# Evaluate your DynamoDB table class selection
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This section provides an overview of how to select the appropriate table class for your DynamoDB table. With the launch of the Standard Infrequent-Access (Standard-IA) table class, you now have the ability to optimize a table for either lower storage cost or lower throughput cost.

**Topics**
+ [What table classes are available](#CostOptimization_TableClass_Overview)
+ [When to select the DynamoDB Standard table class](#CostOptimization_TableClass_Standard)
+ [When to select DynamoDB Standard-IA table class](#CostOptimization_TableClass_StandardIA)
+ [Additional factors to consider when choosing a table class](#CostOptimization_TableClass_AdditionalFactors)

## What table classes are available
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When you create a DynamoDB Table, you must select either DynamoDB Standard or DynamoDB Standard-IA for the table class. The table class can be changed twice in a 30-day period, so you can always change it in the future. Selecting either table class has no effect on table performance, availability, reliability, or durability.

![\[DynamoDB table class options. In this image, the DynamoDB Standard-IA table class is selected.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/amazondynamodb/latest/developerguide/images/CostOptimization/TableClassOptions.png)


**Standard table class**  
The Standard table class is the default option for new tables. This option maintains the original billing balance of DynamoDB which offers a balance of throughput and storage costs for tables with frequently accessed data.

**Standard-IA table class**  
The Standard-IA table class offers a lower storage cost (\$160% lower) for workloads that require long-term storage of data with infrequent updates or reads. Since the class is optimized for infrequent access, reads and writes will be billed at a slightly higher cost (\$125% higher) than the Standard table class.

## When to select the DynamoDB Standard table class
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DynamoDB Standard table class is best suited for tables whose storage cost is approximately 50% or less of the overall monthly cost of the table. This cost balance is indicative of a workload that regularly accesses or updates items already stored within DynamoDB.

## When to select DynamoDB Standard-IA table class
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DynamoDB Standard-IA table class is best suited for tables whose storage cost is approximately 50% or more of the overall monthly cost of the table. This cost balance is indicative of a workload that creates or reads fewer items per month than it keeps in storage.

 A common use for the Standard-IA table class is moving less frequently accessed data to individual Standard-IA tables. For further information, see [ Optimizing the storage costs of your workloads with Amazon DynamoDB Standard-IA table class](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/database/optimize-the-storage-costs-of-your-workloads-with-amazon-dynamodb-standard-ia-table-class/).

## Additional factors to consider when choosing a table class
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When deciding between the two table classes, there are some additional factors worth considering as part of your decision.

**Reserved capacity**  
Purchasing reserved capacity for tables using the Standard-IA table class is currently not supported. When transitioning from a Standard table with reserved capacity to a Standard-IA table without reserved capacity, you may not see a cost benefit.