MongoDB Atlas Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
MongoDB Atlas costs Free to $56.94 per varies as of May 2026. Pricing depends on your chosen tier, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: No free tier available
Yes, MongoDB Atlas offers a forever free plan as of May 2026. The free tier includes 4 features with limits on usage. Paid plans start at $8/user/month (Flex). Pricing verified from 1 sources by CostBench.
MongoDB Atlas's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- 512 MB storage
- Shared RAM
- Shared vCPU
- AWS, Google Cloud, Azure
What's NOT Included (Paid Only)
- $0.011/hour, up to $30/month cap
- Up to 5 GB storage
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the user limit
- You need features like $0.011/hour, up to $30/month cap or Up to 5 GB storage
- You require premium support or SLA guarantees
- You need to remove branding or watermarks
- You need advanced integrations or API access
Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan
- MongoDB Atlas branding may appear on your content or communications
- Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
- Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
- API access is typically limited or not available
- Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans
Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
Free Plan is Enough If...
- You're an individual or very small team
- You need only basic features
- You don't mind usage limits
- Branding on output is acceptable
- Community support is sufficient
You Need Paid If...
- Your team is growing beyond limits
- You need advanced features
- Professional branding is required
- You need priority support
- Integrations/API access is critical
Free vs Flex Plan Comparison
| Free $0 | Flex $8/user/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 4 included | 5+ included |
| Support | Community/Email | Priority Support |
| Branding | MongoDB Atlas branding | Your branding |
| Best For | Learning and exploring MongoDB in a cloud environment | Application development and testing; resources and costs scale to your needs |
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is MongoDB Atlas free?
Yes, MongoDB Atlas offers a forever free plan with 4 core features included. However, there are limits on users and features that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in MongoDB Atlas's free plan?
MongoDB Atlas's free plan includes: 512 MB storage, Shared RAM, Shared vCPU, AWS, Google Cloud, Azure. Key limits include basic usage caps.
03 What's NOT included in MongoDB Atlas's free plan?
The free plan excludes: $0.011/hour, up to $30/month cap, Up to 5 GB storage. You'll also have MongoDB Atlas branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from MongoDB Atlas's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like $0.011/hour, up to $30/month cap or Up to 5 GB storage, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $8/user/month.
05 Is MongoDB Atlas's free plan really free forever?
Yes, MongoDB Atlas's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit. However, feature and usage limits may restrict what you can do without upgrading to a paid plan.