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PolarDB:Billing rules for backup storage that exceeds the free quota

Last Updated:Nov 06, 2025

You can use the PolarDB backup and recovery features free of charge. However, backup files occupy storage space. This topic describes the billing rules for the storage space occupied by PolarDB backup files.

Free quota

PolarDB provides a free backup storage quota. If your backup storage usage exceeds this quota, you are charged for the excess usage. For single-region backups on PolarDB, charges are based on the storage capacity and retention period of backup files (data and logs). For cross-region backups on PolarDB, charges are based on the same factors, in addition to the network traffic generated by the backups.

Backup type

Free quota

Data backup

Level-1 backup

Database storage usage × 50%

For more information about how to view the database storage usage, see View database storage usage.

Level-2 backup

None

Log backup

100 GB

Pay-as-you-go rules

Billing Rules For Level-1 Backups

If the backup storage usage exceeds the free quota, you are charged for the excess storage based on the usage and storage duration.

Storage class

The Chinese mainland

China (Hong Kong) and other regions outside the Chinese mainland

Hourly fee calculation method

PSL5

USD 0.000464 per GB-hour

USD 0.000650 per GB-hour

Hourly fee = (Total size of level-1 backups - Free quota) × Price per hour

For example, for the PSL5 storage class in the Chinese mainland, if the total size of level-1 backups (snapshots) is 700 GB and the database storage usage is 1000 GB, the fee per hour is USD 0.0928.

Calculation formula: [700 GB - (1,000 GB × 50%)] × USD 0.000464 per GB-hour = USD 0.0928 per hour

Note

For more information about how to view the total size of level-1 backups (snapshots), see FAQ.

PSL4

USD 0.0003 per GB-hour

USD 0.000433 per GB-hour

Billing Rules For Level-2 Backups

Level-2 backups support single-region and cross-region backups. For single-region backups, PolarDB charges you on a pay-as-you-go basis for the storage capacity and retention period of backup files (data and logs). For cross-region backups, PolarDB adds pay-as-you-go charges for the network traffic generated by the backups.

  • Billing rules for single-region backups

    The Chinese mainland

    China (Hong Kong) and other regions outside the Chinese mainland

    Hourly fee calculation method

    USD 0.0000325 per GB-hour

    USD 0.0000455 per GB-hour

    Hourly fee = Total size of level-2 backups × Price per hour

    For example, if the total size of level-2 backups is 1,000 GB in a Chinese mainland region, the storage fee per hour is USD 0.0325.

    Calculation formula: 1,000 GB × USD 0.0000325 per GB-hour = USD 0.0325 per hour

  • Billing rules for cross-region backups

    Billable item

    The Chinese mainland

    China (Hong Kong) and other regions outside the Chinese mainland

    Hourly fee calculation method

    Backup storage

    USD 0.0000325 per GB-hour

    USD 0.0000455 per GB-hour

    Hourly fee = Total size of level-2 backups × Price per hour + Price for cross-region network traffic

    For example, for cross-region backups between regions in the Chinese mainland, if the total size of level-2 backups is 1,000 GB and the network traffic consumed by cross-region backup dumps is 500 MB, the hourly fee is USD 0.0691.

    Calculation formula: 1,000 GB × USD 0.0000325 per GB-hour + 500 MB/1,024 × USD 0.075 per GB = USD 0.0691 per hour

    Network traffic

    For more information about the fees for network traffic that is generated by cross-region backups, see Network fees.

    Note
    • Cross-region backups are billed on a daily basis. In this topic, the price is converted to an hourly price.

    • The billing for cross-region backups is displayed in the Data Disaster Recovery bills.

Billing Rules For Log Backups

Log backups support single-region backup and cross-region backup. For single-region backups, PolarDB charges for the storage capacity of backup files (data and logs) on a pay-as-you-go basis. For cross-region backups, PolarDB charges for both the storage capacity of backup files (data and logs) and the network traffic generated by the backups on a pay-as-you-go basis.

  • Billing rules for single-region backups

    The Chinese mainland

    Hong Kong (China) and other regions

    Hourly fee calculation method

    USD 0.0000325 per GB per hour

    USD 0.0000455 per GB per hour

    Hourly fee = (Total log backup size - 100 GB) × Price per GB per hour

    For example, if the total log backup size is 1,000 GB in the Chinese mainland, the hourly fee is USD 0.02925.

