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Grafana Cloud k6 calculator

The Grafana Cloud k6 calculator is an online tool that helps you estimate Virtual User Hours (VUH) consumption and associated costs for your performance testing scenarios. By inputting your test parameters, you can better plan your testing strategy and understand the billing implications before running your tests.

How VUH costs are calculated

Performance testing costs in Grafana Cloud k6 are based on Virtual User Hours (VUH), which can vary significantly depending on your test configuration. The calculator helps you:

• Estimate VUH consumption for different test scenarios
• Compare costs across different test configurations
• Plan your testing budget with accurate projections
• Optimize test design to balance coverage and cost
• Understand billing implications before executing tests

The calculator uses the same fractional VUH v2 calculation method used for actual billing, ensuring accurate cost estimates.

Get started

To use the k6 calculator:

1. Navigate to https://gck6-calculator.grafana.com/
2. Configure your test parameters using the input fields
3. View the calculated VUH consumption and cost estimates
4. Adjust parameters as needed to optimize your testing approach

The calculator provides real-time updates as you modify your test configuration, allowing you to explore different scenarios quickly.

Calculator inputs

The calculator accepts the following test parameters:

Test configuration

• Maximum Virtual Users (VUs): The peak number of virtual users your test simulates

• Test duration: How long your test runs (in minutes)

• VU type: Choose between Protocol VUs (API testing) and Browser VUs (browser testing)

• Execution mode: Select cloud execution or local execution with cloud streaming

• Test frequency: For repeated test scenarios, specify how often tests run

• Number of executions: Specify how many times your test scenario runs in the specified frequency interval

• Where to run the test: Specify if your test runs from a private load zone or from the public cloud

Understand the results

The calculator provides several key outputs:

VUH consumption

The calculator shows your total VUH consumption, broken down by:

• One time: This calculation takes into consideration the tests you would run on a free-form/one-off basis (marked as “once” in the frequency interval)
• Monthly: This calculation takes into consideration the tests you would run on a monthly basis (marked as “monthly”, “daily”, or “weekly” in the frequency interval)
• Next 12 months: Your total VUH consumption for the next 12 months, taking into consideration the tests you would run on a monthly basis (marked as “monthly”, “daily”, “weekly”, or “once” in the frequency interval)

Cost estimates

Select Show calculations in your test configuration to see a full breakdown of your VUH consumption and cost estimates based on your test configuration.

• Per-test cost: Individual test cost breakdown
• Per-interval cost: Cost breakdown for the specified frequency interval

Common use cases

The calculator is particularly useful for the following scenarios:

Load test sizing

When planning a major load test, use the calculator to:

• Determine optimal VU counts for your target load
• Estimate costs for different test durations
• Compare cloud vs. local execution costs
• Plan for volume discounts on large tests

Budget planning

For ongoing performance testing programs:

• Estimate monthly testing costs across multiple projects
• Plan testing frequency based on budget constraints
• Evaluate cost-effectiveness of different testing approaches
• Set appropriate VUH allocation limits for teams

Test optimization

To optimize your test design:

• Compare costs between Protocol and Browser VUs
• Evaluate the impact of test duration on total costs
• Assess the benefits of local execution with cloud streaming
• Find the most cost-effective load patterns for your needs

Calculation examples

The calculator implements the same billing logic used in Grafana Cloud k6. Here are some example scenarios:

Small API test

A test with 50 Protocol VUs running for 10 minutes:

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(50 VUs × 10 minutes) ÷ 60 = 8.33 VUH

Result: No volume adjustments apply, resulting in 8.33 VUH total.

Browser performance test

A test with 10 Browser VUs running for 30 minutes:

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((10 VUs × 30 minutes) ÷ 60) × 10 = 50 VUH

Result: Browser VUs are multiplied by 10× due to increased resource usage, resulting in 50 VUH total.

Large-scale load test

A test with 2,000 Protocol VUs running for 1 hour:

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Base calculation: (2,000 VUs × 60 minutes) ÷ 60 = 2,000 VUH
Volume adjustment: (100 × 1) + (400 × 0.8) + (500 × 0.5333) + (1,000 × 0.3333) = 1,019.85 VUH

Result: Volume discounts significantly reduce the effective VUH consumption from 2,000 to 1,019.85 VUH.

Monthly testing scenario

Running a weekly test with 100 Protocol VUs for 20 minutes:

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Per test: (100 VUs × 20 minutes) ÷ 60 = 33.33 VUH
Monthly: 33.33 VUH × 4 weeks = 133.32 VUH

Result: 133.32 VUH per month for weekly testing.

Best practices

When using the calculator to plan your testing:

Start with realistic scenarios

• Base your estimates on actual production traffic patterns
• Consider peak load conditions and expected user behavior
• Factor in the complexity of your application workflows

Account for test iterations

• Include time for test debugging and refinement
• Plan for multiple test runs during development cycles
• Consider the cost of baseline and comparison tests

Optimize for your goals

• Balance test coverage with budget constraints
• Use Protocol VUs for API-focused testing when possible
• Consider local execution for cost savings on large tests
• Leverage volume discounts for comprehensive test suites

Plan for growth

• Estimate future testing needs as your application scales
• Consider the impact of new features on testing requirements
• Plan VUH allocation across different teams and projects

Next steps

After using the calculator to estimate your testing costs:

1. Set up your first test: Follow the getting started guide to create and run your first performance test
2. Optimize your test scripts: Learn about test scenarios to design efficient tests
3. Monitor your usage: Use the billing dashboard in your Grafana Cloud instance to track actual VUH consumption
4. Explore advanced features: Consider static IP addresses and private load zones for enhanced testing capabilities

For more information about performance testing with Grafana Cloud k6:

• Understanding your Performance Testing invoice
• Virtual User Hours (VUH) concepts