Why am I still being charged after deleting an EC2 instance?
Asked by
MellowPine47
I used AWS during its early beta period and recently returned to try it again. I subscribed to an image, launched it briefly, and then deleted the instance, assuming that would also end the subscription. I later discovered that I still owe about $50 for the image, even though I never actually used it. My only remaining instance is running within the free tier, and I can't find any way to manage or cancel the subscription from the subscription page. Support hasn't responded after a week. What should I check, and how can I stop any further charges?
Answers
This sounds like a paid AWS Marketplace AMI rather than a standard EC2 charge. Deleting the instance stops that instance, but it doesn't necessarily cancel the Marketplace subscription or its license. Check AWS Marketplace's subscription management page and cancel it there. You can also open a billing support case and ask whether they’ll waive the charge as a one-time courtesy, though the charge may still be considered valid.
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Also check for leftover EBS volumes, snapshots, elastic IPs, or other resources. An instance can be deleted while attached storage remains billable. Cost Explorer and the billing details should show exactly which service and resource generated the $50.
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AWS has become much more complex since the early days, so it’s worth reviewing the pricing before launching images. The practical steps are to cancel the Marketplace subscription, inspect every region for remaining resources, and contact billing support. Escalating to a bank or consumer agency probably won’t help if the account clearly authorized the subscription.
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