Question about Lightsail data transfer allowance Example 6 in doc

Question

Hi,

I’m trying to understand how Amazon Lightsail data transfer allowance works when creating an additional instance of the same bundle after the original instance has already exceeded its monthly transfer allowance.

In the [Lightsail FAQ](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/amazon-lightsail-faq-data-transfer-allowance.html), Example 6 says:

> After using your monthly 1 TB data transfer allowance for your $5 USD per month instance bundle (bundleId nano_3_0) in the first 20 days of the billing month, you sent an additional 100 GB of data to the Internet. You will accrue a data transfer OUT overage fee for this 100 GB. If you now create another new instance of the same bundle (bundleId nano_3_0), you will still be charged the data transfer OUT overage fee previously accrued. Further data transfer OUT through these instances will continue to accrue data transfer OUT overage fees.

My question is about the last sentence:

> Further data transfer OUT through these instances will continue to accrue data transfer OUT overage fees.

I understand that the previously accrued 100 GB overage charge would still remain and cannot be reversed by creating another instance later.

However, if I create a second instance of the same bundle in the same Region, shouldn’t the monthly data transfer allowance be aggregated across the two instances? For example, if each instance has a monthly transfer allowance, would the total allowance become the sum of both instances’ allowances for that billing month?

So I would like to clarify:

1. After creating the second instance, why would further data transfer OUT still continue to accrue overage fees?
2. Is Example 6 saying that once overage fees have started for a bundle in a billing month, any further transfer OUT for that bundle will continue to be charged, even if another same-bundle instance is created later?
3. Or is it only saying that the previously accrued 100 GB overage charge remains, while future transfer may still be covered if the aggregated allowance has not been exceeded?

I’m asking because I want to understand the difference between “aggregated transfer allowance across multiple instances” and “creating a new instance after overage has already occurred.”

Thanks!

re:Post Agent · Answer

Great question! Let me clarify how the data transfer allowance aggregation works in this scenario.

You're correct that data transfer allowances are aggregated across instances of the same bundle in the same Region. However, the key point in Example 6 is about the *timing* of when the second instance is created relative to when the overage occurred.

Here's what's happening:

1. **Why further data transfer OUT continues to accrue overage fees**: In Example 6, by the time you create the second instance (after day 20), you've already consumed the full 1 TB allowance AND generated 100 GB of overage. The second instance doesn't bring additional allowance retroactively or for the remainder of that billing month because the allowance is calculated based on what instances existed throughout the month, not just at a point in time.

2. **Yes, Example 6 is indicating that once you've exceeded your aggregated allowance for that bundle in the billing month, additional transfer will continue to be charged as overage**. Creating a new instance of the same bundle after you've already exceeded the allowance doesn't reset or increase your remaining allowance for that billing month.

3. **The example is saying both**: The previously accrued 100 GB overage remains, AND any further data transfer OUT will continue to accrue overage fees because the aggregated allowance for that bundle has already been fully consumed.

The important distinction is that while allowances do aggregate across multiple instances of the same bundle, this aggregation doesn't work retroactively. If you had created both instances at the beginning of the month, you would have had a larger combined allowance from the start. But creating an instance mid-month after already exceeding your allowance doesn't give you additional quota to offset existing overages or prevent future overages in that same billing cycle.

The billing month resets your allowance, so in the next month with both instances running, you would have the aggregated allowance from both instances available from day one.  
**Sources**  
[Data transfer in Lightsail - Amazon Lightsail](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/amazon-lightsail-faq-data-transfer-allowance.html)  
[Amazon Lightsail Pricing](https://aws.amazon.com/lightsail/pricing/)

Question about Lightsail data transfer allowance Example 6 in doc

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