Help Center/ Workspace/ Service Overview/ Packages and Billing
Updated on 2024-03-19 GMT+08:00
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Packages and Billing

Billing Overview

When you purchase a cloud desktop, the desktop instance specifications that you specify determine the host hardware configuration of the instance. Workspace instances provide various specifications. Each instance type provides different computing capabilities. You can select the computing capability and storage space of an instance based on the service scale to be provided.

Billing Modes

Workspace specifications include compute resources (vCPUs and memory) and storage resources (system disks and data disks). You can determine the specifications, quantity, and region distribution of desktop instances based on the access user plan and desktop application scenario plan to enjoy the premium service we provide. Workspace supports the yearly/monthly and pay-per-use billing modes.

  • Yearly/Monthly: Huawei Cloud allows Workspace to be billed on a yearly or monthly basis. This billing mode provides a larger discount than pay-per-use and is recommended for long-term users. A yearly/monthly desktop is billed based on the purchased duration specified in the order.

Application scenario: This mode applies to scenarios where cloud desktop resources are stably used for a long time. Compared with the pay-per-use mode, this mode provides a larger discount.

  • Pay-per-use: You can apply for Workspace resources on demand. Instances are charged from the time when they are enabled to the time when they are deleted. Instances are charged based on the actual purchase duration (accurate to seconds). You can change the billing mode to yearly/monthly. For details, see "Changing the Desktop Billing Mode (from Pay-per-Use to Yearly/Monthly)" in Workspace User Guide.

Application scenario: This mode is suitable for short-term service requirements. You can start or stop instances on demand to release compute resources and save more.

Billing Rules

Pay-per-use instances are not billed when they are stopped or hibernating. Instances include instances that do not contain local disks or FPGA cards, but do not include bare metal server instances. When a desktop is stopped or hibernating, it is billed as follows:

  • Basic resources (vCPUs, memory, and image) are released and no longer generate costs. Its associated resources such as its EVS disks, EIPs, and bandwidth will continue to be billed.
  • Pay-per-use desktops are not billed when they are stopped or hibernating. That is, the system automatically reclaims compute resources (vCPUs and memory) while retaining the desktops during the shutdown or hibernation period. In this case, only storage resources (system disks and data disks) will be billed, reducing your costs. When you restart the desktop, you will apply for vCPUs and memory again. If the resources are insufficient, the startup may fail. In this case, wait several minutes before trying to restart the desktop or modify specifications of the desktop.
  • In special pay-per-use instances, desktops are still billed after being stopped. After a special desktop is stopped, its resources such as vCPUs and memory will be retained.

    Special instances include:

    • Desktops attached with local disks, such as disk-intensive desktops and ultra-high I/O desktops.
  • Public/Private NAT gateways are billed based on the public NAT gateway type and service duration. For pricing details, see NAT Gateway Price Calculator.
  • Public images (except special ones) are free of charge. If a public image is converted to a private image, the image fee will be billed based on the KooGallery price.
  • After you delete or unsubscribe from a desktop (for details, see "Unsubscribing from a Desktop" in the User Guide), the EIP of the desktop is automatically unbound, and the EIP is retained and billed. You can manually delete the EIP on the EIP page.

Billing Units of Workspace

Billing units vary depending on the resource type. Table 1 lists the billing units of Workspace resources.

Table 1 Billing units

Resource

Billing Unit

Workspace package

Desktop/year, month, or hour

Cloud system disk

GB/year, month, or hour

Cloud data disk

GB/year, month, or hour

Billing of Workspace

Refer to the billing modes displayed on the Workspace purchase page.

Table 2 Billing of Workspace

Billing Mode

Description

Billing Cycle

Yearly/Monthly

When you purchase a yearly/monthly package, the system will deduct the package cost from your cloud account based on the chosen package.

The billing cycle is based on the UTC+8 time zone. The billing cycle starts when you enable your resource (accurate to seconds) and ends when the specified usage duration expires (showing: 00:00:00).

Pay-per-use

You can pay for the bill after use. Fees are deducted from your account balance based on your actual service duration in a specified period.

The billing cycle is one year and based on the UTC+8 time zone. The system automatically generates a bill on the hour (for example, 2:00:00 or 3:00:00) to calculate the fee for using the service in the specified period.
  • When an order expires, a 7-day grace period is provided. Services in the grace period are still available.
  • After the grace period elapses, a 15-day reservation period is provided. Resources in the reservation period are unavailable but retained.
  • The resources are automatically deleted after the reservation period elapses and the order is not renewed.

Changing the Billing Mode

  • Changing the billing mode

    You can change the billing mode from pay-per-use to yearly/monthly. If you change the billing mode from pay-per-use to yearly/monthly, a new order is generated. After you pay the order, the yearly/monthly resource takes effect immediately. For details, see Changing the Desktop Billing Mode (from Pay-per-Use to Yearly/Monthly).

  • Changing desktop specifications

    During the billing cycle, you can change the vCPU and memory size of the cloud desktop by modifying the specifications.

Renewal

When a billing cycle expires, you can continue using the service through renewal. Alternatively, you can discontinue your service. For renewal, see Renewing a Yearly/Monthly-Billed Desktop. Alternatively, renew the subscription on the Renewal Management page of the console by referring to Renewal Management.

Expiration and Overdue Payment

If your account is in arrears, you can view the arrears details. To prevent related resources from being stopped or released, you need to top up your account within the specified period. For details, see Top-Up and Repayment.