Help Center/ VPC Endpoint/ Billing/ Billing Modes
Updated on 2024-08-20 GMT+08:00
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Billing Modes

VPC Endpoint supports the pay-per-use billing mode, which means you pay nothing up front and are not tied into any contract or commitment. This section describes the billing rules for pay-per-use VPC Endpoint resources.

Application Scenarios

Pay-per-use billing is good for short-term, bursty, or unpredictable workloads that cannot tolerate any interruptions, such as applications for e-commerce flash sales, temporary testing, and scientific computing.

Billing Items

VPC Endpoint provides two types of resources: VPC endpoint services and VPC endpoints. VPC endpoint services are free, and VPC endpoints are billed based on how long you use them and how much data is processed.
Table 1 Items billed on a pay-per-use basis

Billing Item

Description

VPC endpoint

Whether a VPC endpoint is charged depends on the type of the VPC endpoint service it connects to. Generally, the VPC endpoint is charged as follows:

  • If you connect a VPC endpoint to a non-DNS or non-OBS VPC endpoint service, you will be charged for using your VPC endpoint.
  • If you connect a VPC endpoint to a DNS or OBS VPC endpoint service, there will be no fees.

The actual price is subject to what is displayed on the VPC Endpoint console.

Data processed
  • Basic VPC endpoints: There are no fees for data processed.
  • Professional VPC endpoints: Data processed will be charged.

Billing Usage Period

Pay-per-use VPC endpoint usage is calculated by the second and billed every hour (UTC+08:00). The billing starts when the VPC endpoint is launched and ends when the instance is deleted.

After you purchase a VPC endpoint, you will be charged based on how many hours the VPC endpoint is retained in your account, regardless of whether the VPC endpoint connects to a VPC endpoint service or whether it interacts with the VPC endpoint service.

If the VPC endpoint service is deleted or its owner refuses your VPC endpoint, the VPC endpoint cannot be used but will still be billed. You are advised to delete the VPC endpoint in a timely manner to avoid unnecessary charges.

Billing Examples

Suppose you purchased a basic VPC endpoint on July 01, 2023 9:59:30 and deleted it on July 01, 2023 10:45:46. Two usage periods will be billed:

  • Usage of 30 seconds from 9:59:30 to 10:00:00
  • Usage of 2,746 seconds from 10:00:00 to 10:45:46

The price displayed in the pricing details is per hour, so you need to divide it by 3,600 to obtain the price for each second and then multiple the per-second price by the total number of seconds.

Table 2 shows the billing formula.

Table 2 The formula for billing pay-per-use VPC endpoints

Resource

Formula

Unit Price

VPC endpoints

Unit price of the VPC endpoint x Required duration

For details, see Specifications Price in VPC Endpoint Pricing Details.

Impact of Arrears

After a VPC endpoint is purchased, it enters the valid period and runs normally during this period. If your account goes into arrears, the VPC endpoint enters a grace period and then a retention period.

Figure 1 Lifecycle of a pay-per-use VPC endpoint

Arrears Reminder

The system will bill you for pay-per-use resources after each billing cycle ends. If your account goes into arrears, we will notify you by email, SMS, or in-app message.

Impact of Arrears

If your account is insufficient to pay your amount due, your account goes into arrears, and the pay-per-use VPC endpoint enters the grace period. You are still responsible for expenditures generated during the grace period. You can view the charges on the Billing Center > Overview page and pay any past due balance as needed.

If you do not bring your account balance current before the grace period expires, the VPC endpoint turns to Frozen and enters a retention period.

If you do not bring your account balance current before the retention period ends, the VPC endpoint will be released and the data cannot be restored.