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3.6Cost Comparison for 10,000 VU Tests
| Tool | Infrastructure Needed | Estimated Monthly Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| k6 (self-hosted) | 2-3 VMs (4 CPU, 8GB each) | $150-300 | k6-operator on K8s is most efficient |
| k6 Cloud | None (managed) | $500-2000 | Per-VU-hour pricing |
| Locust (self-hosted) | 5-8 workers (4 CPU, 8GB each) | $400-700 | Python's GIL requires more workers |
| JMeter (self-hosted) | 10-15 VMs (8 CPU, 16GB each) | $800-1500 | JVM memory overhead is significant |
| Gatling Frontline | None (managed) | $1000+ | Enterprise pricing |
The cost difference between tools becomes significant at scale. k6's Go runtime is roughly 5-10x more efficient per VU than JMeter's JVM, which directly translates to infrastructure savings.