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E-MapReduce:Switch from pay-as-you-go to subscription

Last Updated:Mar 25, 2026

After you create a pay-as-you-go E-MapReduce (EMR) cluster, or a subscription cluster that contains pay-as-you-go node groups, you can switch those node groups or the entire cluster to subscription billing. Subscription lets you reserve resources in advance at a lower cost than pay-as-you-go.

You can switch at two levels:

LevelWhen to useRequirement
ClusterSwitch the entire cluster at onceCluster billing method must be pay-as-you-go
Node groupSwitch individual node groups within a clusterCluster billing method must be subscription
Warning

Switching from pay-as-you-go to subscription is irreversible. Verify your subscription duration and node group selection before proceeding.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure that:

  • Your account balance is enough to cover the related fees

  • The cluster belongs to your Alibaba Cloud account

  • The cluster is in the Running state

  • The cluster has no unpaid order for billing method switching (cancel any existing unpaid order before placing a new one)

  • The node groups you want to switch are in the Running state and contain nodes

  • No auto scaling rule is associated with the node groups you want to switch

Switch at the cluster level

Use this procedure to switch the entire cluster from pay-as-you-go to subscription.

  1. Log on to the EMR console. In the left-side navigation pane, click EMR on ECS.

  2. In the top navigation bar, select the region where your cluster resides and select a resource group.

  3. On the EMR on ECS page, find the target cluster, move the pointer over the image..png icon in the Actions column, and then select Switch to Subscription.

  4. In the confirmation message, click OK.

  5. In the Switch to Subscription dialog box, configure the following parameters:

    ParameterDescription
    Node Group TypeMaster and core node groups are selected by default. Select additional node groups as needed. Task node groups with auto scaling rules configured cannot be switched.
    Subscription DurationSelect a duration from the drop-down list.
    Auto-renewalEnabled by default. The system renews the subscription for one additional month seven days before the expiration date. Disable only if you manage renewals manually.
  6. Click OK.

Switch at the node group level

Use this procedure to switch individual pay-as-you-go node groups within a subscription cluster to subscription.

Note

Node groups in a pay-as-you-go cluster cannot be switched independently. To switch node groups, the cluster billing method must first be subscription.

  1. Go to the Nodes tab.

    1. Log on to the EMR console. In the left-side navigation pane, click EMR on ECS.

    2. In the top navigation bar, select the region where your cluster resides and select a resource group.

    3. On the EMR on ECS page, find the target cluster and click Nodes in the Actions column.

  2. On the Nodes tab, find the target node group, move the pointer over the image..png icon, and then select Switch to Subscription.

  3. In the Switch to Subscription dialog box, configure the following parameters:

    ParameterDescription
    Subscription DurationSelect a duration from the drop-down list.
    Auto-renewalEnabled by default. The system renews the subscription for one additional month seven days before the expiration date. Disable only if you manage renewals manually.
  4. Click OK.