What billing modes are provided for ECSs and what is the difference between them?
There are two kinds of billing modes for ECSs: annual/monthly subscription and pay-as-you-go.
Annual/monthly subscription: ECSs are billed in a pre-paid manner, which means users need to pay a certain fee in advance before they can use instances for a certain period of time. This is suitable for long-term users, who can enjoy more discounts and offers.
Pay-as-you-go: ECSs are billed according to the actual usage duration, and the fee will be calculated based on factors such as instance specifications, usage duration, and network traffic. This is suitable for users who are uncertain about their needs or need to use ECSs for a short period of time.
In the following cases, we suggest that you choose the pay-as-you-go billing mode:
If you are uncertain about your needs or you need to use ECSs for a short period of time, we suggest that you choose the pay-as-you-go billing mode.
If you need to use ECSs for short-term projects such as testing and development, you can also consider choosing the pay-as-you-go billing mode.
In the following cases, we suggest that you choose the annual/monthly subscription mode:
If you need to use ECSs for a long period of time, we suggest that you choose the annual/monthly subscription mode to get more discounts and offers.
If you need to use ECSs as the servers in a production environment, we suggest that you choose the annual/monthly subscription mode to obtain more stable and reliable services.
In short, choose the billing mode that suits you based on your actual needs and budget.
Does the same cloud server support two billing modes at the same time?
No. Only one billing mode can be selected for the same cloud server at the same time.
Is it possible to change the billing mode for existing cloud servers?
Yes. Pay-as-you-go cloud servers can be switched to the subscription-based billing mode, and subscription-based cloud servers can be switched to the pay-as-you-go billing mode after the subscription expires.
Switching from pay-as-you-go to annual/monthly subscription:
The pay-as-you-go billing is a post-paid model, in which the billing is based on the actual usage duration of an ECS, and the ECS can be activated/deleted at any time.
If you need to use your current ECSs for a long period of time, you can switch the pay-as-you-go ECSs to the annual/monthly subscription billing mode to save costs.
Switching from annual/monthly subscription to pay-as-you-go:
The annual/monthly subscription is a pre-paid model, in which the billing is based on the subscription cycle in the order. It is suitable for scenarios where the resource usage period can be estimated.
If you need a more flexible billing mode and want an ECS to be billed according to its actual usage duration, you can change the instance billing mode to pay-as-you-go. However, please note that if you switch from annual/monthly subscription to pay-as-you-go, the pay-as-you-go billing mode will take effect only after the annual/monthly subscription expires.
I have a balance in my account, but why cannot I create a pay-as-you-go cloud server?
This is because your account balance is less than RMB 100.
Please check if your account balance is less than RMB 100. If so, you are not allowed to order the pay-as-you-go resources on the eSurfing Cloud platform. Please top up your account in time.
When your account balance is less than RMB 100, you will receive a notification that your account balance is less than RMB 100. However, this does not affect the normal use of your subscription-based resources.
Will an ECS continue to be billed after it is shut down?
Whether an ECS is billed after it is shut down depends on different billing modes:
Annual/monthly subscription: The subscription-based resources are billed at one time and automatically discontinued upon expiration.
Pay-as-you-go: After an pay-as-you-go ECS is shut down, related resources will still be billed continuously.
How many pay-as-you-go cloud servers can I create with an account at most?
The current default quota for an account includes: 50 cloud servers, 200 CPU cores, and 409,600 MB of memory.
You can create cloud servers on demand without exceeding the default quota. If you need to create more cloud servers beyond the default quota, you can submit a ticket to apply for a quota increase.