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    Realtime Compute for Apache Flink:Switch billing methods

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    Realtime Compute for Apache Flink:Switch billing methods

    Last Updated:Mar 06, 2026

    Switch the billing method of a Realtime Compute for Apache Flink workspace between pay-as-you-go and subscription to match your workload and budget.

    Limitations

    • Workspaces that use the YiTian ARM architecture cannot switch from subscription to pay-as-you-go.

    • Workspaces with cross-zone high availability enabled cannot switch from subscription to pay-as-you-go.

    • Hybrid billing cannot be changed directly to pay-as-you-go or subscription. First disable elastic resources, then switch to subscription. To switch to pay-as-you-go instead, disable elastic resources first, then convert from subscription to pay-as-you-go.

    Prerequisites

    Before you begin, make sure that:

    • The workspace is in the Running state

    • The workspace is not overdue or expired. Renew the workspace if needed

    • No unpaid billing-method-switch order exists for the workspace. If one exists, cancel it before you place a new order

    Usage notes

    For production or business-critical workloads, use subscription to reserve resources in advance. Pay-as-you-go workspaces depend on available physical resources when a job starts or restarts. If resources in a region or zone are insufficient, jobs may fail to start, which disrupts business continuity.

    Switch from pay-as-you-go to subscription

    1. Log on to the Realtime Compute for Apache Flink console.

    2. Find the workspace and choose More > Convert to Subscription in the Actions column.

      Parameter

      Description

      Configure Resources

      The number of computing resource quotas allocated to a specific namespace in the workspace.

      Duration

      The subscription period. Select at least one month.

      Auto-renewal

      Enabled by default. For details on manual renewal and disabling auto-renewal, see Renewal policy.

      Terms of Service

      Read Realtime Compute Service Level Agreement and select the checkbox.

    3. Click OK and complete the payment.

    Verify the switch

    After payment, click Console on the payment success page to return to the workspace list. The switch takes 1 to 5 minutes. Existing deployments are not affected during the process.

    To confirm the switch is complete, check that the workspace status changes from Configuring to Running and the billing method shows Subscription.

    Switch from subscription to pay-as-you-go

    Note

    After the switch, the system refunds the remaining subscription amount and stored-value cards to the original payment account. Coupons and vouchers cannot be refunded. Make sure that your account has sufficient balance to avoid service interruptions from overdue payments.

    1. Log on to the Realtime Compute for Apache Flink console.

    2. Find the workspace and choose More > Convert to Pay-as-you-go in the Actions column.

    3. In the dialog box, review the instructions and refund details.

    4. Read Alibaba Cloud International Website Realtime Compute Service Level Agreement and select the checkbox.

    5. Click OK and complete the payment.

    Verify the switch

    After payment, click Console on the payment success page to return to the workspace list. The Billing Method column changes to Pay-as-you-go.

    References

    • Pay-as-you-go - Billing rules, regional unit prices, and how to stop billing.

    • Subscription - Billing rules, regional unit prices, and refund details.

    • Hybrid billing - Use cases, billing rules, and how to enable elastic resources.

    • View bills - Check bills and billing details in User Center.