I noticed an extra $5 charge on my AWS bill this month and I'm trying to figure out why. It looks like it might be related to the Web Application Firewall (WAF) that AWS requires you to attach when setting up a CloudFront distribution. Can anyone help clarify this?
5 Answers
Yeah, CloudFront has had some changes recently. When you create distributions through the CLI, you might avoid extra fees compared to using the console. Just something to consider!
I get it; $5 might not seem like a lot, but for solo developers and startups, every penny counts. Keeping an eye on costs is super important!
It’s possible that you’re on the on-demand pricing plan for CloudFront, which can incur additional charges for WAF. Amazon has updated their pricing plans, so it's worth checking out the latest options. They do offer a free WAF if you’re eligible for their new flat-rate plan. Here's a link to the details: aws.amazon.com/cloudfront/pricing.
CloudFront now has two payment options: pay-as-you-go and a flat rate. If your distribution meets the criteria for flat rate pricing, you might save some money since some services, including the basic WAF, are free under that plan. Just keep in mind that flat rate pricing has its own restrictions, so read the fine print.
I've found that if AWS pops up a prompt asking if you want to add a service, it's usually a sign that it's going to cost you something, even if it’s just a small fee.

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