    Calculation: (1,000 GB - 100 GB) × USD 0.0000325 per GB per hour = USD 0.02925

  • Billing rules for cross-region backups

    Billable item

    The Chinese mainland

    China (Hong Kong) and other regions outside the Chinese mainland

    Hourly fee calculation method

    Backup storage

    USD 0.0000325 per GB-hour

    USD 0.0000455 per GB-hour

    Hourly fee = (Total size of log backups - 100 GB) × Price per hour + Price for cross-region network traffic

    For example, for cross-region backups between regions in the Chinese mainland, if the total size of log backups is 1,000 GB and the network traffic consumed by the cross-region backup is 500 MB, the hourly fee is USD 0.0659.

    Calculation formula: (1,000 GB - 100 GB) × USD 0.0000325 per GB-hour + 500 MB/1,024 × USD 0.075 per GB = USD 0.0659 per hour

    Network traffic

    For more information about the fees for network traffic that is generated by cross-region backups, see Network fees.

    Note
    • Cross-region backups are billed on a daily basis. In this topic, the price is converted to an hourly price.

    • The billing for cross-region backups is displayed in the Data Disaster Recovery bills.

Use storage plans to offset level-1 backup costs

You can use storage plans to offset the costs for level-1 backup storage that exceeds the free quota. If the capacity of a storage plan is insufficient to offset the level-1 backup storage usage, you are charged for the excess storage on a pay-as-you-go basis.

The following table describes the deduction rules.

Region type

Deduction factor

Level-1 backup storage capacity offset by a 1 GB storage plan

The Chinese mainland (PSL4)

0.4

1/0.4 = 2.5 GB

The Chinese mainland (PSL5

0.617

1/0.617 = 1.62 GB

China (Hong Kong) and other regions outside the Chinese mainland (PSL4

0.4

1/0.4 = 2.5 GB

China (Hong Kong) and other regions outside the Chinese mainland (PSL5

0.617

1/0.617 = 1.62 GB

For example, you purchase a storage plan with a capacity of 100 GB. After the storage plan is used to offset the storage usage of PSL5, 50 GB of the storage plan capacity remains. Your cluster in the Chinese mainland uses 50 GB of level-1 backup storage that exceeds the free quota. In this case, the storage plan automatically uses 31.25 GB (50/1.6 = 31.25) of its capacity to offset this backup storage usage. The storage plan has 18.75 GB of capacity remaining.

If the remaining capacity of the storage plan is insufficient to offset the level-1 backup storage usage, you are charged for the excess storage on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Note

For more information about how storage plans are used for deduction, see Billing FAQ for storage plans.

Use storage plans to offset level-2 backup costs

You can use storage plans to offset the costs for level-2 backup storage. If the capacity of a storage plan is insufficient to offset the level-2 backup storage usage, you are charged for the excess storage on a pay-as-you-go basis.

The following table describes the deduction rules.

Region type

Deduction factor

Level-2 backup storage capacity offset by a 1 GB storage plan

The Chinese mainland

0.043

1/0.043 = 23.26 GB

China (Hong Kong) and other regions outside the Chinese mainland

0.054

1/0.054 = 18.52 GB

For example, you purchase a storage plan with a capacity of 100 GB, and 50 GB remains after it is used to offset the data storage usage. Your cluster in the Chinese mainland uses 50 GB of level-2 backup storage. In this case, the storage plan automatically uses 2.15 GB (50/23.26) of its capacity to offset this backup storage usage. The storage plan has 47.85 GB of capacity remaining.

If the remaining capacity of the storage plan is insufficient to offset the level-2 backup storage usage, you are charged for the excess storage on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Note

For more information about how storage plans are used for deduction, see Billing FAQ for storage plans.

Use storage plans to offset log backup costs

You can use storage plans to offset the costs for log backup storage. If the capacity of a storage plan is insufficient to offset the log backup storage usage, you are charged for the excess storage on a pay-as-you-go basis.

The following table describes the deduction rules.

Region type

Deduction factor

Log backup storage capacity offset by a 1 GB storage plan

The Chinese mainland

0.043

1/0.043 = 23.26 GB

China (Hong Kong) and other regions outside the Chinese mainland

0.054

1/0.054 = 18.52 GB

For example, you purchase a storage plan with a capacity of 100 GB, and 50 GB remains after it is used to offset the data storage usage. Your cluster in the Chinese mainland uses 50 GB of log backup storage. In this case, the storage plan automatically uses 2.15 GB (50/23.26) of its capacity to offset this backup storage usage. The storage plan has 47.85 GB of capacity remaining.

If the remaining capacity of the storage plan is insufficient to offset the log backup storage usage, you are charged for the excess storage on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Note

For more information about how storage plans are used for deduction, see Billing FAQ for storage plans.