All Products
Search

This Product

    ApsaraDB RDS:Change the billing method of an ApsaraDB RDS instance from subscription to pay-as-you-go

    Document Center

    ApsaraDB RDS:Change the billing method of an ApsaraDB RDS instance from subscription to pay-as-you-go

    Last Updated:Aug 26, 2026

    You can change the billing method of an ApsaraDB RDS instance from subscription (prepaid) to pay-as-you-go (postpaid) based on your business requirements.

    Prerequisites

    • The RDS instance uses the subscription billing method. For more information about billing methods, see Billable items.

    • The RDS instance is in the Running state.

      Note

      If your subscription RDS instance is locked due to expiration, you must renew the instance first. For more information, see Manually renew an ApsaraDB RDS instance.

    • The RDS instance does not use a historical instance type. For more information, see Primary ApsaraDB RDS instance types. If the RDS instance uses a historical instance type, change the instance type before you change the billing method to pay-as-you-go.

    • SQL Server 2008 R2 (with high-performance local disks) is not supported. You can upgrade SQL Server 2008 R2 (with high-performance local disks) to SQL Server 2012 or SQL Server 2016 and then change the billing method.

    Billing

    After the billing method of a subscription RDS instance is changed to pay-as-you-go, the remaining balance is refunded through the original payment method.

    Refund amount = Amount paid for the order - Fee for used resources

    • Amount paid for the order: the amount that you paid in cash for the order. The part that is covered by coupons or vouchers is not included.

    • Fee for used resources = Daily fee (monthly fee of the original order divided by 30) x Actual usage duration x Discount of the order for the used duration

      Note

      The actual usage duration is accurate to the day. A period of less than one day is counted as one day.

    Impacts

    This operation does not affect the running of your RDS instance.

    Note

    Consider carefully before you change the billing method. If you plan to use the RDS instance for a long period of time, we recommend that you keep the subscription billing method, which is more cost-effective than the pay-as-you-go billing method. Longer subscription periods provide higher discounts.

    Procedure

    1. Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Instances. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instance resides.

    2. Find the RDS instance and go to the Switch to Pay-as-you-go Billing page in one of the following ways:

      • In the Billing Method column of the RDS instance, click Change to Pay-As-You-Go.

      • Click the instance ID. In the Status section, click Change to Pay-As-You-Go to the right of Billing Method.

    3. Confirm the instance information, read and select the terms of service, click Confirm Order, and then complete the payment.

    Related API operations

    API

    Description

    Change the billing method

    Changes the billing method of an ApsaraDB RDS instance.

    FAQ

    Q: What do I do if the price inquiry failure error is reported when I change the billing method of a subscription RDS instance to pay-as-you-go?

    A: In most cases, the billing method of a subscription RDS instance cannot be changed to pay-as-you-go due to the following reasons:

    • The network type of the RDS instance is classic network. The classic network is phased out for RDS instances. You must change the network type to Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) before you change the billing method.

    • If a message appears during the operation, indicating that the RDS instance uses a historical instance type and you must change the instance type first, change the instance type to an instance type that is available for purchase and then perform the operation again. For more information, see Primary ApsaraDB RDS instance types.