# Billing

The IONOS Cloud Logging Service bills based on two dimensions:

* The number of pipelines in your contract.
* The volume of log data stored in IONOS Cloud Object Storage. Unlike consumption-based services, pipeline billing is time-based. A pipeline incurs a charge for every hour it exists, regardless of how many logs it ingests. In this context, a pipeline is considered active from the moment it is created until the moment it is deleted, whether or not it is ingesting logs.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Billing logic only:** This page explains the billing model and counting rules. For current prices by region, see [<mark style="color:blue;">IONOS Cloud Prices</mark>](https://cloud.ionos.com/prices).
{% endhint %}

## What is billed?

The Logging Service charges for two independent dimensions:

| **Dimension**    | **Billing unit**         | **Notes**                                 |
| ---------------- | ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------- |
| Active pipelines | Per pipeline per hour    | Charged from creation until deletion.     |
| Log storage      | Per GB per 30-day period | Accumulates as long as logs are retained. |

Both dimensions contribute to your bill independently. You can have low log volume and high pipeline costs, or low pipeline count and high storage costs.

## How is a "pipeline" defined for billing?

A **pipeline** is a logging configuration that receives, processes, and routes log data to the Logging Service. Each pipeline has its own regional endpoint and can contain up to five log streams.

**Billing starts** the moment a pipeline is created and **stops** the moment it is deleted. An idle pipeline that ingests no logs is still billed for every hour it exists.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Idle pipelines incur charges.** If you are not actively using a pipeline, delete it to stop billing. Stopping your log agents does not stop the pipeline charge.
{% endhint %}

## How is storage counted?

Ingested log data is stored in IONOS Cloud Object Storage. Storage costs accumulate for as long as data is retained.

* Log storage accumulates as data is ingested and retained in the service.
* Your configured retention period determines how long logs are kept before they are automatically removed.
* Shorter retention periods reduce your storage footprint.
* Storage is measured in GB per 30-day period and updated as new data arrives.
* Deleting a pipeline stops further pipeline charges but does **not** immediately remove stored log data. Existing logs remain in IONOS Cloud Object Storage until the configured retention period expires. Storage charges continue until the data is removed.

## Estimate your monthly costs

Use these formulas to project your bill before deploying:

```
pipeline cost per month = number of pipelines × 24 hours × 30 days × hourly rate
storage cost per month  = average GB stored × monthly storage rate
total monthly cost      = pipeline cost + storage cost
```

**Example:** 3 pipelines, 50 GB average log storage:

```
pipeline cost = 3 × 24 × 30 × hourly rate
storage cost  = 50 × monthly storage rate
```

For current hourly and storage rates, see [<mark style="color:blue;">IONOS Cloud Prices</mark>](https://cloud.ionos.com/prices).

{% hint style="info" %}
**Pipeline limit:** Each contract supports a maximum of 10 pipelines. Plan your pipeline structure to stay within this limit while grouping related log sources logically.
{% endhint %}

## What counts and what doesn't?

### Counts toward billing

* Each active pipeline, for every hour it exists in your contract
* Log data retained in storage, based on your configured retention period
* All log records ingested across all log streams within a pipeline, contributing to storage volume

### Does not count toward billing

* Querying or searching existing logs through Grafana or the Telemetry API
* Log records that are received but rejected due to rate limiting (not persisted to storage)
* The Logging Service's own internal usage metrics

{% hint style="info" %}
**Rate limits:** Each pipeline supports up to 50 HTTP requests per second and up to 10,000 log records per second over TCP. Records dropped due to rate limiting are not stored and therefore not billed for storage.
{% endhint %}

## How to track your usage

### Usage estimation in Grafana

The Logging Service includes a built-in **Log Usage Reporter** that publishes two metrics to your Grafana dashboard, updated approximately every five minutes:

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Estimation only.** The Log Usage Reporter is a consumption indicator, not a billing record. Use the DCD **Cost and Usage** view or the Billing API as the authoritative source for billed amounts.
{% endhint %}

| Metric                          | Type    | Scope        | Description                                |
| ------------------------------- | ------- | ------------ | ------------------------------------------ |
| `ionos_usage_logs_bytes_total`  | Counter | Per pipeline | Total bytes sent by the pipeline           |
| `ionos_usage_logs_counts_total` | Counter | Per pipeline | Total log records ingested by the pipeline |

