments with the same machine shape and region, then shows the formulas behind their monthly costs. Use the worksheet to replace the assumptions with your own.
These modeled, on-demand subtotals use us-central1, USD, 730 hours, N2 4-vCPU/32-GiB nodes, 100 GiB database storage and 100 GiB billable standard backup storage. Chargeable networking, enhanced backups, extended support, taxes and external services are excluded.
| Deployment | Compute nodes | Monthly subtotal |
|---|---|---|
| Basic primary for development | 1 | $494.58 |
| HA primary | 2 | $949.17 |
| HA primary plus a two-node read pool | 4 | $1,858.34 |
What Appears on an AlloyDB Bill
A deployment estimate needs quantities as well as rates. Start with the resources the deployment will retain throughout the month.| Component | Quantity to estimate |
|---|---|
| Compute | vCPU-hours and GiB-hours across all nodes |
| Database storage | Consumed regional storage over time |
| Backups | Billable backup storage over time |
| Networking | Chargeable transfer and networking services |
| Extended support | Applicable vCPU-hours beyond standard version support |
This article covers managed AlloyDB for PostgreSQL. The worksheet’s subtotal becomes a budget only after you add the charges relevant to your environment and account for your actual pricing agreement.
A basic primary has one node. An HA primary has an active node and a standby in another zone. Read-pool node counts are additional: one two-node pool adds two compute nodes, not one.
Every node contributes compute. All instances within the cluster share regional database storage, so adding a read node does not require another separately billed full database copy.
Google recommends basic instances for development or staging, where their lack of automated failover and SLA uptime coverage is acceptable. Production availability requirements should determine whether HA is necessary.
The standby protects primary availability; it is not the extra read pool in the third scenario.
The published AlloyDB rates below are USD on-demand prices for Iowa, checked October 22, 2026, before commitments or negotiated discounts.
How Primary HA and Read Pools Affect Cost
A read pool is an instance that can contain one or more nodes. Google’s AlloyDB architecture overview distinguishes the primary instance, which accepts writes, from read pools, which provide read-only capacity.A basic primary has one node. An HA primary has an active node and a standby in another zone. Read-pool node counts are additional: one two-node pool adds two compute nodes, not one.
Every node contributes compute. All instances within the cluster share regional database storage, so adding a read node does not require another separately billed full database copy.
Google recommends basic instances for development or staging, where their lack of automated failover and SLA uptime coverage is acceptable. Production availability requirements should determine whether HA is necessary.
The standby protects primary availability; it is not the extra read pool in the third scenario.
Compute and Shared Storage Assumptions for AlloyDB Pricing
For Google Cloud AlloyDB pricing, match the rate to the region and machine series. Google’s machine-type tables list N2, C4A, C4 and Z3 options. The examples use n2-highmem-4, with 4 vCPUs and 32 GiB per node; this is an illustrative shape, not the minimum configuration.The published AlloyDB rates below are USD on-demand prices for Iowa, checked October 22, 2026, before commitments or negotiated discounts.
| Resource | Hourly unit price |
|---|---|
| N2/C4A vCPU | $0.06608/vCPU-hour |
| N2/C4A memory | $0.0112/GiB-hour |
| Regional database storage | $0.0004109/GiB-hour |
| Standard backup storage | $0.000137/GiB-hour |
To adapt these estimates in Google’s Pricing Calculator, select AlloyDB for PostgreSQL, your region, a basic or HA primary, and the machine series and shape for each instance. Add any read-pool instances with their node counts, then enter average database and standard backup storage. These examples use on-demand pricing and 730 hours; add excluded charges separately.
Use binary units consistently: 1 TiB equals 1,024 gibibytes (GiB). At 730 hours, database storage alone costs approximately $30.00 for 100 GiB, $149.98 for 500 GiB, $307.16 for 1 TiB or $614.31 for 2 TiB. These figures exclude compute and backups.
A 730-hour month is a planning convention. For a specific billing month, replace it with the relevant hours and average storage quantities. Update regional rates whenever you change the location.
On-demand backups capture full snapshots; automated and continuous backups include incremental storage. Google’s transaction-log allowance covers the first seven days without an additional log-storage charge. Longer log retention is billable. That allowance does not make all backups free.
Estimate billable backup storage independently. A 100-GiB database does not establish a 100-GiB backup bill across every retention policy and change rate.
For networking, identify the source, destination and GiB transferred. Under AlloyDB’s networking rates, ingress and outbound transfer within the same region are free, but Private Service Connect (PSC) endpoints can introduce separate charges. Cross-region and internet outbound traffic need route-specific rates.
Finally, check the database version. Applicable extended-support fees are additional to ordinary compute and include standby and read-pool vCPUs.
