Subscription ApsaraDB RDS instances expire at the end of their subscription term. When an instance expires, it is locked and you can no longer access it. If you do not renew, the instance's compute resources are released and all data is permanently deleted. Pay-as-you-go instances do not expire and do not require renewal.
Renew your subscription before it expires to avoid business interruptions. Alibaba Cloud sends expiration notifications before your subscription ends.
Renewal methods
ApsaraDB RDS supports two renewal methods: auto-renewal and manual renewal. The cost to renew is the same as purchasing a new subscription. Pricing varies by region, instance type, and storage capacity — see the ApsaraDB RDS buy page for details.
Enable auto-renewal
Auto-renewal charges your account automatically before each expiration date, preventing accidental lapses. For setup instructions, see Use the auto-renewal feature.
How auto-renewal works
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| First charge attempt | 08:00 two days before the expiration date |
| Retry cadence | Once per day for the remaining subscription duration until the deduction succeeds |
| Charge amount | Same as a new subscription purchase |
Example: An instance expires on January 9, 2023.
January 7, 08:00 — First attempt. If the charge succeeds, auto-renewal is complete.
January 8, 08:00 — Second attempt (if January 7 failed). If the charge succeeds, auto-renewal is complete.
January 9, 08:00 — Final attempt (if earlier attempts failed). If the charge succeeds, the instance renews and expires at 24:00 the same day. If the charge fails, the instance expires.
Keep sufficient balance in your Alibaba Cloud account. If auto-renewal charges fail, manually renew the instance as soon as possible to avoid service interruption.
Manually renew a subscription
When a subscription expires, Alibaba Cloud retains the instance for a short period before releasing it. Manually renewing during this window restores the instance immediately. After this period, the instance is released and the data is permanently deleted. For instructions, see Manually renew an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.
Post-expiration instance states
After a subscription expires, the instance goes through the following states:
| Period | State | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1–7 | Locked — instance cannot be accessed | Manually renew to restore access immediately. See Manually renew an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance. |
| Day 8–15 | Compute resources released; backups retained | The instance moves to the recycle bin and is retained for seven days. Restore data by restoring a valid backup to a new instance. See Manage ApsaraDB RDS for MariaDB instances in the recycle bin. |
| Day 16 | Backups deleted; instance released | No recovery is possible. |
Deleted data cannot be restored.
After an instance is released, the following backups are retained:
Backups that are still within their retention periods.
The latest backup, which is retained by default for RDS for MySQL instances that use cloud disks and were purchased on February 1, 2024, or later. See Use the backup for deleted instances feature for details.