Billing
This page serves as a guide on Uploadcare billing process, explaining what charges may apply to your Operations, Traffic, and Storage usage.
Operations
Think of operations as a credit balance that is spent depending on the complexity of actions with your files using Uploadcare APIs: file uploading, image optimization and transformations, video processing, document conversion, outcoming webhooks and various API requests.
Any incoming API request or outgoing request (webhooks) is considered as 1 operation. However some advanced requests like background removal or AVIF image optimization require more operations to be performed.
Uploading
Uploading volume
Every successful file upload results in an extra operation count for each 100 MB. Note that the file size is rounded up to the closest number divisible by 100 for calculation.
Malware protection
All uploaded files are screened for viruses. Please note that a single additional operation is deducted for every 100 MB scanned for viruses.
Examples
The cost of uploading a 20 MB file:
- 1 operation for the API request.
- 1 operation due to rounding up the file size to 100 MB.
- 1 operation for the virus scan of 100 MB.
For a 250 MB file:
- 2 operations for the API request.
- 3 operations attributed to rounding the file size up to 300 MB.
- 3 operations for the virus scan of 300 MB.
Uploading a file larger than 100 MB requires 2 API requests. Learn more about Multipart uploading.
Image processing
When you request an image from the CDN, you have the capability to perform multiple actions simultaneously. You can resize the image, apply effects, and enhance its loading speed, all with a single request. Regardless of the complexity of your request or the number of parameters applied in the URL, Uploadcare will charge you as follows:
- 1 operation for a non-cached request
Each request for an image that has not yet been cached on the CDN counts as one operation, regardless of the number of parameters applied to the file via the request URL. - 0 operations for a cached request
If an image is already cached on our CDN, accessing cached files does not count as operations.
Please note that, in addition to the number of operations, the CDN traffic generated by your requests also contributes to your billing.
There are certain tasks that require more computational power that will result in additional operations being consumed:
Note:
AVIF totals 2 operations: 1 base operation for the unique request + 1 additional operation for AVIF conversion.
Examples
Adjust the size, optimize, and convert the image format to WebP:
- 1 operation for a unique URL.
Adjust the size, optimize, and convert the image format to AVIF:
- 1 operation for a unique URL.
- 1 additional operation for AVIF conversion, total 2 operations.
Remove the background, add an overlay, and resize:
- 1 operation for a unique URL.
- 749 additional operations for background removal.
Video processing
Each video processing job creates 2 new files billed as uploads: the output video and one thumbnail. Each additional thumbnail requested via thumbs~N counts as 1 additional upload. The processing itself is billed based on the output video’s duration and resolution.
The output resolution can be set via the size operation.
Formula: operations = minutes × rate
Duration is always rounded up to the next 10-second increment before billing. If the duration is already a multiple of 10 seconds, no additional rounding occurs. A 25-second video is billed as 30 seconds (½ minute), a 7-second video as 10 seconds (⅙ minute), a 30-second video stays at 30 seconds (½ minute).
Examples
A 25-second SD video (rounds to ½ minute):
- ½ × 120 = 60 operations
A 25-second HD video (rounds to ½ minute):
- ½ × 240 = 120 operations
A 3-minute UHD video:
- 3 × 480 = 1,440 operations
A 90-second SD video (1½ minutes):
- 1½ × 120 = 180 operations
Adaptive bitrate streaming
Adaptive bitrate streaming re-encodes a video into multiple resolution variants so players can switch quality based on network conditions. Each variant is billed at 120 operations per minute, and duration is rounded up to the next 10-second increment (same rule as video processing).
How resolution variants are determined
Variant selection is based on the shorter side of the original video (min(width, height)). For example, a 1920×1080 video has a shorter side of 1080p. A higher variant is only produced if the shorter side is at least 1.2× the previous variant’s resolution. Output is capped at the original resolution — no upscaling.
Each variant’s output resolution is capped at the original — no upscaling. For example, a 900p video produces 360p, 720p, and 900p (not 1080p).
Formula: operations = minutes × 120 × variant_count
Examples
A 52-second video at 1080p (3 variants, rounds to 1 minute):
- 1 × 120 × 3 = 360 operations
A 30-second video at 1080p (3 variants, ½ minute):
- ½ × 120 × 3 = 180 operations
A 3-minute video at 500p (2 variants: 360p, 720p):
- 3 × 120 × 2 = 720 operations
A 90-second video at 320p (1 variant: 320p, 1½ minutes):
- 1½ × 120 × 1 = 180 operations
Delivery
When your users request a file, Uploadcare only counts the traffic if the file is either the original or a cached version. However, if a file isn’t cached and needs processing—especially if that processing involves complex transformations specified in the URL—it will use up additional operations based on the complexity of the tasks.
When a file is requested, original or processed, it gets cached on CDN. The lifespan of a file in the cache can vary depending on factors like how frequently it’s accessed. Popular files that are requested often tend to stay longer. On the other hand, infrequently accessed files might be removed.
File management
Each API request counts as one operation. But some actions can count as extra operations, depending on how complex they are:
These operations affect your storage volume because each operation means a new file is uploaded. But, they don’t affect your traffic usage.
Note: Upload API’s requests /from_url/status/, /info/ and /group/info/ are no longer considered for operations counting.
Operations calculates
Uploadcare calculates your operations and rounds up to the nearest thousand. So, if you’ve executed 1700 operations, we’ll account for it as 2000.
Traffic
Total amount of content that’s been transferred both from Uploadcare CDN to your end-users and between Uploadcare CDN and Uploadcare’s servers. To track how much traffic you’re using, just check out the Analytics section in your Dashboard.
Storage
Total size of all the files you have stored in your account. Only the uploaded and stored files count towards this. Actions like CDN operations and image processing operations don’t consume your storage space because the results are only cached on the CDN. However, operations like video processing or document conversion do affect your storage volume, as each operation results in a new file upload.
To monitor your storage usage, simply check the Analytics section on your Dashboard.
Plans and limits
Trial
Uploadcare gives you 14 days to test all the features available in the Pro plan.
The Trial plan is limited to 10,000 operations, 10 GB storage, and 10 GB traffic.
If you add a card, you will be automatically switched to the regular Pro plan at the end of the trial period. If you choose not to add a card, your account will automatically transition to the Free plan at the end of the trial period.
You can also switch to any paid plan as soon as you need during the trial period. After that - the trial ends.
Additional resources
Beginning with the Pro plan, we offer a pay-as-you-go model for additional usage, allowing you more flexibility and control over your usage.
Any additional usage will be automatically charged at the rates specified below:
If you’re interested in custom pricing and annual commitment, contact our sales team
