Technical article
Dynasight4 min readUpdated 2026-06-09

DynamoDB cost optimization checklist

A concise DynamoDB cost optimization checklist covering tables, GSIs, scans, FilterExpression usage, capacity mode, and access patterns.

Short answer

A DynamoDB cost optimization checklist should review expensive tables, unused GSIs, scan-heavy workloads, FilterExpression usage, provisioned capacity, capacity mode, and access pattern fit.

  • Review table-level cost drivers.
  • Inspect indexes, scans, filters, and capacity.
  • Turn findings into tracked engineering work.

Checklist

Identify the highest-cost tables, review unused and underused GSIs, inspect scan-heavy workloads, check FilterExpression usage, right-size provisioned capacity, review capacity mode, and validate access patterns against production behavior.

Prioritize by blast radius

Start with high-confidence findings that have clear owners, low risk, and meaningful recurring cost impact.

Repeat the process

DynamoDB optimization is not a one-time cleanup. Tables, indexes, and traffic shape change as the application changes.

FAQ

Common questions

How often should teams review DynamoDB costs?

Production teams should review cost signals regularly, especially after launches, migrations, traffic changes, or schema changes.

What is the highest leverage checklist item?

It depends on the workload, but unused GSIs, scans, and overprovisioned capacity are common starting points.

Can Dynasight automate the checklist?

Dynasight automates analysis and prioritization while keeping actual AWS changes under your team's control.

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