Serverless Framework Pricing

Starting in 2024, the Serverless Framework V.4 CLI remains free for most users. However, all individuals and organizations that earned over $2M in their last fiscal year must purchase a Serverless Subscription.

There is no requirement to prove you are an individual or organization earning less than $2M in your last fiscal year, as it operates on an honor system.

The Serverless Framework Dashboard has a free tier, but otherwise is a commercial product which also requires a Serverless Subscription.

Serverless Framework V.3 and earlier versions require no paid subscription as they are licensed as open-source. However, Serverless Framework V.3 is no longer maintained as of December 31st, 2024.

You can purchase a Serverless Subscription via Credit Card or the AWS Marketplace. To use either checkout option, go to the Serverless Framework Dashboard. You can also go to our AWS Marketplace listing to simply add a Serverless Subscription to your AWS bill.

If you’re using Serverless Framework V.4 and your organization earned over $2M in the last fiscal year, you need a License. Getting one is simple:

Purchase a Serverless Subscription via the Serverless Framework Dashboard Billing page or through the AWS Marketplace.

The License is automatically included with your Serverless Subscription when you enable the "Serverless Framework V.4 License" checkbox during checkout. There’s no separate purchase or additional cost - it’s part of your subscription.

Once your subscription is active, you and your team can immediately use Serverless Framework V.4 across all your projects and AWS accounts.

A Service Instance is a unique deployment of a Serverless Framework service, defined by the specific combination of its service name, stage, and region. For example, my-api-dev-us-east-1 and my-api-prod-eu-west-1are two different Service Instances of the same service.

Each Service Instance represents an isolated deployment with its own resources, state, and configuration. A Service Instance typically corresponds to a unique AWS CloudFormation stack managed by the Serverless Framework.

Service Instances are the unit of measurement for billing in Serverless Framework. If a Service Instance exists for more than 10 days in a given month, it counts as 1 Credit towards your usage. This 10-day grace period is designed to ensure that temporary Service Instances used for testing or previews are not billed.

Individual functions (such as AWS Lambda functions) or standalone cloud resources do not qualify as Service Instances and are therefore not subject to these fees.

Credits are the unit of usage measurement for billing purposes for all of Serverless Inc’s products. They can be used for:

• Service Instances: 1 Credit = 1 Serverless Framework Service Instance (active for more than 10 days)
• Container Instances: 1 Credit = 1 Serverless Container Framework Instance (active for more than 10 days)
• Traces: 1 Credit = 50,000 Traces in the Dashboard
• Metrics: 1 Credit = 4 Million Metrics in the Dashboard

Whether you’re using Serverless Framework V.4 CLI, Dashboard, or both, you’re never double-charged for the same Service Instance.

Credits are monthly limits that reset at the beginning of each billing cycle. They do not roll over to the next month. Any unused Credits at the end of the month are forfeited, and you start fresh with your allocated Credits in the new billing period.

No, temporary Service Instances do not count against your Credits if they’re removed quickly. The ten-day limit is designed to ensure that Service Instances used for testing or previews are not billed.

A Service Instance is only charged if it exists for 10 or more cumulative days within a single month. If you deploy a Service Instance and remove it before reaching 10 days in that month, it will not be billed.

However, if you deploy it for 9 days, remove it, and then redeploy it for 2 more days within the same month, the billing system will count the total of 11 days and charge 1 Credit for it.

To avoid unintentional billing for short-lived environments, you can change the service name or stage name. The Serverless Framework also provides a built-in variable called instanceId, which generates a unique random string that can be appended to stage names.

No. When a Service Instance is used with both the Serverless Framework CLI V.4 and Dashboard, it is only tracked as 1 Credit used. In other words, you pay once and you get both Serverless Framework V.4 and Serverless Framework Dashboard.

We have a Service Instance tracking algorithm that ensures Service Instances are not double-counted, whether they’re used with Serverless Framework V.4, Serverless Framework Dashboard, or both.

