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    Simple Log Service:Billable items for the pay-by-feature billing model

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    Simple Log Service:Billable items for the pay-by-feature billing model

    Last Updated:Sep 24, 2025

    Simple Log Service bills each item separately. For example, storing logs incurs storage fees, and collecting logs incurs write traffic fees. This topic describes the billable items and billing methods for the pay-by-feature billing model of Simple Log Service.

    Precautions

    • The pay-by-feature billing model for Simple Log Service supports collecting logs and time series data. Although storage and index building for time series data are priced separately from logs, fees for data processing, delivery, read/write traffic, and requests are the same as those for logs.

    • You can view information from the previous day, such as write traffic, read traffic, number of read/write requests, data transformation traffic, data shipping traffic, and storage usage, in the Simple Log Service console.

      This data is updated once a day and is not available in real time.

    • Simple Log Service automatically compresses log data during collection, resulting in a compression ratio of 10% to 20%.

    What is an OCU?

    Observability Capacity Unit (OCU) is a new billing unit introduced by Alibaba Cloud for cloud-native observability. OCU usage is automatically calculated based on hourly resource consumption.

    Billing for compute-optimized features of Simple Log Service is gradually transitioning to OCU-based metering. This method measures billing based on the actual computing resources consumed. In a CPU scenario, one OCU is equivalent to approximately 0.5 CPU cores, 2 GB of memory, and 3,000 IOPS. To calculate the total number of OCUs, Simple Log Service calculates the OCU count for each of the three dimensions: CPU cores, memory, and IOPS. The maximum of these three values is used as the final OCU value for billing.

    In a GPU scenario, one OCU is equivalent to approximately 1/60 of the computing power of an A10 card. The final OCU value is calculated based on the consumed GPU computing power.

    For example, if your computing job consumes 1 CPU core, 2 GB of memory, and 3,000 IOPS, the job consumes 2 OCUs. Within a one-hour billing cycle, you can estimate the average OCU consumption as follows: processing 1 GB of data with a write processor consumes about 1/3 OCU. Processing 1 GB of data with data transformation (new) consumes about 1/3 OCU. Processing 1 GB of data with rule-based consumption consumes about 0.3 OCU.

    Billable items for the pay-by-feature billing model

    The following table describes the billable items for the pay-by-feature billing model of Simple Log Service. For detailed pricing information, see Pricing.

    Billable item

    Description

    Billing method

    Free quota

    Storage - Hot log storage

    This includes the storage size of compressed logs and the indexes created for uncompressed logs. Indexes can be full-text, field, or scan indexes.

    For example, you have 1 GB of raw logs and upload them to Simple Log Service with indexes configured for two fields. If the compression ratio is 20% and the index data for the two fields is 0.5 GB, the log storage usage is 0.2 GB + 0.5 GB = 0.7 GB.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Storage fee (hot log) = Daily cumulative storage (GB) × Unit price per GB

    • Resource plan: Prepaid resource plan, converted to and deducted from resource quotas (CUs).

    500 MB/month

    Important

    The free quota is available only when you do not use resource plans for deduction.

    Storage - IA log storage

    After you enable tiered storage, logs are converted to Infrequent Access (IA) storage (formerly cold storage) once they exceed the configured Hot Storage Retention period. You are then billed for IA storage usage. IA storage usage includes the size of the compressed logs and the indexes created from the uncompressed logs.

    For example, you have 1 GB of raw logs and upload them to Simple Log Service with indexes configured for two fields. If the compression ratio is 20% and the index data for the two fields is 0.5 GB, the IA storage usage is 0.2 GB + 0.5 GB = 0.7 GB.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Storage fee (IA log) = Daily cumulative storage (GB) × Unit price per GB

    • Resource plan: Prepaid Plan resource plan, which is converted into Credit Units (CUs) for consumption.

    None

    Storage - Archive log storage

    After you enable tiered storage, logs are converted to Archive Storage when their storage duration exceeds the retention period configured for Hot Storage Retention or IA Storage Retention. You are then billed for Archive Storage usage, which includes the storage size of compressed logs and the indexes created for the uncompressed logs.

