# Create a Kubernetes cluster
Source: https://docs.infraista.com/en/compute/kubernetes/create-a-cluster



**Before you start:** your account setup must be complete, including a payment method.

Go to **Compute › Kubernetes** and select **Create cluster**. The form has three steps.

## 1. Basics [#1-basics]

* **Cluster name**: lowercase letters, numbers and dashes work best, for example `render-prod`.
* **Project** (optional): groups costs on invoices.
* **Region**: where the cluster runs. Same price everywhere.
* **Kubernetes version**: **Latest** is picked by default. We apply patch releases for you; minor
  upgrades are your call.
* **Highly available control plane**: runs the control plane in several replicas so the API stays up
  during failures and upgrades. Recommended for production; it adds a monthly price, shown on the
  option.

## 2. Node pool [#2-node-pool]

A node pool is a group of identical worker nodes. Your workloads run here.

* **Pool name**, for example `workers`.
* **Node plan**: vCPU, memory, disk and bandwidth per node, priced per node per month.
* **Worker nodes**: 1 to 12. Three or more keep workloads running while a node restarts.

<Shot name="compute/kubernetes/create-pool" alt="Step 2 of creating a cluster: the pool name, node plans with their price per node and the number of worker nodes" />

## 3. Review [#3-review]

Check the cluster basics and node pool, and the **Cost breakdown**: control plane, nodes and the
**Estimated total** per month. Load balancers, volumes and floating IPs your workloads create are billed
separately, as used. Optionally add **Tags** such as `env:prod`.

Select **Create cluster**. **View as code** shows the same request as an API call.

The cluster shows **Provisioning** and its page updates on its own; most clusters are ready in a few
minutes. Then [connect with kubectl](/en/compute/kubernetes/connect-with-kubectl).

## How clusters are billed [#how-clusters-are-billed]

By the hour while the cluster runs: the hourly rate is the monthly price divided by 730. Your credit is
used first.

## Related [#related]

* [Connect with kubectl](/en/compute/kubernetes/connect-with-kubectl)
* [Node pools](/en/compute/kubernetes/node-pools)