You can view your Service Instances in two ways:

Via the Dashboard: On the Serverless Framework Dashboard, navigate to the Settings/Billing page to find the "Usage" section, which displays all active Service Instances. Service Instances deployed to the Dashboard are always shown here. If you’ve enabled the "Serverless Framework V.4 License" during checkout, V.4 Service Instances will also appear in this usage data.

Via the CLI: Run the usage command in the CLI to generate a CSV file with detailed information on each Service Instance being tracked by the billing system. This CSV provides a comprehensive breakdown for auditing and analysis.

Should you remove a Service Instance within 10 days of activation, the "Usage" section will immediately update to reflect this change. For billing purposes, only Service Instances that were active for more than 10 days in a month are counted towards your usage.

You can view usage reports in two ways:

Serverless Framework Dashboard: Navigate to the Usage section on the Billing page for a clear overview of your tracked usage, including active Service Instances and their Credit consumption.

CLI Usage Command: Run the usage command in the CLI to generate a CSV file with detailed information on each Service Instance being tracked by the billing system. This CSV gives you a comprehensive breakdown for auditing and analysis.

The Serverless Framework Dashboard is a separate product from the CLI V.4, which you might have enabled intentionally or by accident.

The Dashboard offers two free Service Instances, as well as free Metrics and Traces. If your serverless.yml files have the app property configured, then you are deploying Service Instances to the Dashboard and will potentially be charged for them.

To verify this, look at the main Apps view in the Dashboard. If your Services are listed there, you have Dashboard enabled.

If you wish to use only the CLI and avoid Dashboard charges, remove the appproperty from your serverless.yml files.

Currently, the Serverless Framework does not track usage when running the package command. Since no Service Instance is deployed to AWS, there’s nothing to bill.

However, we plan to begin tracking usage for the package command by the end of 2025 to ensure fair usage across all CLI operations.

No. Since no Service Instance is deployed when using the CLI for local development or with the Offline plugin, these activities do not generate usage and are not billed.

Only Service Instances that are actually deployed to AWS (or other cloud providers) and exist for more than 10 days in a month count towards your usage.

Service Instances can be removed from billing in several ways:

Via the CLI: Run serverless remove to remove the Service Instance from your AWS account and stop billing.

Via the Dashboard: Open a Service Instance and use the menu (three dots) → Delete Instance. You can also delete a Service (and all its Instances) from the list view.

Manual AWS deletion: If you deleted resources directly in AWS, run the serverless reconcile command. This checks whether billed Service Instances still have associated CloudFormation stacks and removes them from billing if not found.

We recommend running reconcile after each CI/CD run to ensure billing always matches actual usage. Remember: Service Instances removed within 10 days of deployment won’t be billed.

It depends on your subscription type:

• Pay-Per-Use plan: The CLI never stops working. All usage continues to be billed at the standard $4 per Credit rate.
• Reserved Plan with Overages enabled: The CLI continues working without interruption. You’ll be billed for your Reserved Credits plus any additional usage at $4 per Credit.
• Reserved Plan without Overages: The CLI will stop working once your Reserved Credit limit is exceeded.

You can add additional Credits or enable Overages at any time through the Dashboard to immediately regain or maintain access.

There are two payment options for Serverless Subscriptions: Credit Card via Stripe or the AWS Marketplace. Pricing is the same for both.

Most organizations prefer the AWS Marketplace because it simplifies payment and procurement. The subscription cost is added directly to your AWS bill, which streamlines accounting and vendor management. Procurement teams are often more familiar with the AWS Marketplace and trust the additional protections it provides.

Additionally, many organizations have enterprise agreements with AWS that include discounts in exchange for committed spend. Subscriptions purchased through the AWS Marketplace count toward that commitment, which can make it more economical.

To get started with either option, visit the Serverless Framework Dashboard Billing page or go directly to our AWS Marketplace listing.