    For example, you have 1 GB of raw logs and upload them to Simple Log Service with indexes configured for two fields. If the compression ratio is 20% and the index data for the two fields is 0.5 GB, the Archive Storage usage is 0.2 GB + 0.5 GB = 0.7 GB.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Storage fee (archive log) = Daily cumulative storage (GB) × Unit price per GB

    • Resource plan: Prepaid resource plan, converted to and deducted from resource quotas (CUs).

    None

    Storage - Metric storage

    This includes the storage size of compressed metrics and the indexes created for uncompressed metrics.

    For example, if you upload 1 GB of raw metrics to Simple Log Service, Simple Log Service automatically builds indexes for you. If the index data size is 1 GB and the compression ratio is 20%, the storage usage is 0.2 GB + 1 GB = 1.2 GB.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Storage fee (metric) = Daily cumulative storage (GB) × Unit price per GB

    • Resource plan: A Prepaid Plan resource plan that is converted into a resource quota (CU) for consumption.

    None

    Read/write traffic

    Read/write traffic includes write traffic and read traffic. The details are as follows:

    • Write traffic: When data is uploaded to Simple Log Service, you are charged for write traffic based on the amount of compressed data transferred.

      For example, if you have 10 GB of raw data, uploading it to Simple Log Service generates 2 GB of write traffic (at a 20% compression ratio).

    • Read traffic: When you deliver compressed data to AnalyticDB for MySQL or consume compressed data, you are charged for read traffic based on the amount of data transferred.

      For example, if you have 10 GB of raw data, uploading it to Simple Log Service generates 2 GB of write traffic (at a 20% compression ratio). Then, delivering the data to AnalyticDB for MySQL through Simple Log Service generates 2 GB of read traffic (at a 20% compression ratio).

    Note

    The consumer preview feature in the Simple Log Service console generates a small amount of read traffic.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Read/write traffic fee = (Daily cumulative write traffic + Daily cumulative read traffic) (GB) × Unit price per GB

    • Resource plan: Prepaid resource plan, converted to and deducted from resource quotas (CUs).

    500 MB/month

    Important

    The free quota is available only when you do not use resource plans for deduction.

    Index traffic - Log index

    Index traffic is calculated based on the amount of index data generated when indexes are built or reindexed for uncompressed logs. Indexes are built for specific fields, and the amount of index traffic depends on the selected index fields and the length of their values.

    • For example, if you write 1 GB of raw logs to Simple Log Service and enable full-text indexing, the index traffic is 1 GB.

    • For example, if you write 1 GB of raw logs to Simple Log Service and enable indexing for two fields that contain 0.5 GB of data, the index traffic is 0.5 GB.

    Important

    • Log indexes are used to accelerate queries and analysis. To query and analyze logs, you must create an index. For other scenarios, such as data migration or transfer that use Simple Log Service, you do not need to create log indexes.

    • This billable item applies to Standard Logstores.

    • Indexing is disabled by default. Enabling indexing generates index traffic and consumes storage space.

    • Index traffic fees are charged on a one-time basis when data is written.

    • If a field has both a full-text index and a field index, the index traffic fee is charged only once.

    • Simple Log Service automatically creates indexes for reserved fields such as `__time__` and `__source__`. This generates a small amount of index traffic. For more information, see Reserved fields.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Index traffic fee (log index) = Daily cumulative index traffic (GB) × Unit price per GB

    • Resource plan: Prepaid resource plan, converted to and deducted from resource quotas (CUs).

    500 MB/month

    Important

    The free quota is available only when you do not use resource plans for deduction.

    Index traffic - Log index - Query type

    Index traffic is calculated based on the amount of index data generated when indexes are built or reindexed for uncompressed logs. Indexes are built for specific fields, and the amount of index traffic depends on the selected index fields and the length of their values.

    • For example, if you write 1 GB of raw logs to Simple Log Service and enable full-text indexing, the index traffic is 1 GB.

    • For example, if you write 1 GB of raw logs to Simple Log Service and enable indexing for two fields that contain 0.5 GB of data, the index traffic is 0.5 GB.

