Azure Container Registry Pricing (2026)
Container registries provide secure, private storage for Docker images and OCI artifacts. Integrated with CI/CD pipelines and container orchestration platforms for seamless image deployment. Starting from $0.0001/hr ($0.07/mo) for Premium - Task vCPU Duration.
Key Features
- ✓Private and public image repositories
- ✓Vulnerability scanning for container images
- ✓Geo-replication for fast pulls across regions
- ✓Fine-grained access control with IAM integration
Common Use Cases
CI/CD Image Storage
Store build artifacts and container images as part of your deployment pipeline.
Multi-Region Deployment
Replicate images across regions for faster container startup times.
Security Scanning
Automatically scan images for vulnerabilities before deployment.
On-Demand Pricing
Pay-as-you-go pricing with no upfront commitment. You are billed per hour of usage and can start or stop at any time. Hourly rates start at $0.0001/hr ($0.07/mo) for Premium - Task vCPU Duration.
| Instance | Price/hr | Price/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Premium - Data Stored | $0.1000 | $73.00 |
| Premium - Task vCPU Duration | $0.0001 | $0.07 |
| Premium - Premium Registry Unit | $1.6666 | $1,216.62 |
| Standard - Standard Registry Unit | $0.6666 | $486.62 |
| Basic - Data Stored | $0.1000 | $73.00 |
| Premium - Premium Registry Replication Unit | $1.6666 | $1,216.62 |
| Basic - Task vCPU Duration | $0.0001 | $0.07 |
| Standard - Data Stored | $0.1000 | $73.00 |
| Basic - Basic Registry Unit | $0.1666 | $121.62 |
| Premium - Premium Connected registry | $0.3333 | $243.33 |
| Premium - Premium GB Registry Replication Data Stored | $0.1000 | $73.00 |
| Standard - Task vCPU Duration | $0.0001 | $0.07 |
Reserved Instance & Savings Plans Pricing
Commit to 1 or 3 years for lower hourly rates.
| Instance | Price/hr | Price/mo | 1yr RI/hr | 3yr RI/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium - Data Stored | $0.1000 | $73.00 | - | - |
| Premium - Task vCPU Duration | $0.0001 | $0.07 | - | - |
| Premium - Premium Registry Unit | $1.6666 | $1,216.62 | - | - |
| Standard - Standard Registry Unit | $0.6666 | $486.62 | - | - |
| Basic - Data Stored | $0.1000 | $73.00 | - | - |
| Premium - Premium Registry Replication Unit | $1.6666 | $1,216.62 | - | - |
| Basic - Task vCPU Duration | $0.0001 | $0.07 | - | - |
| Standard - Data Stored | $0.1000 | $73.00 | - | - |
| Basic - Basic Registry Unit | $0.1666 | $121.62 | - | - |
| Premium - Premium Connected registry | $0.3333 | $243.33 | - | - |
| Premium - Premium GB Registry Replication Data Stored | $0.1000 | $73.00 | - | - |
| Standard - Task vCPU Duration | $0.0001 | $0.07 | - | - |
How Container Registry Pricing Works
On-Demand
Pay per hour with no long-term commitment. Ideal for variable workloads and development environments.
Reserved / Committed Use
Commit to 1 or 3 years for significant discounts.
Spot / Preemptible
Use spare capacity at steep discounts. Best for fault-tolerant, batch, and stateless workloads.
Monthly Cost Examples
Azure Container Registry Free Tier
Free limit: 10 GB storage (paid). This free tier never expires and renews monthly.
Free Tier Comparison
| Provider | Service | Free Offering | Duration | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azure | Container Registry | Basic | Always | 10 GB storage (paid) |
| AWS | ECR | Private repository storage | Always | 500 MB/mo |
| GCP | Artifact Registry | Storage | Always | 500 MB |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Azure Container Registry?
Azure Container Registry is a cloud service offered by Microsoft Azure. It provides various configurations (12 pricing tiers available) with pay-as-you-go and committed-use pricing options.
How much does Azure Container Registry cost per month?
Prices range from $0.07/month for Premium - Task vCPU Duration to $1,216.62/month for Premium - Premium Registry Unit on On-Demand pricing in eastus.
Does Azure Container Registry have a free tier?
Azure offers various free tier options. Check the official Azure pricing page for the most current free tier details for Container Registry.
How many Azure Container Registry pricing tiers are available?
There are 12 pricing tiers available for Azure Container Registry. These range from entry-level configurations to high-performance options for enterprise workloads.
What pricing models does Azure Container Registry offer?
Azure Container Registry offers On-Demand (pay-per-hour, no commitment), Reserved/Committed Use (1-3 year commitments for significant discounts), and in some cases Spot/Preemptible pricing for interruptible workloads at the lowest cost.
What are the cost differences between managed Kubernetes and serverless containers?
Managed Kubernetes (EKS, AKS, GKE) charges a cluster management fee plus worker node costs, giving you full control over resource allocation. Serverless containers (Fargate, Cloud Run, Container Apps) charge per vCPU-second and GB-second with no cluster fee, making them cheaper for variable workloads but more expensive at sustained high utilization.