gp3 includes 3,000 IOPS and 125 MB/s. You pay only for performance above those baselines.
How this EBS pricing calculator works
This tool gives you a quick estimate of monthly Amazon EBS (Elastic Block Store) spend based on the inputs that drive cost most often: volume type, provisioned storage, performance settings, snapshots, and region. It is especially useful when you want to compare gp3 against gp2 or evaluate whether io2 performance is worth the premium for database workloads.
EBS pricing can look simple at first, but it becomes nuanced once you add provisioned IOPS, throughput, multiple volumes, and partial-month usage. The calculator above combines those pieces into one estimate so you can budget faster.
Main cost components behind EBS
1) Storage cost (GB-month)
Every EBS volume charges for allocated capacity per GB-month. If a volume exists for only part of the month, cost is prorated by hours. That means 100 GB for half the month is roughly half the monthly storage charge.
2) Provisioned performance cost
Some volume types include baseline performance while others bill separately for IOPS:
- gp3: includes baseline IOPS and throughput; additional performance is billed above that baseline.
- io2: optimized for steady high-performance workloads and charges for provisioned IOPS.
- gp2/st1/sc1: simpler pricing where cost is primarily storage.
3) Snapshot storage
EBS snapshots are charged separately in S3-backed storage. Even if your volume is small, long snapshot retention can become a major ongoing cost. This calculator lets you add snapshot GB so you can model the “hidden” part of your block storage bill.
4) Region impact
AWS regions have different unit rates. The estimator applies a regional adjustment so you can quickly compare likely cost changes when deploying across geographies.
When to use each EBS volume type
- gp3: default choice for most applications. Good balance of cost and predictable performance.
- gp2: legacy general-purpose SSD. Many teams migrate to gp3 for better economics.
- io2: mission-critical databases or latency-sensitive systems requiring high, consistent IOPS.
- st1: large sequential workloads like log processing or streaming analytics.
- sc1: lowest-cost HDD for infrequently accessed data.
Example scenarios
Small web app
Start with one 100 GB gp3 volume at baseline performance. In many cases, this is enough for moderate traffic and keeps monthly storage predictable.
Database server
If your database has strict latency goals, test io2 pricing with your true provisioned IOPS requirement. Also compare against gp3 with elevated IOPS and throughput—sometimes gp3 can meet the requirement at lower cost.
Backup-heavy environments
If snapshot retention is long, snapshot costs can rival active volume costs. Use this calculator to model retention policy changes before committing.
Practical ways to reduce EBS spend
- Right-size storage capacity and remove overprovisioned volumes.
- Prefer gp3 over gp2 in many modern workloads.
- Tune IOPS/throughput to measured usage rather than guesswork.
- Delete obsolete snapshots and automate retention windows.
- Shut down temporary resources quickly to benefit from hourly proration.
- Continuously review CloudWatch metrics and adjust before bills compound.
Important assumptions
This calculator is intended for planning and directional estimates. It does not include every AWS edge case, discount, tax, free tier detail, or specialized feature. Always verify rates on the official AWS pricing page and validate with your own workload benchmarks before making production decisions.