# Create an Essentials database

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  "title": "Create an Essentials database",
  "description": "Shows how to create an Essentials database.",
  "categories": ["docs","operate","rc"],
  "tableOfContents": {"sections":[]}

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```


Redis Cloud Essentials is cost-efficient and designed for low-throughput scenarios. You can quickly scale up your Essentials database as your application grows.

Before creating a Redis Cloud database, you need to [create an account](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/rc-quickstart).

To create a database in your Redis Cloud account:

1. Sign in to the [Redis Cloud console](https://cloud.redis.io).

2. Select the **New database** button.

    ![The New Database button creates a new database.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/button-database-new.png)

    This displays the **Create database** screen. 

3. Select the type of [subscription](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/subscriptions) you need. For this guide, select **Essentials**.

    ![The Subscription selection panel with Essentials selected.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/create-database-subscription-essentials.png)

    > [!NOTE]
    > This guide shows how to create a paid Essentials database.
    > - If you want to create a free Essentials database, see [Create a free database](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/rc-quickstart). You can only have one free database per account.
    > - If you'd rather create a Pro database, see [Create a Pro database with a new subscription](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/databases/create-database/create-pro-database-new).
    > - If you already have a Pro subscription and want to add a database to it, see [Create a Pro database in an existing subscription](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/databases/create-database/create-pro-database-existing).
    >
    
    After you select **Essentials**, the rest of the database details will appear.

    ![The database name, cloud vendor, version, region, type, and durability settings.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/create-database-essentials-cloud-vendor.png)

1. Redis will generate a database name for you. If you want to change it, you can do so in the **Name** field.  

1. Choose a **Cloud vendor** for your database from the list. You can choose between **Amazon Web Services (AWS)**, **Google Cloud**, and **Microsoft Azure** for the Cloud Vendor. 

    ![The list of available cloud vendors.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/create-database-essentials-cloud-vendor-list.png)

1. Choose a **Region** from the list. See [Supported regions](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/supported-regions) for a list of supported regions by cloud vendor.

1. Select the **Database version** you want to use.

1. The **Type** of database controls the protocol and advanced capabilities. Leave this as **Redis** unless you have a legacy application that uses **Memcached**.

1. Select your desired plan.

    ![Available Essentials plans.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/subscription-new-fixed-tiers.png)

    The plan determines the size of your database and other limits. For a comparison of available plans, see [Redis Cloud Essentials plans](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/subscriptions/view-essentials-subscription/essentials-plan-details).

1. Select **RAM** or **RAM + SSD (Flex)** to choose between a database that uses only RAM or one that uses both RAM and Flash memory. 

    Choose Flex for larger datasets and cost-efficient scale when you can tolerate single-digit millisecond latency for warm data. Choose RAM when you need the absolute lowest latency for all data. To learn more about Flex, see [Create a Flex database](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/databases/create-database/create-flex-database).

1. Choose your **High availability (replication)** settings.

    Redis Cloud supports the following high availability settings:

    - **None**: You will have a single copy of your database without replication.
    - **Single-Zone**: Your database will have a primary and a replica located in the same cloud zone. If anything happens to the primary, the replica takes over and becomes the new primary.
    - **Multi-Zone**: The primary and its replicas are stored in different zones. This means that your database can remain online even if an entire zone becomes unavailable.

    See [High availability](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/databases/configuration/high-availability) for more information about these settings.

1. Choose your **Data persistence** settings from the list.

    Redis Cloud supports the following data persistence options:

    - An **Append-Only File** maintains a record (sometimes called a _redo log_ or _journal_) of write operations.  This allows the data to be restored by using the record to reconstruct the database up to the point of failure. For Essentials databases, Redis updates the Append-Only file every second.

    - A **Snapshot** is a copy of the in-memory database, taken at periodic intervals (one, six, or twelve hours). You can restore data to the snapshot's point in time. 
    
    See [Data persistence](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/databases/configuration/data-persistence) for more information about these settings.

1.  Enter your payment details.

    If you haven't previously entered a payment method, use the **Add Credit Card** button to add one.

    ![The Add credit card icon.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/icon-add.png)

    If you have not already added a business address to your account, you must enter one. Redis uses your business address for communication, invoicing, and tax purposes.

![The Add credit card screen before a business address has already been added.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/billing-add-first-card.png)

If you already have a business address, you don't need to enter one here. See [Account settings](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/accounts/account-settings) to learn how to update your business address.

![The Add credit card screen after a business address has already been added.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/billing-add-credit-card.png)

If the card's billing address is the same as your account's business address, select **Same as business address** to fill the billing address with your business address details.

1. Select **Confirm & pay** to create your database.

![Select Confirm & Pay to create your new database.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/button-create-db-confirm-pay.png)

When you create your database, there's a brief pause while your request is processed and then the **Database details** page appears.

You can now [connect to your database](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/databases/connect) and start working with Redis.