For Annual Subscriptions via AWS Marketplace, you’ll need to create a Private Offer. Start in the Dashboard, configure your Credits, toggle Annual Subscription, and click the Private Offer button. We’ll send the offer to your Organization Owner’s email within a few hours.

You only need one AWS account to purchase a Serverless Subscription through the AWS Marketplace. A common misconception is that you must purchase a subscription for every AWS account you use with the Serverless Framework—this is not the case.

When you purchase a Serverless Subscription in a single AWS account, the subscription and its included License can be used across all AWS accounts you own.

Annual Subscriptions via AWS Marketplace require a Private Offer. Here’s how to get one:

1. Go to the Serverless Framework Dashboard

2. Navigate to the Settings > Billing page

3. Enter the number of Credits you need

4. Toggle on "Annual Subscription" to see the Private Offer option

5. Click the Private Offer button

We’ll send the Private Offer to your Organization Owner’s email within a few hours (this is a manual process). Once received, you can accept it through AWS Marketplace to start your annual subscription with monthly billing.

If you are using AWS Marketplace, charges are processed on AWS’s monthly schedule.

If you are using credit‑card based pricing in Serverless Dashboard, your card will be charged at the end of the billing cycle (end of the calendar month) for the credits you have reserved.

We offer several discount options:

• Reserved Credits: Save up to 72% by reserving Credits in advance. Discounts start at 29% for 50 Credits and increase with volume and commitment length (1-3 years).
• Small Business Discount: Organizations with less than $5M annual revenue, fewer than 30 employees, and less than $5M capital raised qualify for up to 50% off.
• Annual & Multi-year Agreements: Additional discounts up to 30% with longer commitments. All annual plans are billed monthly, not upfront.
• Upfront Payment: Get an additional 10% discount when paying annually upfront instead of monthly.

The threshold where Reserved Credits become more cost-effective than Pay-Per-Use is around 35 Credits per month.

You can configure all these options in the Serverless Framework Dashboard using the pricing calculator. If you have any issues, please reach out to us at sales@serverless.com.

We offer a generous discount to both Small Businesses and Non‑Profits (called the "Small Business Discount" in product/docs). To qualify, your organization must meet all of the following:

• Less than $5M in annual revenue.
• Fewer than 30 employees.
• Less than $5M capital raised.

Note: Academic and government institutions do not qualify for this discount program.

You can sign up on the Serverless Framework Dashboard Billing page. It’s on the honor system; no approval is required. Questions? contact@serverless.com.

Yes. Annual and multi‑year subscriptions are available and include discounted pricing. All Annual and Multi‑Year subscriptions are paid monthly, not up‑front.

For credit‑card billing, select an Annual Subscription within the Serverless Framework Dashboard Billing page.

For AWS Marketplace, create an AWS Marketplace Private Offer via the same Billing page. Multi‑year subscriptions are available via Private Offer.

No, the Dashboard is not required to use Serverless Framework V.4. Most users rely exclusively on the CLI rather than the Dashboard.

While subscriptions for V.4 are managed in the Dashboard, using the Dashboard for deployments is optional. You can authenticate with the Dashboard or distribute License Keys managed there, then use only the CLI for all your deployments.

The CLI runs as on-premise software and operates independently of the Dashboard, making it suitable for organizations with strict security requirements.

Traces capture individual AWS Lambda invocations in the Serverless Framework Dashboard, including errors, spans, logs, and performance data. You can view them through our Trace Explorer and use them for troubleshooting with Alerts.

Metrics are performance measurements on AWS Lambda invocations in the Dashboard, such as invocation count, error rate, and duration. Each Lambda invocation generates 4 Metrics.

Traces and Metrics work on any Lambda function, even if it wasn’t deployed using the Serverless Framework.

Credits are used to pay for Traces and Metrics: 1 Credit covers 50,000 Traces or 4 Million Metrics.

