AWS Pricing Calculator is a free web-based planning tool that helps you estimate the cost of using AWS services before you actually deploy them. It is an essential resource for organizations looking to understand and forecast their cloud spending.
The calculator allows you to explore AWS services …AWS Pricing Calculator is a free web-based planning tool that helps you estimate the cost of using AWS services before you actually deploy them. It is an essential resource for organizations looking to understand and forecast their cloud spending.
The calculator allows you to explore AWS services and create cost estimates based on your specific use cases. You can model your solutions by selecting services, configuring them according to your requirements, and viewing the associated costs. This helps businesses make informed decisions about their cloud architecture and budget allocation.
Key features of AWS Pricing Calculator include:
1. Service Selection: You can choose from a wide range of AWS services including EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, and many others to build comprehensive estimates.
2. Configuration Options: For each service, you can specify detailed parameters such as instance types, storage amounts, data transfer volumes, and regional deployment locations.
3. Estimate Sharing: Once you create an estimate, you can save it and share a link with team members, stakeholders, or management for review and approval.
4. Multiple Estimates: You can create and compare different architectural scenarios to find the most cost-effective solution for your needs.
5. Export Capabilities: Estimates can be exported in CSV format for further analysis or documentation purposes.
6. Regional Pricing: The calculator reflects pricing differences across AWS regions, helping you understand how location affects costs.
The tool supports various pricing models including On-Demand, Reserved Instances, and Savings Plans, allowing you to compare different commitment levels and their impact on overall costs.
AWS Pricing Calculator replaced the older Simple Monthly Calculator and offers a more modern, intuitive interface. It is accessible at calculator.aws and requires no AWS account to use, making it available to anyone planning their cloud journey.
AWS Pricing Calculator: Complete Guide for AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam
What is AWS Pricing Calculator?
AWS Pricing Calculator is a free web-based planning tool that allows you to create cost estimates for your AWS use cases. It enables you to explore AWS services and generate detailed pricing estimates before you actually deploy any resources in the cloud.
Why is AWS Pricing Calculator Important?
Understanding AWS Pricing Calculator is crucial for several reasons:
• Cost Planning: It helps organizations plan their cloud budget before migration or new deployments • Comparison Analysis: You can compare different configurations and service options to find the most cost-effective solution • Stakeholder Communication: Generates shareable estimates that can be presented to management or clients • No AWS Account Required: Anyone can use it to explore AWS pricing, making it accessible for planning purposes
How Does AWS Pricing Calculator Work?
The calculator works through a straightforward process:
1. Access the Tool: Visit calculator.aws (no login required) 2. Select Services: Choose the AWS services you plan to use (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, etc.) 3. Configure Parameters: Specify details like instance types, storage amounts, data transfer volumes, and regions 4. Review Estimates: The tool calculates monthly and annual cost projections 5. Export and Share: Save your estimate as a link or export it as a CSV or PDF file
Key Features to Remember:
• Supports estimates for over 100 AWS services • Allows you to group services into logical units for complex architectures • Provides both upfront and monthly cost breakdowns • Supports different pricing models including On-Demand, Reserved Instances, and Savings Plans • Estimates can be saved and revisited later
Common Use Cases:
• Estimating costs for migrating on-premises workloads to AWS • Comparing costs across different AWS regions • Evaluating Reserved Instance vs On-Demand pricing • Creating budget proposals for new projects • Right-sizing resources before deployment
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on AWS Pricing Calculator
Tip 1: Remember that AWS Pricing Calculator is for estimating future costs, not for analyzing current or past spending. Questions about viewing actual usage costs refer to AWS Cost Explorer or AWS Budgets instead.
Tip 2: If a question asks about creating cost estimates before deploying resources or for planning purposes, AWS Pricing Calculator is likely the correct answer.
Tip 3: Know that AWS Pricing Calculator is free to use and does not require an AWS account. This distinguishes it from other cost management tools.
Tip 4: Watch for scenario questions involving stakeholders who need to see projected costs before approving a cloud project—AWS Pricing Calculator is the tool for generating shareable estimates.
Tip 5: Do not confuse AWS Pricing Calculator with: • AWS Cost Explorer - analyzes historical and current costs • AWS Budgets - sets spending alerts and thresholds • AWS Cost and Usage Reports - provides detailed billing data
Tip 6: Remember that estimates from the calculator are not guaranteed prices. Actual costs may vary based on real usage patterns.
Tip 7: If the question mentions comparing different instance types, regions, or pricing models for a planned deployment, think AWS Pricing Calculator.
Sample Exam Question Pattern:
A company wants to estimate the monthly cost of running a web application on AWS before they begin migration. Which tool should they use?
The answer would be AWS Pricing Calculator because the scenario involves estimating costs before actual deployment.