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Grafana Cloud

Understand metrics usage and cost

View your Prometheus metrics usage in Grafana Cloud using the Metrics section in the Usage tab. Use this information to monitor your consumption patterns and manage costs effectively.

Metrics usage is calculated from active series and data points per minute, both measured at the 95th percentile, plus query volume above the fair use allowance, measured in metrics query units (MQU). For what those terms mean and how the calculation works, refer to Metrics pricing.

Query your usage directly

Besides the app, you can query these metrics in the grafanacloud-usage data source:

MetricWhat it shows
grafanacloud_instance_active_seriesYour active series
grafanacloud_instance_samples_per_secondYour samples per second. Multiply by 60 for DPM.
grafanacloud_instance_active_otlp_seriesActive series ingested through OTLP, useful for tracking adoption
grafanacloud_instance_metrics_query_unadjusted_usageYour total query usage for the stack in billions of MQU, including usage within the fair use allowance
grafanacloud_instance_metrics_query_usageYour billable query usage for the stack in billions of MQU, after the fair use allowance is applied
grafanacloud_org_metrics_query_overageThe cost of billable query usage above the fair use allowance across your organization

Before you begin

You must have the permissions granted by the Billing and usage reader role.

View metrics usage in the app

Note

The Cost Management and Billing App will be available either in the top level navigation of your Grafana instance, or under More apps.

Access detailed Metrics usage information:

  1. Sign in to your Grafana Cloud instance.
  2. Navigate to Cost Management and Billing.
  3. Select the Usage tab.
  4. Find the Metrics option in the products drop-down menu and select it.

The interface displays:

  • Current usage: Your consumption during the selected billing period compared to plan limits
  • Usage trends: Historical metrics consumption patterns in interactive graphs
  • Query usage: Your query volume in MQU compared to the fair use allowance for the billing period
  • Cost information: Costs associated with your metrics usage, including overages beyond your subscription plan