A cloud bill can price a node but does not automatically show which namespace used its capacity. The Costfluent Kubernetes agent reads resource requests and measured usage in the cluster. Costfluent combines that information with node prices and shows cluster cost, namespace cost, and idle cost separately. It does not offer a verified per-pod or workload cost view.
Two views of the same nodes
| View | Useful for | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud billing | Invoice-oriented instance cost | An instance row alone does not reliably assign cost to namespaces |
| Kubernetes cost in Costfluent | Investigating node cost by namespace and idle capacity | The same nodes may already appear in cloud billing |
Do not add the two views into one total. If a workspace contains both a cloud connection and the cluster, use the provider filter in Cost Reports to choose the source. Otherwise those nodes appear once as cloud instances and again as cost distributed across namespaces. Keep the source visible when discussing cost allocation.
What the agent sends
The agent installs with Helm and sends node and pod identity, container resource requests and usage, and allowed pod labels. Namespace labels are optional. It does not send container images, environment variables, secrets, config maps, logs, or network traffic. By default, all pod labels are sent; restrict them with agent.allowedLabels if they contain sensitive values or are unnecessary for cost reporting. The connection guide and technical chart documentation cover installation and access.
Kubernetes distinguishes requests from limits: requests influence scheduling, while limits constrain usage. Costfluent uses requests and measured usage to distribute node cost. The portion left unallocated appears as __idle__. This is a cost distribution, not a measured bill for an individual pod.
Check before using the first report
- Choose a unique cluster ID and give the agent an organization token with Report Kubernetes usage. A workspace token will not work.
- Review which labels the agent may send and restrict them before installation if needed.
- Identify the node price source: a matching cloud billing row, a node annotation, or cluster rates. A node without a price remains visibly unpriced.
- Wait for nightly processing. The cluster page may show a report before cost appears in Cost Reports.
- Filter reports by cluster, namespace, and source. Keep
__idle__as a separate line.
Use those checks in a monthly cloud cost review so a change in allocation is not mistaken for new spend or a saving.
Sources and review boundary
Reviewed on 25 September 2026: Kubernetes resource requests and limits, the Costfluent connection guide, and the technical agent documentation. Review labels and price sources in your own cluster before sharing a report. Namespace distribution is not evidence of a per-pod cost view.