The modeled applications connect within the region without PSC. Continuous recovery is assumed to use a seven-day window, versus Google’s documented 14-day default. Excluded charges remain outside these subtotals, and no trial credits or discounts are applied.
Use binary units consistently: 1 TiB equals 1,024 gibibytes (GiB). At 730 hours, database storage alone costs approximately $30.00 for 100 GiB, $149.98 for 500 GiB, $307.16 for 1 TiB or $614.31 for 2 TiB. These figures exclude compute and backups.
A 730-hour month is a planning convention. For a specific billing month, replace it with the relevant hours and average storage quantities. Update regional rates whenever you change the location.
Backups Network Charges and Other Additions
Backup retention is easy to overlook in an AlloyDB pricing estimate. Google’s backup overview separates standard backups from enhanced backups managed through Backup and DR. The standard rate above does not price the enhanced service.On-demand backups capture full snapshots; automated and continuous backups include incremental storage. Google’s transaction-log allowance covers the first seven days without an additional log-storage charge. Longer log retention is billable. That allowance does not make all backups free.
Estimate billable backup storage independently. A 100-GiB database does not establish a 100-GiB backup bill across every retention policy and change rate.
For networking, identify the source, destination and GiB transferred. Under AlloyDB’s networking rates, ingress and outbound transfer within the same region are free, but Private Service Connect (PSC) endpoints can introduce separate charges. Cross-region and internet outbound traffic need route-specific rates.
Finally, check the database version. Applicable extended-support fees are additional to ordinary compute and include standby and read-pool vCPUs.
Monthly Cost Examples and Estimation Worksheet
These AlloyDB pricing examples change one topology input at a time. All nodes run for 730 hours, with the shape and storage quantities shown above. Backup storage is an assumed monthly average, not a measured retention forecast.The modeled applications connect within the region without PSC. Continuous recovery is assumed to use a seven-day window, versus Google’s documented 14-day default. Excluded charges remain outside these subtotals, and no trial credits or discounts are applied.
Small Development Deployment
One basic primary contributes one node. Its monthly compute is:
(4 × $0.06608 + 32 × $0.0112) × 730 = $454.5856
Add database storage, 100 × $0.0004109 × 730, and standard backups, 100 × $0.000137 × 730. The subtotal rounds to $494.58.
Production HA Deployment
Keep the same shape and add the standby node. Compute doubles to $909.17, bringing the subtotal to $949.17. Shared database storage and the assumed backup quantity remain unchanged.HA Deployment With Added Read Capacity
Add one read-pool instance containing two matching nodes. The cluster now has four compute nodes and a subtotal of $1,858.34. This illustrates the cost of read capacity; it does not establish that four nodes meet a particular throughput or latency target.| Monthly component | Basic | HA | HA plus read pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compute | $454.59 | $909.17 | $1,818.34 |
| Database storage | $30.00 | $30.00 | $30.00 |
| Standard backups | $10.00 | $10.00 | $10.00 |
| Subtotal | $494.58 | $949.17 | $1,858.34 |
Totals use unrounded values. Moving from basic to HA adds $454.59; adding the read pool adds $909.17.
For budget approval, record why each node is needed. The worksheet shows the price of HA or read capacity, but it cannot decide whether an application can tolerate downtime or whether a reporting workload needs two read nodes.
Use the editable AlloyDB pricing worksheet to adjust node counts, running hours and storage assumptions for your deployment.
Note: These modeled estimates were cross-checked against Google’s Pricing Calculator on October 22, 2026. They are not measured invoices.
For budget approval, record why each node is needed. The worksheet shows the price of HA or read capacity, but it cannot decide whether an application can tolerate downtime or whether a reporting workload needs two read nodes.
Use the editable AlloyDB pricing worksheet to adjust node counts, running hours and storage assumptions for your deployment.
Note: These modeled estimates were cross-checked against Google’s Pricing Calculator on October 22, 2026. They are not measured invoices.
Eligible Commitments and Baseline Utilization
Separate discountable compute from the rest of the bill when comparing AlloyDB pricing. Google’s AlloyDB committed use discounts offer 25% for one year or 52% for three years on eligible CPU and memory. Storage, backups and network transfer are excluded. Coverage aggregates eligible usage across projects and regions under the purchasing billing account.For the HA example, fully covered and utilized compute would produce these modeled subtotals:
| Pricing basis | Monthly subtotal |
|---|---|
| On demand | $949.17 |
| One-year CUD | $721.88 |
| Three-year CUD | $476.40 |
Those are provider-cost estimates before our fees or Cashback.
Review workload sizing and backup retention before purchasing commitments. Then examine hourly eligible spend after existing coverage, including quiet periods and planned migrations or reductions. CPU utilization alone is not commitment utilization: the commitment decision concerns eligible billed usage.
