specification: API Commons Plans
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/Plans
provider: Kubecost
providerId: kubecost
created: '2026-05-04'
# Provenance stamped 2026-08-11: this artifact was written by the API Evangelist
# bulk sweep dated 2026-05-04, not harvested from the provider. See roadmap#35.
method: generated
modified: '2026-05-05'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - Cloud Cost
  - Cost Monitoring
  - Kubernetes
  - Optimization
description: Kubecost (now an IBM/Apptio product) is sold in three tiers. Foundations is always free and
  capped at 250 cores per cluster with 15-day metric retention. Enterprise Self-hosted and Enterprise
  Cloud (SaaS) are contact-sales with no published list price; pricing is typically core- and feature-based
  and negotiated through Apptio.
sources:
  - https://www.apptio.com/pricing?src=kc-com
  - https://www.kubecost.com/pricing
plans:
  - id: kubecost-foundations
    name: Foundations
    type: freemium
    description: Always-free tier for unlimited clusters up to 250 cores, with 15-day metric retention
      and unlimited users.
    entries:
      - label: Cluster size
        name: cluster_cores
        type: quota
        metric: cores
        limit: 250
        timeFrame: usage
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '0.00'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Metric retention
        name: retention_window
        type: quota
        metric: days
        limit: 15
        timeFrame: usage
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '0.00'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Users
        name: users
        type: quota
        metric: seat
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: usage
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '0.00'
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: Multi-cloud support (EKS, AKS, GKE, on-prem)
      - name: Bill reconciliation
      - name: Optimization insights
      - name: Unlimited clusters up to 250 cores
  - id: kubecost-enterprise-self-hosted
    name: Enterprise (Self-hosted)
    type: enterprise
    description: Self-managed Enterprise install with unlimited cluster scale, unlimited metric retention,
      RBAC, and enterprise integrations including GPU optimization. Pricing not publicly listed.
    entries:
      - label: Enterprise license
        name: enterprise_license
        type: subscription
        metric: contract
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: year
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: contact sales
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: Unlimited clusters at any scale
      - name: Unlimited metric retention
      - name: Custom pricing support
      - name: Role-based access control
      - name: Enterprise integrations
      - name: GPU optimization
  - id: kubecost-enterprise-cloud
    name: Enterprise Cloud (SaaS)
    type: enterprise
    description: Apptio-hosted SaaS edition adding managed updates, dedicated domain, HA / DR, and identity
      provider integration on top of Enterprise Self-hosted features. Pricing not publicly listed.
    entries:
      - label: SaaS subscription
        name: saas_subscription
        type: subscription
        metric: contract
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: year
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: contact sales
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: Managed updates and configuration
      - name: Dedicated domain
      - name: Reduced maintenance overhead
      - name: High availability and disaster recovery
      - name: Identity provider integration
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com
x-canonical:
  generated: '2026-10-08'
  vocabulary: all/0-working/economics/plans-canonical.yml
  models:
  - free
  - subscription
  units:
  - negotiated
  - period
  - seat
  plans:
  - name: Foundations
    access: freemium
    model: free
    model_how: derived
    units:
    - other
    - period
    - seat
    periods:
    - per-use
  - name: Enterprise (Self-hosted)
    access: enterprise
    model: subscription
    model_how: derived
    units:
    - negotiated
    periods:
    - year
  - name: Enterprise Cloud (SaaS)
    access: enterprise
    model: subscription
    model_how: derived
    units:
    - negotiated
    periods:
    - year