How do I purchase an Amazon EC2 Reserved Instance?

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You can purchase an EC2 Reserved Instance through the Amazon EC2 console. Note that a Reserved Instance purchase can't be canceled, so it's important to purchase the Reserved Instance that's right for your needs.

Choosing the right Reserved Instance

To get the maximum benefit from your Reserved Instance purchase, the Reserved Instance must match the attributes for running On-Demand Instances on your account. For information about the attributes that must match, see Amazon EC2 RI types.

Note that Reserved Instances are not physical instances, but rather a billing discount applied to the use of On-Demand Instances in your account.

For an overview of the On-Demand Instance hours you're currently using by instance type, use the Amazon EC2 usage reports in Cost Explorer. For more information, see How do I view my Reserved Instance utilization and coverage?

Trusted Advisor can also recommend Reserved Instances for you based on your usage.

Purchasing a Reserved Instance from the EC2 console

In the Amazon EC2 console, you can purchase an EC2 Reserved Instance either from AWS directly or from a third-party seller on the Reserved Instance Marketplace. Follow the instructions at How to purchase Reserved Instances.

When you purchase a Reserved Instance that includes an upfront cost, your default payment method is billed immediately, with a separate invoice. The upfront payment must be charged successfully before your Reserved Instance will activate.

Note: AWS credits can't be applied to the upfront costs associated with Reserved Instances. If your credits include Amazon EC2 as an applicable service, they're applied to the discounted hourly rate for any Reserved Instances.

Related information

Reserved Instances

Amazon EC2 Reserved Instances

Buying Reserved Instances