OpenSearch Pricing 2026
Plans, hidden costs, and cheaper alternatives compared
Is OpenSearch worth the price?
OpenSearch offers a very generous pricing model with a robust free open-source option and a substantial AWS Free Tier.
The AWS Serverless option, starting at $174/month for 0.5 OCU, provides a scalable solution for those needing managed services. This pricing is best for organizations ranging from small startups leveraging the free tiers to larger enterprises requiring managed, auto-scaling search capabilities.
Pricing Plans
Free TrialOpen Source
Free
- Self-hosted
- Community support
- Apache 2.0 license
AWS Free Tier
Free
- 750 hours/month t2/t3.small
- 10GB EBS storage
- First 12 months
AWS Serverless
$174/monthly
- Starting at 0.5 OCU
- Auto-scaling
- Pay per use
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
AWS Serverless OCU costs scale rapidly
EBS storage costs beyond free tier
Data transfer fees on AWS
Operational overhead for self-hosted
Which Plan Do You Need?
Developers needing self-hosted search
Startups on AWS Free Tier
Businesses requiring auto-scaling managed search
How OpenSearch Compares to Competitors
Compared to Elastic Cloud, OpenSearch's open-source nature provides a significant cost advantage for self-hosting. While Elastic Cloud offers a free tier, its paid plans can quickly become more expensive than AWS Serverless for similar managed capabilities, especially for smaller workloads. OpenSearch's AWS integration also provides a more seamless experience for existing AWS users.
OpenSearch Pricing FAQ
How much does OpenSearch cost?
OpenSearch starts at $174/month on the AWS Serverless plan. A free plan is also available with limited features.
Does OpenSearch have a free plan?
Yes. OpenSearch offers a free plan called "Open Source". It includes: Self-hosted, Community support, Apache 2.0 license.
Does OpenSearch offer a free trial?
Yes, OpenSearch offers a free trial. No credit card is typically required to start the trial, though this may vary.