🍋 AgentCore Pricing Simplified Like a Lemonade Stand
If you've ever run a lemonade stand, you already understand AgentCore pricing.
You pay for:
- 🍋 Lemons you use (CPU)
- 🥤 Cups you serve (Memory)
- 🏪 The space you rent (Runtime)
- 👥 Optional helpers you hire (Gateway, Browser, etc.)
🎯 The Golden Rule
No fixed rent. No penalty for being idle. If no one buys lemonade, you pay nothing. 🍋
That's exactly how AWS AgentCore pricing works — pay only for what you use, per second, with zero upfront commitment.
⚙️ 1. Runtime — Pay Per CPU & Memory
Runtime = renting your AI's brain by the second.
💡 Example Calculation
If your agent uses:
- 1 vCPU for 18 seconds and
- 2 GB memory for 60 seconds
You'll pay:
💡 Analogy: Like paying only for the minutes you use your treadmill at the gym — not for the hours it's idle.
🌐 2. Browser — Pay for Cloud Browsing Power
Browser = a virtual window to the world. You pay per second of CPU and memory just like Runtime.
💡 Real-World Example
Travel Booking Agent
100K travel booking sessions per month
Cheaper than running 100K headless browsers yourself
🧮 3. Code Interpreter — Pay for Code Execution Time
This is your AI's lab. It runs small pieces of code on demand. For example, analyzing CSV data or generating graphs.
💡 Example Usage
🛠 4. Gateway — Pay Per API Call
You pay for:
💡 HR Agent Example
🖼 Pricing Overview
🔑 5. Identity — Pay Per Token (Only If Used Alone)
If your agent requests 150K access tokens
💡 Note: Identity is free when used via Runtime or Gateway.
🧠 6. Memory — Pay for What Your Agent Remembers
Short-term memory
(temporary notes)
Long-term memory
(stored insights)
Retrieval
(when reading past info)
💡 Personalized Coding Agent Example
AI coding assistant that remembers your preferences, past projects, and coding patterns
🖼 Visual Concept
Cartoon brain storing small sticky notes (short-term)
and big books (long-term)
🔍 7. Observability — Pay for Data Logged
You pay per GB of logs stored in CloudWatch. Roughly:
💡 Large Financial Agent Example
Financial trading agent generating 10 TB logs per month
🪙 Bonus Tip: Starting November 1, 2025
Network data transfer (EC2 standard rates) will apply for Runtime, Gateway, Browser, and Code Interpreter.
📊 Cost Comparison: Traditional vs AgentCore
| Component | Traditional Approach | AgentCore | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server Management | $500-2000/month | $0 (serverless) | 100% |
| Security & Auth | $200-800/month | $1.50/month | 99% |
| Monitoring | $100-400/month | $35-350/month | 65% |
| Development Time | 3-6 months | 1-2 weeks | 90% |
🧮 Quick Pricing Calculator
Estimated Monthly Cost
💡 Cost Optimization Tips
Optimize Runtime
- Cache frequently used data
- Minimize processing time
- Use appropriate memory sizes
Smart Tool Usage
- Batch API calls when possible
- Use tool indexing efficiently
- Implement smart caching
Memory Management
- Clean up old memories
- Use short-term for temporary data
- Optimize retrieval patterns
Monitor Usage
- Set up cost alerts
- Review logs regularly
- Track performance metrics
🌟 Closing Thoughts
"AgentCore is the nervous system of Agentic AI."
With serverless runtime, pay-as-you-go pricing, and modular components, AgentCore lets every builder — from indie developers to enterprises — create autonomous, intelligent agents that can truly think, act, and remember.
Whether you're 5 or 55, the magic of AgentCore is the same:
It's how AWS gave AI agents a heartbeat.
Pravin Menghani
Cloud Solutions Architect with 21+ years of experience in AWS, DevOps, and AI/ML. Passionate about making complex cloud technologies accessible to everyone.