Quantum Computer Pricing in 2025: What You Need to Know

October 21, 2025

Quantum computers are transitioning from research-laboratory curiosities toward commercial and enterprise-grade tools. But before you ask “what’s the price?”, it’s important to understand the big picture: What exactly you’re buying, how you’ll access it, and what infrastructure accompanies it.
Below is a up-to-date breakdown of models, pricing, and the factors driving cost.

Access Models: Cloud vs. On-Premises

There are broadly two ways to use quantum computing in 2025:

Cloud access – You gain access via quantum-computing platforms hosted by vendors. Lower barrier to entry, minimal upfront cost, but limited to the provider’s available hardware and schedule.
On-premises (or dedicated installation / hybrid) – You purchase or lease a quantum system to install in your own facility (or in a co-location). Much higher cost, but gives you more control, possibly dedicated hardware, and infrastructure overhead.
Understanding this division helps make sense of the wildly different price points.

Cloud-Based Quantum Computing: What It Costs

Here are some representative vendors and their current pricing models.

IBM Quantum

IBM offers its quantum systems via the “IBM Quantum” platform. IBM Quantum

There is typically a free tier or “hobbyist” access to small-qubit systems for learning and experimentation.
For more serious research or enterprise use, subscription or usage-based billing comes into play. (Exact published numbers are sparse.)
According to broader market commentary, enterprise quantum systems, when deployed on-premises, can cost millions of US dollars. The Quantum Insider For example, one article notes: “the quantum computer has become the focus of much attention … however … due to their complexity, quantum computers cost a significant amount of money.” The Quantum Insider
While IBM doesn’t publish a public “monthly subscription starts at $1,600” figure (as some unofficial sources claim), the key takeaway is: modest cloud access begins at low cost, but ramping up capacity and dedicated access increases cost significantly.

Microsoft Corporation Azure Quantum

Microsoft’s Azure Quantum platform allows users to access quantum back-ends (via partners) within the Azure ecosystem. Microsoft Learn

Azure publishes pricing for specific backend providers: for example, the provider IonQ’s Aria/Forte systems have usage-based rates:
- 1-qubit gate shot on IonQ Aria: USD 0.000220. Microsoft Learn
- 2-qubit gate shot on IonQ Forte: USD 0.001121. Microsoft Learn
- Minimum price per program execution: e.g., USD 25.79 if error mitigation is off, USD 168.20 if on. Microsoft Learn
They also offer a monthly subscription plan (the “Aria-Forte plan”): USD 25,000/month + Azure infrastructure costs for full access. Microsoft Learn
This shows cloud quantum computing is reachable for modest budgets (tens of thousands/month) but can scale quickly.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) Braket

AWS Braket provides pay-per-shot access to quantum hardware from multiple providers (e.g., IonQ, Rigetti, OQC).

Typical shot-prices: “$0.01–30 per shot” depending on backend and complexity.
(One blog summary reports this range; not published directly by AWS).
Because the pricing depends on many variables (backend, shot count, queue priority), it’s best treated as indicative rather than contractual.

On-Premises / Dedicated Quantum Systems: Price Ranges

If you plan to purchase or install a quantum system in your facility (or dedicated co-location), expect very different pricing—often multi-million-dollar budgets. Below are a few representative systems.

IBM Q System One

The IBM Q System One is IBM’s integrated, on-premises (or dedicated) quantum system. Wikipedia

Although IBM does not publicly list a definitive price, analysts estimate that enterprise quantum systems of this class cost in the $5 million to $15 million range (or more) depending on configuration, qubit count, infrastructure, support. The Quantum Insider
For example, one quantum-price guide states: “the cost of manufacturing a commercial quantum computer will range from $5 million to over $15 million.” The Quantum Insider
Key cost drivers: qubit count, type of qubit (superconducting vs trapped-ion vs others), cooling & cryogenics, and integration with classical compute infrastructure.

D‑Wave Quantum Inc. Advantage2

D-Wave’s Advantage2 is a commercially available annealing quantum computer (also suitable for on-premises or hybrid deployments). D-Wave Quantum

D-Wave announced the general availability of Advantage2 in 2025, with “over 4,400 qubits” and suitability for real-world industrial/scientific use cases. SiliconANGLE
While D-Wave does not publish the purchase price outright, recent news reported a deal: a European company (Swiss Quantum Technology SA) signed a deployment agreement worth €10 million (≈ USD 11.6 million) for an Advantage2 system. Inside HPC & AI News
This gives a real‐world data point for on-premises quantum systems in the millions of dollars range.

IonQ Forte (and Forte Enterprise)

IonQ’s Forte and Forte Enterprise systems are designed for enterprise, data-center deployment. IonQ

IonQ does not publish a full purchase price, but notes that the system is rack-mounted and built for deployment in standard data centers. Fierce Electronics
For access via Azure or AWS, usage pricing is given (see above).
Because the purchase price is not public, interested organizations must inquire with IonQ directly for quotes.