Serverless Framework CLI v4 supports two authentication methods:

Dashboard Authentication: Use this method if your team is already using the Serverless Framework Dashboard and its features, or plans to adopt it. Authentication is seamless and integrates with Dashboard tools.

License Key Authentication: If your team prefers to use only the CLI without Dashboard features, License Keys are ideal. An administrator can create a License Key in the Dashboard, share it with the team, and developers can set it as an environment variable for the CLI to authenticate automatically.

The recommended approach is to let the CLI automatically fetch the License Key from AWS Systems Manager (SSM). Store the License Key under the parameter name /serverless-framework/license-key, and the CLI will detect and use this value automatically. This requires no environment variables, works across all developer machines and CI/CD pipelines, and requires no workflow or configuration changes.

License Keys are identifiers that tie CLI usage to your Serverless Framework Organization. While they don’t grant AWS access, they should be treated as sensitive since unauthorized use could add charges to your subscription.

Most organizations organize License Keys in one of these ways:

• By environment: One key for production and another for development, staging, and testing environments.
• By team or business unit: Larger organizations create two keys per team—one for production and one for lower environments. This enables usage tracking at a finer granularity.

For easier management, store License Keys in AWS Systems Manager (SSM) Parameters. By setting the License Key under the SSM parameter name /serverless-framework/license-key, the CLI will automatically authenticate without requiring manual configuration.

To store your License Key in AWS SSM:
aws ssm put-parameter --name "/serverless-framework/license-key" --type "SecureString" --value "your-license-key"

The Serverless Framework Dashboard is in the process of obtaining SOC2 compliance and other common certifications.

If this is a concern, keep in mind that the Serverless Framework CLI can be used entirely on its own, which is the approach most companies take. The Dashboard is not required.

The CLI runs as on-premise software and does not collect, process, or store personal or confidential information, nor does it install anything in the AWS accounts it interacts with.

Companies that are cautious about the Dashboard’s certifications often use the CLI exclusively and only access the Dashboard for billing or License Key management. It is also possible to work directly with the Serverless Inc. team for billing and License Key distribution to avoid using the Dashboard altogether.

No. The CLI has been designed to continue functioning even if it cannot connect to Serverless Inc. servers.

Over time, it has been hardened to gracefully handle and silently ignore unexpected responses from the Serverless Inc. API. Your deployments and operations will continue to work even during network issues or server maintenance.

The Serverless Framework CLI v4 is designed as on-premise software that prioritizes security, control, and compliance for enterprise environments. By default, it operates locally and does not interact with Serverless Inc. servers except for limited, clearly defined network requests.

When used without the optional Dashboard, the CLI’s network activity is restricted to:

• Version checks at startup to identify the latest available release and verify security issues
• Optional updates if auto-update is enabled or version mismatches occur
• License Key validation during initialization
• Minimal telemetry for subscription usage measurement (service name, region, stage, AWS account ID, CloudFormation stack ID)

Key security characteristics:

• On-premise by default - runs locally without Dashboard requirement
• Minimal data collection - only metadata for license and billing
• No personal or confidential application data is collected
• Strong compliance alignment with corporate security frameworks

No. The Serverless Framework CLI does not install or run any agents within your AWS accounts.

It operates locally as on-premise software and only makes minimal external requests for version checks, license validation, and usage telemetry. All AWS operations are performed through standard AWS APIs using your configured credentials.

Every Serverless Subscription includes direct support, which has consistently achieved an average response time of about 3 hours during business hours over the past two years. Support is provided by engineers, and it is one of our highest-rated offerings.

Support includes:

• Helping you troubleshoot and fix issues directly
• Implementing fixes in the Framework immediately when needed
• Coordinating with third-party plugin authors to resolve issues
• Adding new features and fixes based on customer support requests

Please contact us directly at support@serverless.com so we can prioritize your request as a customer. While you can report issues on GitHub, we cannot identify paying customers there and strongly encourage direct contact for faster resolution.

Please reach out to our support within the Dashboard or contact support@serverless.com and we’ll help you switch.