There are several benefits of using a cloud database, including variable pricing with typically lower costs, superior agility, better/easier scalability (both up and down), higher overall reliability, and even better performance. Cloud databases offer pay-as-you-go or pay-per-use pricing, allowing businesses to increase capacity as demand rises and reduce capacity as demand falls. This flexibility provides savings in terms of time, money, and frustration. Additionally, cloud databases can be provisioned in minutes and discarded just as quickly/easily when no longer needed, making it possible for businesses to stand up whatever infrastructure is required without being limited by on-premise resources. The reliability of cloud databases also offers multiple tiers of service, allowing users to match their risk tolerance against their budget. Furthermore, cloud providers' raison d'être is to provide remotely hosted servers and services, resulting in better performance unless the business has a similar core competency. Cloud databases can be classified based on their data model as well as their delivery model, with different types offering varying degrees of flexibility and scalability. The deployment model, data model, security, and adoption plan are all important considerations when choosing a cloud database.