When you change the specifications of an ApsaraDB RDS instance, billing adjusts based on your pricing model. Pay-as-you-go instances switch to the new rate immediately. Subscription instances generate a price difference — you either pay extra for an upgrade or receive a refund for a downgrade.
Pay-as-you-go instances
Pay-as-you-go instances are billed by the hour. After a specification change takes effect, the instance is billed at the rate for the new specifications.
Subscription instances
Changing the specifications of a subscription instance generates a price difference. You either pay the difference or receive a refund, depending on whether you upgrade or downgrade.
Discounts and coupons
If you upgrade and then immediately downgrade, the refund may be less than expected in these cases:
Discounts: The refund is calculated based on the amount you actually paid, not the full list price. For example, if you purchased a one-year subscription at a 15% discount and paid USD 850 for USD 1,000 worth of service, a subsequent downgrade refund is calculated based on USD 850.
Coupons: The refund for the original specifications is calculated based on the amount you paid, excluding any coupon deductions. However, when calculating upgrade fees for the original specifications, the system uses the unit price, which includes the coupon amount.
Change specifications in the console
Go to the Instances page of the ApsaraDB RDS console.
In the top navigation bar, select the region where the instance resides. Then click the instance ID.
On the Basic Information page, find the Configuration Information section and click Change Specifications.
Select Upgrade or Downgrade and follow the on-screen instructions.
In the following scenarios, if you downgrade an instance immediately after an upgrade, the refund you receive may be less than the upgrade cost:
The upgrade order included a discount: For example, a 1-year subscription has a 15% discount. If the original price is USD 1,000, you only pay USD 850. The refund for a subsequent downgrade is calculated based on the actual payment of USD 850.
If you used a voucher for an upgrade order, any refund for a subsequent downgrade is issued only in cash. The refund is calculated based on the price of the configuration from the original upgrade, which includes the voucher.
Pricing
The price of an ApsaraDB RDS instance varies by region, instance type, and storage capacity. See the ApsaraDB RDS buy page for current pricing.
What's next
Change specifications for a specific database engine:
API reference
| Operation | Description |
|---|---|
| ModifyDBInstanceSpec | Changes the instance type and storage capacity of an instance |