---
title: "Do Cloud Run minimum instances make sense for a low-traffic service?"  
description: "Do Cloud Run minimum instances make sense for a low-traffic service?"  
author: "Nimmy Patel"  
published: 2026-10-11  
updated: 2026-10-11  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/162262/do-cloud-run-minimum-instances-make-sense-for-a-low-traffic-service  
category: "Google Cloud Run"  
tags: ["Google Cloud Run", "Cold Starts", "Serverless"]  
reading_time: 1 minute  

---

# Do Cloud Run minimum instances make sense for a low-traffic service?

We have a small Google Cloud Run API that gets sporadic requests throughout the day. Most requests are quick, but the first request after a quiet stretch can be noticeably slower, so we’re considering setting a minimum instance count.

For a service with uneven traffic, how do you weigh **Cloud Run minimum instances** against the extra cost of keeping capacity warm? Do you set a minimum only for latency-sensitive routes, or accept occasional cold starts for a lightly used service?


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Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/162262/do-cloud-run-minimum-instances-make-sense-for-a-low-traffic-service

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