AWS RDS Pricing 2026

Plans, hidden costs, and cheaper alternatives compared

Is AWS RDS worth the price?

85/10

AWS RDS pricing is generally fair and highly flexible, especially with its robust Free Tier and On-Demand options.

The Free Tier, offering 750 hours/month and 20 GB storage at $0 for 12 months, is very generous for new users and small projects. For established businesses, the On-Demand rate starting at $0.016 per hour provides excellent pay-as-you-go flexibility, while Reserved Instances offer substantial savings (30-70% off) for predictable workloads.

This structure caters well to a wide range of users, from startups to large enterprises.

Pricing Plans

365-day Free Trial

Free Tier

Free

750 hours/month
20 GB storage
20 GB backup
Single-AZ only

On-Demand

$0.016/per hour

Pay per hour
No commitment
All instance types
Multi-AZ available

Reserved

$30/1-3 year term

Significant discount
Predictable costs
Partial upfront option
All instance types

Calculate your cost View full pricing

Hidden Costs & Gotchas

Data transfer out charges

IOPS beyond free tier

Backup storage overage

Multi-AZ doubles cost

Which Plan Do You Need?

Startups & new projects

Variable workloads

Cost-optimized enterprises

How AWS RDS Compares to Competitors

Compared to Google Cloud SQL, AWS RDS offers a more generous free tier. Google Cloud SQL's free tier is limited to 120 GB-hours per month for specific instance types, whereas AWS provides 750 hours and 20 GB storage. For on-demand, both are competitive, but AWS's Reserved Instances often provide deeper discounts than Google's committed use discounts for long-term commitments.

AWS RDS Pricing FAQ

How much does AWS RDS cost?

AWS RDS starts at $30/month on the Reserved plan. A free plan is also available with limited features.

Does AWS RDS have a free plan?

Yes. AWS RDS offers a free plan called "Free Tier". It includes: 750 hours/month, 20 GB storage, 20 GB backup.

Does AWS RDS offer a free trial?

Yes, AWS RDS offers a free trial lasting 365 days. No credit card is typically required to start the trial, though this may vary.

Is there a cheaper alternative to AWS RDS?

Yes. Popular alternatives to AWS RDS include PostgreSQL, Neon, Crunchy Data, Nile Database. Free alternatives include PostgreSQL, Neon, Nile Database. Compare them side-by-side on Toolradar.