IoT Platform:Billing FAQ

Is IoT Platform free? Are public instances billed?

You can enable Alibaba Cloud IoT Platform for free. IoT Platform manages devices at the instance level and bills you based on the resource specification of each instance.

• Enterprise Edition instances use subscription billing. Select resource specifications based on your needs. For billing rules, see Enterprise Edition instances (subscription).

• New public instances come with a fixed default resource specification and are free of charge. For details, see Billing overview.

• Legacy public instances use pay-as-you-go billing. For billing rules, see Message communication billing, Connection duration billing.

How are trial Enterprise Edition instances billed?

A trial Enterprise Edition instance is free for one month. After one month, the system automatically releases the instance. To continue using the service, renew your subscription before the trial expires. For renewal instructions, see Renew an instance.

Can Enterprise Edition instances use pay-as-you-go billing?

No. Enterprise Edition instances support only subscription billing. If your instance specifications exceed your needs, you can downgrade the instance. For more information, see Downgrade an instance.

What happens when an instance expires?

• When an Enterprise Edition instance expires, its service stops. After 15 days, the instance is released, and all its data, including products and devices, is permanently deleted.

  Important

  Service interruption and data deletion can disrupt your business. To avoid service interruptions, renew your instance before it expires. For renewal instructions, see Renew an instance.

• New and legacy public instances do not expire.

  If a new public instance has a Frozen status, go to the Instance Overview tab in the IoT Platform console, click the instance card, and choose to continue using the public instance.

  The dialog box also includes the Upgrade to Enterprise Edition (Recommended) option.

How to stop billing for a public instance?

• New public instances are not billed.

• Legacy public instances use pay-as-you-go billing. To stop billing, disable your devices. For details, see Disable a device.

Are activated devices deleted for overdue payments?

• Enterprise Edition instance

  • If the subscription has not expired, your subscribed resources remain available and devices are not deleted.

  • If the subscription has expired and you cannot renew it due to an overdue payment on your account, the instance is released 15 days after expiration. All its data, including products and devices, will be permanently deleted.

• New public instance

  This instance type is free. Your resources remain available and devices are not deleted.

• Legacy public instance

  If you have an overdue payment, the service remains available for 24 hours. After 24 hours, the service automatically stops, but the instance and your devices are not deleted.

Are there charges for adding new devices?

• For an Enterprise Edition instance, you purchase resources (such as number of concurrent connections, uplink and downlink TPS, and TPS for data forwarding) with a subscription. As long as you stay within your subscribed resource specification, you can add new devices to the instance at no extra charge.

• New public instances are free but have fixed resource specifications. You can add devices within those limits.

• Legacy public instances use pay-as-you-go billing. For billing rules, see Connection duration billing, Message communication billing.

Do devices go offline upon overdue payment or expiration?

An overdue payment on your account does not directly cause devices to go offline, regardless of instance type.

However, if the subscription for an Enterprise Edition instance expires, its service stops, and all connected devices go offline.

For more information about overdue payments and instance renewal, see Overdue payments and renewal.

Does the instance ID change after renewal?

No.

Can I export configurations from an unrenewed trial instance?

No. Configuration cannot be exported from an unrenewed Enterprise Edition instance.

Renew the instance within 15 days of expiration to continue using its services. Otherwise, the instance is released and all data is permanently deleted. For more information, see Expiration and renewal.

Why is my unrenewed Enterprise Edition instance missing?

When an instance expires, its service stops. After 15 days, the instance is released, and all its data, including products and devices, is permanently deleted.

For more information, see Expiration and renewal.

How to get a refund for an instance?

• New public instances are free and legacy public instances use pay-as-you-go billing. Neither type supports or requires refunds.

• You can request a refund for a subscription-based Enterprise Edition instance. After the refund is processed, the instance is immediately released, and all its data is permanently deleted.

You can submit a ticket to cancel a purchased instance.

For more information, see Refund policy.

How to disable pay-as-you-go billing?

Only legacy public instances use pay-as-you-go billing. You cannot disable IoT Platform once activated, but no charges are incurred if you do not create or connect devices.