    Important

    • Log indexes are used to accelerate queries and analysis. To query and analyze logs, you must create an index. For other scenarios, such as data migration or transfer that use Simple Log Service, you do not need to create log indexes.

    • This billable item applies to Query Logstores.

    • Indexing is disabled by default. Enabling indexing generates index traffic and consumes storage space.

    • Index traffic fees are charged on a one-time basis when data is written.

    • If a field has both a full-text index and a field index, the index traffic fee is charged only once.

    • Simple Log Service automatically creates indexes for reserved fields such as `__time__` and `__source__`. This generates a small amount of index traffic. For more information, see Reserved fields.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Index traffic fee (log index) = Daily cumulative index traffic (GB) × Unit price per GB

    • Resource plan: Prepaid resource plan, converted to and deducted from resource quotas (CUs).

    None

    Index traffic - Scan index

    Index traffic is calculated based on the amount of index data generated when scan indexes are built or reindexed for uncompressed logs. The amount of index traffic depends on the log fields and the length of their values.

    If a field has both a full-text or field index and a scan index enabled, only the index traffic for the full-text or field index is generated. No scan index traffic is generated.

    Creating a scan index generates index storage data that is equal to 20% of the raw log volume.

    • For example, if you write 1 GB of raw logs to Simple Log Service and enable scan indexing, the scan index traffic is 1 GB.

    • For example, assume you have 1 GB of raw logs. You enable field indexes for two fields and a scan index for all fields. If the data volume of the two fields with field indexes is 0.5 GB, 0.5 GB of field index traffic is generated for those fields. The remaining 0.5 GB of data generates 0.5 GB of scan index traffic.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Index traffic (scan index) = Daily cumulative scan index traffic (GB) × Unit price per GB

    • Resource plan:

      • Not yet supported

    None

    Index traffic - Metric index

    Index traffic is calculated based on the amount of index data generated when indexes are built for uncompressed metrics. Indexes are built for specific fields, and the amount of index traffic depends on the selected index fields and the length of their values.

    When you upload metrics, Simple Log Service automatically builds indexes for you.

    For example, if you write 1 GB of raw metrics to Simple Log Service, the index traffic is 1 GB.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Index traffic fee (metric index) = Daily cumulative index traffic (GB) × Unit price per GB

    • Resource Plan: Prepaid resource plan, which is converted into Resource Units (CU) for billing.

    None

    Public network read traffic

    When you pull data from a public endpoint of Simple Log Service, public network read traffic is generated. This traffic is calculated based on the amount of compressed data.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Public network read traffic fee = Daily cumulative public network read traffic × Unit price per GB

    • Resource plan: Prepaid Resource Plan, which is converted into a resource quota of CUs to cover resource usage.

    None

    Scan traffic

    Scan traffic is calculated based on the amount of uncompressed data scanned.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Scan traffic = Daily cumulative scan traffic × Unit price per GB

    • Resource plan: Prepaid resource plan, converted to and deducted from resource quotas (CUs).

    None

    Data transformation

    Calculated based on the amount of uncompressed data that is transformed.

    When you transform data across regions, public network read traffic is generated. This is calculated based on the amount of compressed data.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Data transformation fee = Daily cumulative transformed data (GB) × Unit price per GB

    • Resource plan: A Prepaid Plan resource plan that is converted into resource credits (CUs) to offset resource usage.

    None

    Data shipping

    Calculated based on the amount of uncompressed data that is shipped. Destinations include OSS, MaxCompute, and AnalyticDB for MySQL.

    Note

    When you ship data to AnalyticDB for MySQL, you also incur fees for read/write requests and read traffic because APIs are called to read data and consume network resources.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Data shipping fee = Daily cumulative shipped data (GB) × Unit price per GB

    • Resource plan: Prepaid Plan resource plan, which is converted into a resource quota (CU) from which resource usage is deducted.

    None

    Read/write requests

    • When you upload data to Simple Log Service, you are charged based on the number of write requests. The number of write requests depends on your data generation speed. The Simple Log Service backend attempts to minimize the number of write requests.

    • When you transform, ship (to AnalyticDB for MySQL), or consume data, data is read in batches. You are charged based on the number of read requests.

