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ApsaraDB for MongoDB:Change the billing method from subscription to pay-as-you-go

Last Updated:Mar 28, 2026

Switch an ApsaraDB for MongoDB instance from subscription to pay-as-you-go to reduce costs during short-term or variable workloads. When you complete the switch, unused subscription days are refunded to your original payment account.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure that:

If the instance is locked due to subscription expiration, renew the subscription before proceeding.
Instances with local disks in the US (Silicon Valley) or US (Virginia) region running MongoDB 4.0 or 4.2 cannot be converted to pay-as-you-go. See Stop selling MongoDB 4.0/4.2 instances with local disks in US regions for details.

Billing after conversion

When the conversion completes, a refund for the remaining subscription duration is issued to your original payment account.

Impacts

This operation does not interrupt the running instance. However, be aware of the following before you proceed:

  • Cost consideration: For long-term workloads, subscription is more cost-effective than pay-as-you-go and offers greater discounts for longer durations. Evaluate your usage pattern before converting.

Switch to pay-as-you-go

  1. Log on to the ApsaraDB for MongoDB console.

  2. In the left navigation pane, click Replica Set Instances or Sharded Cluster Instances based on your instance type.

  3. In the upper-left corner, select the resource group and region where your instance resides.

  4. In the row of the target instance, click Actions, click More, and then select Switch to Pay-as-you-go.

  5. Review the instance information, select the Terms of Service checkbox, and then click Buy now.