A few questions about Azure Custom Vision AI pricing

Question

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Hi, I'm quite new to the whole Microsoft Azure universe and today I tested the Custom Vision AI for the first time – and I really enjoy experimenting with it so far.

However, I have a few questions regarding the pricing. Starting from the free tier, I understand that I can only have two projects and 5,000 training images.

But I'm wondering what happens if, for example, I train a model that takes longer than an hour. As far as I can see, there’s no way to end the training, and I’m concerned – since I had to provide a payment method when registering – that I might unexpectedly be charged. Are there any mechanisms in place to ensure that my limits are not exceeded?

Additionally, I have another question: do the 10,000 predictions per month apply only to production use, or do they also cover testing the model?

It would be really great if someone here could enlighten me, or at least point me in the right direction where I can find more information on this.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Hi ,

Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

Azure Custom Vision AI Pricing FAQs

1. Free Tier Limitations

• In the free tier, you are limited to 2 projects and 5,000 training images.
• Training time in the free tier is capped at 2 hours per project per month, and you cannot exceed this limit.

2. Training Duration Concerns

• Training Time Exceeds Free Limit: If a training session exceeds the allotted free training time, it will not continue indefinitely. Azure imposes hard limits based on the tier you are on. In the free tier, once the limit is reached, training stops automatically.
• Protection Against Charges: For the free tier, charges will not apply unless you explicitly upgrade your subscription to a paid tier. Always verify your subscription type in the Azure Portal under Cost Management and Billing to ensure you stay within free limits.

3. 10,000 Predictions Per Month

• The 10,000 predictions per month offered in the free tier apply to both testing and production use. Predictions are counted regardless of whether the model is in a development or production stage.
• If you exceed the free-tier prediction limit, you will need to switch to a paid plan, where predictions are charged based on usage.

4. Ensuring Limits Are Not Exceeded

• Monitor Usage: Azure provides usage monitoring tools in the Custom Vision portal and the Azure Portal under your resource group. Set up alerts for usage thresholds to avoid unexpected behavior.
• Budget Alerts: Set budget thresholds in Azure's Cost Management tool. This sends notifications when spending or usage reaches a certain level.
• Disable Resources: You can pause or delete the resource from the Azure portal to ensure no additional predictions or training runs occur.

5. Additional Resources

• Azure Custom Vision Pricing
• Monitor Azure Usage and Costs
• Azure Free Account Details

If you're testing extensively, consider upgrading to a paid plan for more flexibility while keeping usage under control using alerts and monitoring.

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