Tool profile
Arduino Cloud: cost, fit and limits
Arduino Cloud is an IoT service from Arduino S.r.l., owned by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., that lets makers, classrooms and small teams build dashboards, program boards and push over-the-air updates to Arduino-based devices. It is aimed at hobby, education and small-business use.
What to know first
Arduino Cloud has a free plan with 2 Things, a Maker plan at USD 72 per year for one user and 25 Things, a Team plan at USD 20 per member per year for 50 users and 100 Things, and an Enterprise plan at USD 1,000 per year with unlimited users and Things. An AI Assistant starts on Maker. Data retention rises from 3 months to 2 years across the paid plans.
Arduino Cloud at a glance
| Maker | Arduino S.r.l. (privacy policy), wholly owned by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (privacy policy), Italy (registered office in Monza, per the privacy policy) |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Free for 2 Things; Maker USD 72 per year |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI IoT Platforms in 2026, rank 6 of 13 |
| Website | cloud.arduino.cc/ |
Who Arduino Cloud is best for
Teachers and classrooms
A course library and Google Classroom integration are listed, and Team plans give a shared space with role permissions, which helps a teacher manage many students.
Makers with a few boards
Maker costs USD 72 for a year with 25 Things, an advanced editor, OTA updates and the AI Assistant, which covers a home or workshop setup.
Small hardware companies prototyping
Team and Enterprise add white label and longer retention, so a startup using Arduino hardware can show customers a branded dashboard.
Arduino Cloud plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | USD 0 | Two free Things for a first project, with no paid features. It is meant for a first experiment. |
| Maker | USD 72 per year | 1 user, 25 Things, 3 months of data retention, Advanced Editor, AI Assistant and unlimited editor with OTA updates. |
| Team | USD 20 per member per year | 50 users, 100 Things, 1 year of data retention, shared space with role permissions, white label and AI Assistant. |
| Enterprise | USD 1,000 per year | Unlimited users and Things, 2 years of data retention, standard support and white label. A yearly price, with a 20% saving mentioned on yearly billing. |
Checked November 2026.
What Arduino Cloud does
- AI Assistant
- Included from Maker upward, according to the plans page, though the pages read do not describe what the assistant can do inside the editor or dashboards.
- OTA updates
- Maker adds an unlimited editor with over-the-air updates, so boards in the field can be reprogrammed without a physical connection. That saves a trip to every installed board.
- Shared spaces
- The Team plan adds a shared space with role permissions, which separates teachers or project leads from members who only view data. That is useful in a classroom or a small company.
- Data retention tiers
- Retention runs from 3 months on Maker to 1 year on Team and 2 years on Enterprise, so a long-term trend chart needs a higher plan.
- Education content
- A course library and Google Classroom integration are named on the plans page, which positions the service for schools as well as companies. Teachers can bring a class onto the platform quickly.
How Arduino Cloud handles your data
The Arduino privacy policy names Arduino S.r.l. as a company with a registered office in Monza, Italy, wholly owned by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. The plans page states retention of 3 months on Maker, 1 year on Team and 2 years on Enterprise. The pages we read did not state a hosting region, a security certification or whether customer data trains the AI Assistant. Schools and companies with residency rules should ask for those details and read the full privacy policy before connecting devices that report personal information.
Where Arduino Cloud falls short in practice
- Small Things allowances. Free allows 2 Things and Maker 25, so a growing product line outgrows the entry plans quickly, and Team stops at 100 Things before Enterprise.
- Tied to the Arduino ecosystem. The pages read describe Arduino boards and sensors as the supported route, so mixed fleets of third-party hardware may need extra work or a different platform.
Works with
Alternatives to Arduino Cloud
Arduino Cloud: common questions
How many devices can I connect on the free Arduino Cloud plan?
The plans page lists 2 free Things on the Free plan. A Thing is Arduino's term for a connected device with its properties, so you can connect two. Maker raises that to 25 Things for USD 72 per year. Count your devices before choosing a plan.
What does Arduino Cloud cost for a team?
Team costs USD 20 per member per year and includes 50 users, 100 Things, 1 year of data retention, role permissions, white label and the AI Assistant. Enterprise is USD 1,000 per year for unlimited users and Things. Maker is priced for a single user.
Does Arduino Cloud include an AI assistant?
Yes, the plans page lists an AI Assistant on Maker and Team. It does not describe its features in the text we read, so test it on your own sketch or dashboard task during the 30 free days mentioned for Maker.
How long does Arduino Cloud keep my data?
Retention is 3 months on Maker, 1 year on Team and 2 years on Enterprise. The Free plan retention was not stated on the pages read, so check before relying on historic charts. Enterprise has the longest stated retention, at two years, which suits long histories.
Is Arduino Cloud suitable for schools?
The plans page names a course library and Google Classroom integration, and Team allows 50 users with role permissions. Cost per student depends on your plan, so compare with Maker or Team pricing. Plan for a trial class before signing a full school year.