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OpenCost

opencost.io

Free plan WebLinuxAPISelf-hosted
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Spec score 7.8 #7 of 25 in Kubernetes Cost Management Software

What it is

OpenCost is a vendor-neutral open source project for measuring and allocating Kubernetes and cloud infrastructure costs. It breaks down costs in real time to Kubernetes concepts and containers for showback, chargeback, and reporting. Allocation covers CPU, GPU, memory, load balancers, and persistent volumes, and it can monitor cloud resources outside Kubernetes. The included web UI visualizes Kubernetes allocations and related cloud costs. Its API provides real-time and historical Kubernetes cost reports using on-demand list prices and cloud provider cost and usage reports. Listed cloud providers include Alibaba, AWS, GCP, Microsoft Azure, Open Telekom Cloud, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, OVHcloud, Scaleway, and STACKIT. Metrics and visualization integrations include Prometheus, Cortex, Thanos, Victoria Metrics, Grafana, and Grafana Cloud. OpenCost requires a Kubernetes cluster and Prometheus; Helm is recommended for full functionality. Cloud costs appear when provider billing data becomes available, usually several hours to 24 hours later, and on-demand pricing is not reconciled against billed actual costs. Cloud costs are not supported for on-premises clusters. OpenCost is free under Apache 2.0.

Spec sheet

Purpose
OpenCost is a vendor-neutral open source project for measuring and allocating Kubernetes and cloud infrastructure costs.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
Deployment
OpenCost requires a Kubernetes cluster and Prometheus; the project recommends Helm for full functionality.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
API
The API provides real-time and historical Kubernetes cost reporting using on-demand list prices and cloud provider cost and usage reports.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
Support
The project directs users with questions to CNCF Slack’s #opencost channel or its support email.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
AI integration
The MCP server provides AI agents access to allocation, asset, and cloud cost data and is enabled by default in deployments.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
Cloud cost delay
Cloud costs appear when they become available in provider billing data, usually after several hours to 24 hours, and on-demand pricing is not currently reconciled against billed actual costs.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
Cloud providers
The integrations page lists Azure, AWS, GCP, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, OVHcloud, Alibaba, and Scaleway.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
Cost allocation
It provides real-time cost allocation down to Kubernetes concepts and containers for showback, chargeback, and reporting.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
Governance
OpenCost is a Cloud Native Computing Foundation incubating project.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
Metrics and visualization
Listed integrations include Prometheus, Cortex, Thanos, Victoria Metrics, Grafana, and Grafana Cloud.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
Notable limit
Cloud costs are not currently supported for on-premises clusters, though costs from other cloud providers may be configured.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
Resource coverage
It allocates costs for CPU, GPU, memory, load balancers, and persistent volumes, and can monitor cloud resources outside Kubernetes.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
Security configuration
For AWS cloud costs, OpenCost supports IAM roles for service accounts, which use ambient credentials so no secrets are stored in the configuration file.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io
Web UI
The OpenCost UI is included in the default installation and visualizes Kubernetes allocations and related cloud costs.Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io

Plans and prices

OpenCost Free Open source (Apache 2.0) · Requires Kubernetes and Prometheus Read 8 Oct 2026 · opencost.io

Every OpenCost plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Allocates costs across Kubernetes resources
  • Includes a web UI and API
  • Supports multiple cloud providers
  • Connects with Prometheus and Grafana options

Limits

  • Requires Kubernetes and Prometheus
  • Cloud cost data may arrive up to 24 hours later
  • On-demand prices are not reconciled with billed costs
  • Cloud costs are unsupported for on-premises clusters

Who it suits

OpenCost suits teams that need to allocate Kubernetes or supported cloud costs for showback, chargeback, and reporting. It requires a Kubernetes cluster and Prometheus.

Verdict

OpenCost provides Kubernetes cost allocation with a UI, API, and listed cloud and metrics integrations. Account for its infrastructure requirements, delayed billing data, and lack of on-premises cloud cost support.

Where Specifiction places it

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