Credit Usage: Hosted Feature Layer vs. Feature Collection

JohnMDye

I am trying to keep my credit usage minimal on ArcGIS Online. I have a standard python notebook that reaches out to an API, makes a query , pushes the query results into a spatial dataframe and then either updates a feature layer if it already exists, or if not, publishes the feature layer. Everything works, its great.

However, I noticed my credit balance dropping a little faster than I'd like. So I wanted to take a look at whether I was using the most appropriate feature layer type. I took a look at the Understanding Credits documentation, specifically Credits by Capability and noted that Feature Storage is charged at a rate of 2.4 credits per 10MB stored, calculated hourly while Feature Collection storage is charged at a rate of 1.2 credits per 1GB stored, calculated hourly.

 

That's a significant savings, but I am confused.

Capability	Example of where used	Credits used
Feature storage, excluding feature attachments, feature collections, and features associated with location tracking	Store a hosted feature layer	2.4 credits per 10 MB stored per month, calculated hourly Note: Feature layer settings, such as Enable Sync and Keep track of created and updated features, can increase storage size over time.
Storage of all content, excluding hosted feature layers and content in ArcGIS Notebooks	Store web maps Store feature collections Store attachments in a hosted feature layer Store published vector tile layers from ArcGIS Pro Store scene layer packages from ArcGIS Pro	1.2 credits per 1 GB stored per month, calculated hourly

 

Feature Storage cites the example of storing a hosted feature layer - makes sense. Meanwhile, storage of all content, excluding hosted feature layers and content in ArcGIS Notebooks cites multiple different examples, including storing Feature Collections.

In my python notebook, I create a Feature Layer from a spatial dataframe already populated with x/y coordinates and attributes using:

 which produces a Feature Layer Collection. All is good. But then I look in My Content in my organization and the item type is shown as Feature Layer (hosted). 

So which is it? A Hosted Feature Layer or a Feature Layer Collection? Am I going to be charged 2.4 credits per 10MB/month or 1.2 credits per 1GB/month for my Feature Layer Collection/Feature Layer (hosted) item.

OR am I thinking about Feature Collections wrong and the Feature Layer collection is actually the Shapefile that was generated, which the Feature Layer (hosted) was then created from and the Shapefile is what costs 1.2 credits per 1GB/month while the Feature Layer (hosted) costs 2/4 credits per 10MB/month.

PeterKnoop

In the context of ArcGIS Online, the terms "feature layer (hosted)" and "feature layer collection" are equivalent. The former is typically used in user-facing contexts, like the documentation and user-interface, while the latter usually appears in systems administration and programmatic contexts. Both are generally synonymous with "feature service" too.

A "feature collection" is different. It is a sub-type of "feature layer", supporting a specific, limited set of functionality (see Feature collections.)  For example, when you save a route from Map Viewer, it is stored as a "feature collection", and in the Online interfaced, it is listed as a "Route layer" with a source of "Feature collection".