A quiet weekend matters when eligible billed compute falls; lower query traffic alone does not reduce running-node charges. Avoid treating a temporary deployment, launch spike or soon-to-retire read pool as permanent demand.
Google’s spend-based commitment rules require payment for unused commitments, with no hourly rollover or cancellation. Under the new consumption model, the purchase amount represents discounted hourly spend. Compare commitment payments plus uncovered usage and noneligible charges, without counting covered compute twice.
Our GCP committed use discount guide explains the broader categories. A smaller commitment or postponing the purchase can be sensible when the future baseline is uncertain.
Review workload sizing and backup retention before purchasing commitments. Then examine hourly eligible spend after existing coverage, including quiet periods and planned migrations or reductions. CPU utilization alone is not commitment utilization: the commitment decision concerns eligible billed usage.
A quiet weekend matters when eligible billed compute falls; lower query traffic alone does not reduce running-node charges. Avoid treating a temporary deployment, launch spike or soon-to-retire read pool as permanent demand.
Google’s spend-based commitment rules require payment for unused commitments, with no hourly rollover or cancellation. Under the new consumption model, the purchase amount represents discounted hourly spend. Compare commitment payments plus uncovered usage and noneligible charges, without counting covered compute twice.
Our GCP committed use discount guide explains the broader categories. A smaller commitment or postponing the purchase can be sensible when the future baseline is uncertain.
When to Compare AlloyDB With Cloud SQL
Before settling on a database, compare your AlloyDB pricing estimate with Cloud SQL. Price the PostgreSQL configuration that meets your availability, read-scaling and workload requirements. Equal vCPU counts do not establish equal performance.| Decision | Comparison to make |
|---|---|
| Availability | Match the required failure protection |
| Read scaling | Include the required read capacity and storage |
| Workload fit | Validate latency and throughput with representative queries |
| Budget | Match region, hours, backup policy and discounts |
Also read our Cloud SQL pricing guide to understand that service’s cost components. Its MySQL worked example should not be treated as a matched PostgreSQL quote.
With our Flex Insured Commitments, teams can access a 52% discount on eligible AlloyDB vCPU and memory usage through a three-year AlloyDB CUD, before our fees.
If an eligible Flex Commitment costs more than equivalent pay-as-you-go usage, we provide Cashback protection for the qualifying difference, subject to your agreement and program terms. Our protection does not cancel the underlying commitment, and we do not automatically protect existing customer-owned commitments as Flex Commitments.
We charge an agreed percentage of realized savings, so the fee applies when verified savings are generated.
Once your topology and eligible hourly baseline are clear, evaluate how much additional commitment coverage your usage can sustain.
How We Manage AlloyDB Commitments
Once your deployment estimate is clear, our GCP commitment management uses a read-only Savings Test to review billing data and existing coverage before assessing additional AlloyDB commitments. We do not resize or modify your database workloads.With our Flex Insured Commitments, teams can access a 52% discount on eligible AlloyDB vCPU and memory usage through a three-year AlloyDB CUD, before our fees.
If an eligible Flex Commitment costs more than equivalent pay-as-you-go usage, we provide Cashback protection for the qualifying difference, subject to your agreement and program terms. Our protection does not cancel the underlying commitment, and we do not automatically protect existing customer-owned commitments as Flex Commitments.
We charge an agreed percentage of realized savings, so the fee applies when verified savings are generated.
Plan Your AlloyDB Budget Before Committing
Use the AlloyDB pricing worksheet to count nodes and add backup, networking and version-related charges for a deployment that meets your availability and performance requirements.Once your topology and eligible hourly baseline are clear, evaluate how much additional commitment coverage your usage can sustain.
Frequently asked questions
Is AlloyDB free
Google offers a restricted 30-day AlloyDB trial with an 8-vCPU primary, one 8-vCPU read pool and up to 1 TB of data. It excludes HA and SLA coverage. Certain outbound transfer and final-backup charges can apply.
Is AlloyDB Omni included in these estimates
No. AlloyDB Omni is downloadable database software with separate licensing and infrastructure costs. These examples cover the managed Google Cloud service. No-charge Omni evaluation is subject to its license terms, while production requires a subscription.
Does AlloyDB charge separately for I/O
Google's managed AlloyDB pricing model has no separate per-I/O-operation charge. Compute, database storage, backups and applicable networking still contribute to the total.
Why might my invoice differ from the estimate
Your estimate reflects its inputs. Actual hours, storage growth, backup retention, transfer, version support and negotiated rates may differ. Credits, taxes and other services can also change the amount billed. These scenarios are modeled examples, not measured invoices.
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