Resource Point Billing FAQ
Basic Concepts
Q: What is resource point billing?
A: Resource point billing is a unified billing model that uses a single "resource point" to measure all types of cloud resource consumption. Whether it's database reads/writes, cloud function execution, CDN traffic, or storage capacity, everything is converted to "points" at fixed ratios for deduction. This means you no longer need to purchase compute, storage, or traffic quotas separately—all resources share the same "resource pool."
Q: Why introduce this new billing model?
A: Traditional fixed-quota packages often fail to adapt to modern application traffic fluctuations. For example, traffic surges during promotions lead to high overage fees, while idle resources during off-peak times result in waste. Resource point billing breaks this limitation—unused compute quota automatically converts to usable storage or traffic, achieving automatic resource balancing without requiring you to predict usage in advance.
Pricing and Costs
Q: How are resources converted to resource points?
A: The conversion ratios for the Standard plan are as follows (1,000 points ≈ 1 CNY):
| Resource Type | Consumption Standard |
|---|---|
| Database Calls | 200 points / 10,000 calls |
| Cloud Function Calls | 13 points / 10,000 calls |
| CDN Traffic | 210 points / GB |
| MySQL Capacity | 0.5 points / GB·hour |
| SMS Sending | 50 points / message |
Q: What plans are available?
A: We offer plans of different scales to meet various needs:
- Free Trial: 0 CNY/month (3,000 points)
- Personal: 19.9 CNY/month (40,000 points)
- Standard: 199 CNY/month (330,000 points)
- Enterprise: 999 CNY/month (1,500,000 points)
Q: How are charges calculated after exceeding the plan quota?
A: Overages are charged at a 1:1 ratio (i.e., 1,000 points = 1 CNY). If you anticipate frequent overages, you can purchase resource packages valid for 1 year (e.g., 10 CNY for 10,000 points). The system will prioritize deducting points from resource packages. The deduction order is: Plan resource points → Resource packages → Pay-as-you-go.
Q: Is it really more cost-effective than the traditional model?
A: The advantage is very significant in scenarios with large traffic fluctuations.
For example, consider an e-commerce mini program during a promotional period: Under the traditional model, compute quota might sit idle while traffic and API calls incur high overage fees, potentially costing up to 904 CNY. Under the resource point model, idle compute quota can offset traffic consumption, bringing total costs down to just 473 CNY—saving nearly 50%.
Switching and Applicability
Q: Is my business suitable for switching?
A: If your application falls into any of the following categories, we strongly recommend switching:
- Traffic fluctuation type: Such as e-commerce promotions or event platforms.
- Resource imbalance type: Such as AI tools (heavy compute, light storage) or video sites (heavy storage, light compute).
- Rapid growth type: Business volume is unpredictable and requires elasticity.
💡 If your usage is very stable (fluctuation < 10%) and mainly consumes a single resource, you may maintain the traditional plan.
Q: Can I switch back to the old billing model after switching?
A: No. Switching is a one-way operation. Once you switch to resource point billing, you cannot revert to the old fixed-quota model.
Q: Which users cannot switch yet?
A: Direct switching is not supported in the following cases:
- Users in free trial environments (must upgrade to a paid plan first).
- Users on legacy plans or WeDa plans (must upgrade to current plans first).
Q: How should I evaluate before switching?
A: We recommend reviewing your resource usage over the past 3 months and using the following formula to estimate the total resource points needed per month:
Total Points =
(Database calls in 10K × 200) +
(CDN GB × 210) +
(Cloud function calls in 10K × 13.3) +
(Storage GB × 1200)
Then select a plan in the console that contains sufficient resource points for switching.
Management and Monitoring
Q: Are resource points deducted in real-time?
A: Yes. The system is based on real-time metering. Each API call or traffic generation is immediately converted and deducted.
Q: Are there any other hidden fees?
A: Most basic resources are included. The only exception is promotional resource packages (such as QPS scaling), which still need to be purchased separately by the day and are not included in the resource point pool.
Q: Will I be notified when the balance is low?
A: Yes. When the resource point balance falls below 10%, the system will send alert notifications via email and the console.
For more details, please refer to the Official Pricing Documentation or visit the CloudBase Console.