Compare the platform fee, all cluster resources and the operating scope separately. Include the control plane, storage, network and necessary backups alongside workers. ClusterPilot Cloud calculates resource prices in the individual pilot proposal; public platform prices are drafts.
1. The total price has several components
A reliable calculation needs more than a price per cluster. A platform fee may cover management and specific functions. Compute, storage and additional operating services must also be included. A plan allowing many nodes does not mean the virtual machines are free.
Start with a cost structure that leaves amounts open. Add confirmed unit prices once the configuration is agreed. Keep one-time setup, recurring fees and usage-based charges separate.
| Item | What to clarify | Cost effect |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Plan, cluster and node limits, billing | Fixed fee and agreed functions |
| Compute | Number, size and role of all nodes | More nodes and larger machines need more resources |
| Storage | Capacity, performance and data growth | Calculate storage separately from the platform fee |
| Backups | Data scope, retention and restore testing | Include only agreed, qualified services |
| Network | Traffic, public access and other services | Specify usage-based and fixed costs |
2. How many nodes does your application need?
In Kubernetes, worker nodes run workloads and the control plane coordinates the cluster. Include both roles in infrastructure planning. Three workers are not necessarily the whole cluster configuration.
Begin with load patterns, application count and expected peaks. Record CPU, memory, background jobs and growth. The scheduler considers resource requests when placing workloads. A smaller VM may cost less while leaving less capacity for peaks and maintenance.
- Separate application and system requirements
- Identify staging and production
- Include control-plane resources in the calculation
- Consider peaks rather than average usage alone
3. Separate storage, backup and restoration
Storage often grows differently from compute. Databases, uploads and logs may need persistent capacity. Persistent Volumes provide storage resources, while claims describe requested capacity. This alone is not a backup commitment.
Ask which data is protected, where copies are stored, how long they are retained and whether restoration has been tested. A copy is useful only when the application and data can be recovered from it. Agree recovery objectives that fit your use case.
4. Compare proposals with the same operating scope
A lower-priced proposal may leave more work with your team. Another may provide infrastructure while you still operate applications and databases. Compare responsibilities alongside the invoice.
Ask about supported versions, maintenance, support hours and escalation. Clarify how resource changes are priced and which charges continue during migration or cancellation. An SLA figure without a defined scope provides little help for this decision.
- Does the bill include all control-plane and worker resources?
- Are storage, traffic and backups included or additional?
- Who operates the application, database and cluster?
- How are extra usage, changes and exit calculated?
5. How ClusterPilot Cloud is priced
ClusterPilot Cloud is the planned fully managed offering with infrastructure provided by ClusterPilot. Customers are not expected to bring a provider account. The pilot phase is in preparation; services and production suitability are qualified for its actual scope.
Starter, Pro and Business use centrally maintained platform pricing drafts. A proposed 15% annual discount applies only to that fee. Compute S, M, L and XL, storage, backups and network are calculated for the configuration in the pilot proposal. No public infrastructure rates have been approved yet.
Your inquiry keeps the selected plan and billing period and records clusters, approximate nodes and the use case. This prepares a specific proposal for review before you agree to a paid pilot.
Managed Kubernetes cost questions
Is the per-cluster price my total cost?+
Only if the proposal explicitly includes all resources and services. Check platform, control plane, workers, storage, backups and network.
Does the annual discount apply to extra nodes?+
The ClusterPilot Cloud proposed discount applies to the platform fee only. Infrastructure is calculated separately.
Can I request a Cloud pilot proposal?+
Yes. The inquiry is non-binding. The paid pilot, pricing and qualified service scope are agreed separately.