**To view your pipeline usage:**

1. In your Grafana dashboard, go to **Explore**.
2. Select **Mimir** as the data source.
3. Select `ionos_usage_logs_bytes_total` or `ionos_usage_logs_counts_total` from the **Metric** drop-down list.
4. Filter by `pipeline_id` label to isolate a specific pipeline.
5. Click **Run query**.

Use `ionos_usage_logs_bytes_total` to track your storage trajectory and detect unexpected ingestion spikes before they increase your storage bill.

For full details, see [Log Usage Reporter](https://docs.ionos.com/sections-test/guides/observability/logging-service/overview/logging-usage-reporter).

### Cost and Usage view in the DCD

The DCD **Cost and Usage** view shows a breakdown of all billed services, including Logging Service pipelines and storage, with current list prices.

1. In the DCD, go to **Menu** > **Management** > **Cost and Usage**.
2. Select a **Period** to generate the report.

Billing data is updated at least once every 24 hours. For more information, see [Cost and Usage](https://docs.ionos.com/sections-test/guides/set-up-ionos-cloud/management/usage/cost-and-usage).

### Billing API

For programmatic access to invoice data and usage breakdowns, use the [IONOS Cloud Billing API](https://api.ionos.com/docs/billing/v3/). The API returns daily and monthly aggregates you can integrate into internal reporting or cost management tools.

## Common billing scenarios

| Scenario                                  | Billable?                                             | Reason                                                                                                                             |
| ----------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Pipeline created but no logs sent         | Yes (pipeline cost)                                   | The pipeline exists and is charged hourly                                                                                          |
| Log agents stopped, pipeline still exists | Yes (pipeline cost)                                   | Pipeline billing is based on existence, not log volume                                                                             |
| Pipeline deleted                          | No further pipeline charges; storage charges continue | Pipeline billing stops at deletion, but existing log data remains in IONOS Cloud Object Storage until the retention period expires |
| User queries logs in Grafana              | No                                                    | Querying does not affect pipeline or storage billing                                                                               |
| Log records dropped due to rate limit     | No (storage only)                                     | Dropped records are not persisted, so no storage cost                                                                              |
| Retention period shortened                | Reduced storage cost                                  | Older logs are removed, reducing stored GB                                                                                         |
| 10 pipelines active for a full month      | Maximum pipeline cost                                 | Contracts are capped at 10 pipelines                                                                                               |

## Pricing

Logging Service billing has two dimensions: active pipelines and log storage. Both are priced independently.

For current prices by region, see [IONOS Cloud Prices](https://cloud.ionos.com/prices).

{% hint style="info" %}
**Price group:** Logging Service uses Price Group A for both pipelines and storage. Your contract may include volume discounts or special pricing not reflected in the standard price list. Contact your account manager for details.
{% endhint %}

## Next steps

We recommend reviewing the following resources to help monitor and manage your Logging Service costs.

* [<mark style="color:blue;">Log Usage Reporter</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/sections-test/guides/observability/logging-service/overview/logging-usage-reporter)
* [<mark style="color:blue;">Cost and Usage</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/sections-test/guides/set-up-ionos-cloud/management/usage/cost-and-usage)
* [<mark style="color:blue;">Quick Start</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/sections-test/guides/observability/logging-service/quick-start)
* [<mark style="color:blue;">Frequently Asked Questions</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/sections-test/guides/observability/logging-service/logging-service-faqs)

**Useful external links:**

* [IONOS Cloud Prices](https://cloud.ionos.com/prices): current prices by region
* [IONOS Cloud Billing API](https://api.ionos.com/docs/billing/v3/): programmatic access to invoice and usage data
* [Cost Alert](https://docs.ionos.com/sections-test/guides/set-up-ionos-cloud/management/usage/cost-alert): set spending thresholds and receive notifications