    Note

    Both successful and failed read/write requests are counted.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Read/write request fee = Daily cumulative read/write requests × Unit price per request

    • Resource plan: Prepaid resource plan, converted to and deducted from resource quotas (CUs).

    1 million requests/month

    Important

    The free quota is available only when you do not use resource plans for deduction.

    Voice calls

    These are fees for alert notifications sent by voice call. You are charged per notification.

    Note

    • If a voice call alert is not answered, the system does not redial. It sends a one-time text message notification instead.

    • You are charged for one call regardless of whether it is answered. The text message sent for an unanswered call does not incur extra fees.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Voice call fee = Daily cumulative notifications × Unit price per notification

    • Resource Plan: Prepaid resource plan, which provides resource units (CUs) that are deducted to pay for resource usage.

    None

    Text message notifications

    These are fees for alert notifications sent by text message. You are charged per notification.

    Note

    Some carriers may split a long text message (for example, one with more than 70 characters) into two messages. If your message content is long, you may receive two messages, but Simple Log Service charges you for only one.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Text message notification fee = Daily cumulative notifications × Unit price per notification

    • Resource plan: Prepaid resource plan, which is converted into resource credits (CU) that are deducted to pay for resource usage.

    None

    Active shard lease

    This is calculated based on the number of shards that are in the read/write state. Shards that have been merged or split do not incur fees.

    For example, if you merge three read/write shards into one, you are still billed for three shards on the day of the merge. On the next day, you are billed for one shard.

    Note

    • When you create a Logstore, Simple Log Service configures two shards for you by default. For more information about shard-related FAQ, see Why am I charged for active shard leases?.

    • For historical reasons, the active shard lease billable items for Logstores and Metricstores appear as two different fields on your bill: Active shard lease and Partition lease. The usage of these two items is summed to calculate the total shard usage. There is no double billing. This issue is being fixed.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Active shard lease fee = Number of read/write shards × Unit price per shard

    • Resource plan: A Prepaid Plan resource plan where usage is measured and deducted in Compute Units (CUs).

    31 days per month

    Important

    The free quota is available only when you do not use resource plans for deduction.

    Dedicated SQL

    This is calculated based on the actual CPU time used for SQL analysis. The unit is core-hour, which represents the fee for using one dedicated CPU core for one hour. For more information, see Billing examples for Dedicated SQL.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Dedicated SQL fee = CPU time (hours) × Unit price per hour

    • Resource plan: Prepaid resource plan, converted to and deducted from resource quotas (CUs).

    None

    Rule-based consumption

    You are billed based on the resources consumed to process data using rule-based consumption. The billing unit is OCU.

    Within a one-hour billing cycle, processing 1 GB of data with rule-based consumption consumes about 0.3 OCU.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Rule-based consumption fee = Number of OCUs corresponding to consumed resources × Unit price per OCU

    None

    Data transformation (new)

    You are billed based on the resources consumed to process data using data transformation (new). The billing unit is OCU.

    Within a one-hour billing cycle, processing 1 GB of data with data transformation (new) consumes about 1/3 OCU.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Data transformation (new) fee = Number of OCUs corresponding to consumed resources × Unit price per OCU

    None

    Transfer acceleration

    You are billed for the inbound and outbound traffic generated through an acceleration endpoint when you use transfer acceleration.

    Transfer acceleration is billed based on the actual amount of data transferred. For example, if data is compressed before being uploaded, the traffic is calculated based on the compressed data size.

    For more information, see Manage transfer acceleration.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Transfer acceleration fee = Inbound and outbound traffic from transfer acceleration × Unit price per GB

    None

    Write processor

    Before log data is written to a Logstore, you can use a write processor to process the data. This includes operations such as data filtering, field extraction, field extension, and data masking. You are billed for the write processor based on the resources consumed for data processing, and the billing unit is OCU.

    Within a one-hour billing cycle, processing 1 GB of data with a write processor consumes about 1/3 OCU.

    • Pay-as-you-go: Write processor fee = Number of OCUs corresponding to consumed resources × Unit price per OCU.

    None