What Drives the Cost of a Quantum Computer?

Understanding why quantum systems cost so much helps rationalise the price ranges. Key factors include:

Qubit count & quality – More qubits, better connectivity, lower error rates all increase cost. For instance: superconducting vs trapped-ion vs photonic qubits. SpinQ
Type of hardware / qubit architecture – Systems requiring ultra-low temperatures (millikelvin dilution refrigerators) have high infrastructure cost. Room-temperature or near-room-temperature systems (if they exist) may reduce cost.
Cooling, shielding & environment – Many quantum systems demand very specific physical conditions (vibration isolation, electromagnetic shielding, cryogenics).
Control electronics & classical interface – The quantum processor is only part of the stack; you need classical computers, cryogenics control, error correction, calibration, etc.
Software ecosystem & support – Software SDKs, error-mitigation, quantum‐classical hybrid workflows, training and support add significant recurring cost.
Infrastructure & facility costs – For on-premises systems you may face facility design (clean-rooms, special power, cooling, secure environment), staffing, maintenance overhead.
R&D amortisation – Because the technology is still emerging, part of the high cost comes from R&D, low volumes, and experimental production.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Beyond the purchase cost (or subscription fee) of the quantum system, many additional costs exist. Commonly cited items:

Cryogenic / cooling systems – Dilution refrigerators, high-stability cooling may cost hundreds of thousands to over a million USD.
Personnel & talent – Engineers, scientists, quantum specialists: annual costs can easily run hundreds of thousands USD per person.
Facility & infrastructure – Secure environments, power conditioning, vibration isolation; can run hundreds of thousands USD.
Software licenses, training, and workshops – Often tens of thousands to a few hundreds of thousands USD per year.
Maintenance and calibration overhead – Because quantum hardware is still delicate and requires frequent calibration and control.

For example, one industry estimate lists: hardware cost ~$8 million; cryogenic systems ~$1 million; infrastructure & security ~$0.5 million; staff ~$1.8 million; software & support ~$0.3 million; training ~$0.06 million — amounting to ~$11.66 million over 3 years. (These numbers are illustrative.)

Summary Table

Access Type	Example Vendor(s)	Entry Pricing Estimate	Notes
Cloud / subscription	IBM Quantum, Azure Quantum	From a few thousand USD/month or less; e.g., Azure’s USD 25,000/month plan for IonQ systems.	Good for experimentation, lower upfront cost
Pay-per-shot cloud access	AWS Braket, Azure	$0.0001-2 per gate/shot, minimum executions tens to hundreds of USD	Flexible, usage-based, ideal for startups/research
On-premises enterprise system	IBM Q System One, D-Wave, IonQ	Multi-million USD (e.g., ~USD 10-15 million)	High upfront cost, high infrastructure demand
Additional TCO (3-year period)	–	~$10-12 million (hardware + support + infrastructure)	Typical for enterprise deployment

Practical Guidance & Tips

Start with cloud access: If you are exploring quantum computing for research, prototyping or learning, begin with cloud subscriptions or pay-per-shot models. They’re much less capital-intensive.
Assess your use case carefully: If you are considering on-premises deployment, ensure you have a strong use case (e.g., industrial optimisation, materials discovery, cryptography) and budget for infrastructure and staffing.
Ask vendors about total cost: Beyond system price, ask: what are the cooling, facility, staffing, maintenance, calibration costs? What SDKs and support are included?
Plan for scaling & upgrade path: Quantum is evolving fast — today’s system may be superseded in a few years. Ensure upgrade or trade-in options, or consider hybrid cloud + on-premises strategies.
Don’t focus only on “qubit count”: While qubit count is a headline metric, qubit quality (error rates, connectivity, coherence time) and the broader system (control electronics, software, stability) are equally important.
Consider ecosystem support: Look for mature SDKs (e.g., Qiskit for IBM, IonQ’s SDK), cloud-class integrations, and vendor partnerships. A system with “good qubits but no software/tools” may cost more in integration effort.

Final Thoughts

Quantum computing is no longer purely experimental — it is entering commercial reality. For cloud access, entry price points are increasingly accessible (tens of thousands per month or less). On-premises enterprise quantum systems, by contrast, still demand multi-million-dollar budgets and substantial infrastructure.

If you are evaluating quantum computing for your organisation, it’s wise to begin with cloud access, refine your use-case, measure ROI, and then—if justified—consider a dedicated system. Whichever path you choose, make sure you factor in not just the hardware, but the people, environment and software that make a quantum system operational.

If you like, I can compile an updated list of quantum systems (with vendor-quotes) and their approximate cost in 2025 (including lesser-known vendors) and share it with you. Would you like me to do that?

Quantum