ApsaraDB RDS delivers high-performance relational database services without the overhead of managing hardware or software. Flexible billing, on-demand scaling, and fully managed O&M let you focus on building your application.
Choose a billing method
ApsaraDB RDS supports three billing methods. Pick the one that matches your usage pattern:
| Billing method | Best for | How you're charged |
|---|---|---|
| Pay-as-you-go | Short-term projects, testing, or unpredictable workloads | Hourly, based on actual resource usage. Release the instance at any time to stop charges. |
| Subscription | Long-term production workloads | Fixed monthly or annual fee. Longer commitments offer greater savings. |
| Serverless | Intermittent or fluctuating workloads | Computing resources and storage capacity scale automatically based on demand, preventing idle resource costs and reducing instance O&M costs. |
For pricing details, see Billing rules. For Serverless configuration, see Serverless.
Scale instance specifications on demand
Start with low-spec instances during development or early rollout, then upgrade as workloads grow. During off-peak hours, downgrade specifications to reduce costs.
For step-by-step instructions, see:
Change the specifications of an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance
Change the specifications of an ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance
Change the specifications of an ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance
Change the specifications of an ApsaraDB RDS for MariaDB instance
For pricing after a specification change, see Specification change fees.
Get started in minutes
No upfront hardware or software costs. Create an instance in a few minutes through the ApsaraDB RDS console or by calling an API operation.
Compatibility with existing tools and code
ApsaraDB RDS is compatible with most native database engines. Existing application code and database tools work without modification. To migrate data, use Data Transmission Service (DTS) or standard import/export tools — no specialized expertise required. For more information, see What is Data Transmission Service?
Fully managed operations
Alibaba Cloud handles routine O&M tasks — including hardware and software troubleshooting and database patch installation. Manage your instances (create, delete, restart, back up, or restore) through the ApsaraDB RDS console or API operations.