AWS Config cost estimator

Dr Migrate's AWS Estate Discovery reads its inventory from AWS Config. Without Config recording, discovery only returns resources reachable through direct APIs and the inventory has gaps.S14S15

Answer a few questions to get a ballpark figure for what AWS Config will cost during the scan.

S1 From a published source, listed at the bottom A1 Altra assumption, not from a published source

1Is AWS Config already recording?

AWS Control Tower enables AWS Config on all enrolled accounts.S5 Security Hub CSPM can create its own service-linked recorder.S6 If a suitable recorder is already running, DMC adds no extra recording cost.A6

How do I check?
Run this in each region you use. "recording": true means it is on.S16 
aws configservice describe-configuration-recorder-status --region eu-west-2

2How many AWS accounts are in scope?

3How many resources will be recorded?

AWS Config bills for each configuration item it generates.S4 Every recorded resource gets an item when it is first recorded, so resource count sets the starting cost.S3

How do I get this number?
Use AWS Resource Explorer. There is no additional charge for using it.S9 Turn it on, create an aggregator index for the account (or use a multi-account view), then search for * to see the total. Repeat per account if you do not have an organisation view.

4How busy is the estate?

AWS Config creates a new item whenever a recorded resource is created, updated or deleted.S3 Some relationship changes create items on more than one resource.S4

Change rates for each level are Altra assumptions.A3

5How long will AWS Config be on?

AWS charges usage fees once the recorder starts recording.S12 Stopping it is assumed to stop new charges. Whether DMC can still read the inventory after the recorder stops has not been tested.A7

6Recording mode and prices

Continuous recording records every change as it happens. Daily (periodic) recording records at most one item per resource per 24 hours, and only if it changed.S2 Periodic items cost 4 times as much.S1 For a short scan on a quiet estate, continuous is usually cheaper.

Default prices are the list prices AWS uses in its US East (N. Virginia) examples.S1 Check the pricing page for your region and edit if different.

Sources and assumptions

Sources were checked on 10 September 2026. AWS pages change, so check the current version before relying on a figure.

Published sources

    Altra assumptions (not from a published source)

    These are rules of thumb used to fill gaps where no published figure exists. They are editable in the script and should be checked against a real pilot.