Question: Does Azure Key Vault Cost Money?

Answer

Yes, Azure Key Vault does cost money, and the pricing varies based on several factors such as the type of keys, the number of transactions, and the service tier chosen.

Service Tiers and Pricing

Azure Key Vault offers two main service tiers: Standard and Premium.

• Standard Tier: This tier supports software-protected keys and is suitable for most general use cases. It charges based on the number of transactions (e.g., $0.03 per 10,000 transactions for secrets operations).
• Premium Tier: This tier supports both software-protected keys and Hardware Security Module (HSM)-protected keys. HSM-protected keys incur additional costs. For example, RSA 2048-bit keys cost $1 per key per month plus $0.03 per 10,000 transactions.

Key Types and Pricing

• Software-Protected Keys: Pricing is based on the number of transactions. For instance, RSA 2048-bit keys, RSA 3072-bit keys, RSA 4096-bit keys, and Elliptic-Curve Cryptography (ECC) keys are all charged at $0.03 per 10,000 transactions.
• HSM-Protected Keys: These keys are only available in the Premium tier. The pricing includes a monthly fee per key (e.g., $1 per month for RSA 2048-bit keys) plus transaction fees.

Additional Costs

• Certificate Operations: Certificate renewal requests are charged at $3 per renewal in the Premium tier.
• Managed Azure Storage Account Key Rotation: This service is available in the Premium tier and is priced at $1 per renewal.
• Key Rotation: Automated key rotation is charged based on the number of scheduled rotations.

Estimating Costs

To estimate the monthly cost of Azure Key Vault, you need to consider the number of keys, the type of keys, and the expected number of transactions. Here are some steps to help you estimate:

1. Determine the Service Tier: Decide whether you need the Standard or Premium tier based on your requirements for HSM-protected keys.
2. Count the Number of Keys: Calculate the number of keys you will be using and their types (RSA, ECC, etc.).
3. Estimate Transactions: Estimate the number of transactions (e.g., secrets operations, certificate renewals) you expect to perform each month.
4. Use the Pricing Calculator: Use the Azure pricing calculator to get a more accurate estimate based on your specific usage patterns.

By carefully considering these factors, you can get a better understanding of the costs associated with using Azure Key Vault.