name: Cosmos API FinOps
description: >-
  Cost management guidance for consuming Cosmos SDK LCD REST APIs. Since the
  Cosmos SDK is open-source and self-hosted, the primary costs are
  infrastructure (node hardware, cloud compute, storage) rather than per-call
  API fees. Third-party commercial node providers offer metered pricing as an
  alternative to self-hosting.
url: https://cosmos.network
created: "2026-06-13"
modified: "2026-06-13"

costModel: infrastructure-based

costFactors:

  - factor: Self-Hosted Node Infrastructure
    description: >-
      Running a full Cosmos Hub node requires significant compute, storage, and
      bandwidth. A pruned full node needs roughly 500 GB+ of disk space; an
      archive node requires multiple terabytes. Cloud costs vary by provider.
    estimatedMonthlyCost: "$50–$500+ USD depending on cloud provider and node type"
    notes: >-
      Archive nodes suitable for deep history queries cost significantly more.
      Pruning strategies (default, everything, nothing, custom) affect storage
      cost. See app.toml pruning settings.

  - factor: Third-Party Node Provider Subscription
    description: >-
      Commercial providers charge based on request volume (credits/requests per
      month) or a flat monthly fee for dedicated endpoints. Suitable for teams
      that do not want to manage node infrastructure.
    estimatedMonthlyCost: "$0–$2,000+ USD depending on plan and usage"
    providers:
      - name: QuickNode
        url: https://www.quicknode.com/pricing
        notes: Credit-based pricing; free tier available
      - name: Blockdaemon
        url: https://blockdaemon.com/pricing
        notes: Enterprise-focused; contact for pricing
      - name: All That Node
        url: https://docs.allthatnode.com
        notes: Pay-as-you-go and monthly plans
      - name: Cosmostation (Mintscan LCD Proxy)
        url: https://docs.cosmostation.io/apis/reference/proxy/lcd
        notes: Bearer token authentication; usage-based

  - factor: Bandwidth and Egress
    description: >-
      High-volume query workloads (historical queries, indexing) generate
      significant outbound bandwidth, especially from archive nodes. Cloud egress
      fees should be factored into total cost of ownership.
    estimatedMonthlyCost: "Variable — $0.08–$0.12/GB egress on major cloud providers"

recommendations:
  - Use pruned nodes for current-state queries to minimize storage costs.
  - Use archive nodes only when deep historical data is required.
  - For development and testing, use community public endpoints to avoid costs.
  - For production, self-host if query volume is high; use third-party providers
    for lower-volume or managed deployments.
  - Monitor node disk growth; Cosmos Hub state grows ~1–2 GB per day at peak.