# Instance types

How instance types set an instance's vCPU and memory, how type names are built, and how to read the live catalog and its available flag.

An instance type sets an instance’s vCPU count and memory. You choose one at launch, and you can change it later while the instance is stopped. A running instance keeps the size it has.

## Type names [#type-names]

A type name has three parts, for example `gp1.core.2`:

| Part | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| Kind | The first part, such as `gp1`. A kind is a hardware family. Instances of one kind only run on machines built for that kind. |
| Profile | The middle part, such as `core`. It describes the type’s memory and network profile. |
| Size | The last part, the vCPU count. |

Don’t derive vCPU or memory from the name. Each type in the catalog states both.

## Types on sale [#types-on-sale]

On 13 October 2026, these types were on sale, at these list prices (EUR excluding VAT). The catalog and the [price list](/docs/pricing) are the live source: check `available` and each type’s `vcpu` and `memoryMib` there before you launch.

| Instance type | List price per hour | About per month (730 hours) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `gp1.core.2` | €0.0551 | €40.22 |
| `gp1.core.4` | €0.1103 | €80.52 |
| `gp1.core.8` | €0.2205 | €160.97 |
| `gp1.core.16` | €0.4410 | €321.93 |
| `gp1.core.32` | €0.8821 | €643.93 |

`gp1.core.2`, with 2 vCPUs and 8 GiB of memory, is the smallest. Each price is the price list entry `compute.gp1.core.<size>`; see [Read the price list](/docs/pricing/read-price-list).

## The catalog [#the-catalog]

The catalog lists every instance type the platform has. Read it with the `instanceTypes` query or with `origin compute list-instance-types`. No permission is needed, and the catalog is the same for every organization.

Each entry carries these fields:

| Field | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| `instanceType` | The name to pass at launch, for example `gp1.core.2`. |
| `kind` | The hardware family, for example `gp1`. |
| `cpuAllocationMode` | The middle part of the name, for example `core`. |
| `vcpu` | Number of vCPUs. |
| `memoryMib` | Memory in MiB. |
| `available` | Whether you can launch or change to this type right now. |

## Available and withdrawn types [#available-and-withdrawn-types]

The catalog also lists types that are no longer offered, with `available: false`. They stay listed because an instance running as one still reports that type, and you need to be able to look it up. Filter on `available` before you pick a type.

A withdrawn type affects instances like this:

- Launch or change to it. Refused with `PRODUCT_UNAVAILABLE`. A type name that never existed is refused as invalid input instead.
- A running instance of that type. Unaffected. It keeps its vCPU and memory.
- A stopped instance of that type. Starting it is refused with `PRODUCT_UNAVAILABLE`, naming the type. The platform doesn’t start it at a different size on its own. Change it to an available type first. See [Change an instance’s type](/docs/compute/instances/change-type).

## Capacity [#capacity]

A type in the catalog with `available: true` can still be refused at launch when no machine has room for it. The launch fails with `INSUFFICIENT_CAPACITY`, naming the type and what was short. Nothing is created.

<CapacityAdvice />

## Related [#related]

- [Launch an instance](/docs/compute/instances/launch)
- [Change an instance’s type](/docs/compute/instances/change-type)
- [Limits](/docs/platform/reference/limits)
- [Pricing](/docs/pricing)

The machine series page on origincloud.eu describes the families and the workloads each is built for.