Quantum computing cost calculator: estimate a job across providers
Enter a job specification (shots, gate counts, runtime) and this computes the cost on every cloud quantum provider that publishes a calculable rate, ranked cheapest first. It models the three pricing paradigms that can be computed from a published formula: Braket per-shot, Azure IonQ per-program, and IBM per-minute. Subscription and quote-only providers are listed but never given a fabricated number. Every rate links to its verified source.
Shots and gate counts drive the shot-metered table. Gate counts only affect the Azure AQT formula; Braket bills a flat per-shot rate. Runtime drives the time-metered table (IBM and Azure-Rigetti bill QPU seconds, not shots).
Table A — Shot-metered cost for this job, cheapest first
| Provider | Tech | Cost (USD) | vs cheapest | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Braket — Rigetti Cepheus-108Q | superconducting | $4.55 | — | $0.30 task + $0.000425/shot |
| AWS Braket — IQM Garnet | superconducting | $14.80 | 3.3x | $0.30 task + $0.00145/shot |
| AWS Braket — QuEra Aquila | neutral-atom | $100.30 | 22.0x | $0.30 task + $0.01/shot · Analog mode only, not gate-model |
| AWS Braket — IonQ Aria | trapped-ion | $300.30 | 66.0x | $0.30 task + $0.03/shot |
| Azure Quantum — IonQ Aria | trapped-ion | $707.50 | 155.5x | 10,000 shots x gate fees · Error mitigation on (default) |
| Azure Quantum — IonQ Forte | trapped-ion | $707.50 | 155.5x | 10,000 shots x gate fees · Error mitigation on (default) |
| AWS Braket — IonQ Forte | trapped-ion | $800.30 | 175.9x | $0.30 task + $0.08/shot |
Braket cost = $0.30 task fee + per-shot rate x shots (flat; gate count does not change the bill). Azure IonQ uses the AQT per-program formula floored at a per-program minimum. All rates verified 2026-06-03 against the provider source linked on each row.
Table B — Time-metered cost for the runtime above
| Provider | Tech | Cost (USD) | vs cheapest | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IBM Quantum — Premium | superconducting | $48.00 | — | $48/min · Effective rate against committed annual spend |
| IBM Quantum — Flex | superconducting | $72.00 | 1.5x | $72/min · $30,000 minimum pre-purchase |
| IBM Quantum — Pay-As-You-Go | superconducting | $96.00 | 2.0x | $96/min · No minimum, billed per second |
| Azure Quantum — Rigetti Cepheus | superconducting | $120.00 | 2.5x | $120/min · $0.02 per 10-ms increment |
IBM and Azure-Rigetti bill QPU runtime, not shots, so they are not directly comparable to Table A without your circuit's wall-clock time. Pasqal Fresnel is $3,210/QPU-hour. Quantinuum is a monthly subscription metered in HQCs.
- Azure Quantum — Quantinuum H2 Standard — $125,000/mo subscription, HQC-metered
- Azure Quantum — Quantinuum H2 Premium — $175,000/mo subscription, HQC-metered
- Google Quantum AI — Willow — Research-only early access, no public list price
- D-Wave Leap — Commercial — Annual subscription, quote-only
1.Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a quantum computing job?
It depends on the provider's pricing model. On AWS Braket a 10,000-shot circuit costs about $4.55 on Rigetti Cepheus but about $800 on IonQ Forte, because Braket bills a flat per-shot rate that varies by hardware. IBM Quantum bills QPU runtime at $96/minute Pay-As-You-Go ($72 Flex, $48 Premium). Azure Quantum IonQ uses a per-program formula with a per-program minimum of $97.50 (IonQ Aria, error mitigation on). Enter your job above to see the cost on every provider that publishes a computable rate.
Why can't I directly compare shot-metered and time-metered providers?
AWS Braket and Azure IonQ bill per shot or per program, so cost scales with how many times you run the circuit. IBM Quantum and Azure-Rigetti bill QPU runtime in seconds, so cost scales with how long the circuit takes on hardware. Converting between the two requires your circuit's wall-clock runtime, which depends on circuit depth and the device. The calculator keeps them in separate tables for that reason rather than forcing a false comparison.
What is the cheapest way to run a quantum circuit in 2026?
For shot-metered gate-model access, AWS Braket on Rigetti Cepheus-108Q ($0.000425/shot) is the cheapest per-shot option, with a 10,000-shot job around $4.55. The trade-off is fidelity: superconducting access is cheaper per shot than trapped-ion (IonQ, Quantinuum) but runs at lower two-qubit gate fidelity, so deep circuits may need more shots. The cheapest credible answer for your workload is the one the calculator ranks first for your shot count.
Are these quantum prices accurate?
Every rate is verified against the provider's own pricing page where one is published (AWS Braket, Azure Quantum), and against Moor Insights and Strategy research notes where it is not (IBM's pricing page returns 403 to automated fetches). Each result row links to the provider page and its source. Quote-only and subscription providers (Google Willow, D-Wave commercial Leap, Quantinuum) are listed but deliberately given no fabricated number. Prices carry a 2026-06-03 verification stamp and are re-checked every 90 days.
See also: price reference and comparative tables · all providers · methodology. Independent reference, no affiliate revenue. Corrections: oliver@digitalsignet.com.