This topic describes the billing rules for the cloud recording feature of ApsaraVideo Real-time Communication.
Billing components
The cloud recording feature has the following three billable items:
Audio and video call fees: When you start a recording task, the recording system joins the RTC channel as a virtual user and subscribes to the audio and video streams that need to be recorded. This subscription generates audio and video call fees. For more information, see Audio and video call fees.
Recording duration fees: The recording system processes and records the subscribed audio and video streams. Fees are charged based on the recording type (individual or composite), media type (audio or video), and duration. Unit prices differ for individual and composite recording. Prices also vary based on the media type and video resolution.
Recording storage fees: Recording files are stored in Object Storage Service (OSS) or ApsaraVideo VOD, which incurs storage fees. For more information, see ApsaraVideo VOD storage fees and Object Storage Service fees.
Billing rules
Billing method: Pay-as-you-go. Bills are generated daily. A bill for the previous day's usage is generated and the corresponding fee is deducted after 00:00 each day. The actual billing time is subject to the system.
Formula: Individual or composite recording fee = Unit price for audio recording × Billable audio recording duration + Unit price for video recording of each tier × Billable video recording duration of each tier.
Recording duration is measured in seconds. The total seconds are accumulated daily and converted into minutes for billing.
If you record a user's source stream that contains both video and audio, you are charged only for the video duration. You are not charged separately for the audio duration.
The generation of recording files depends on the availability of the storage service. If a recording task starts but the storage destination is configured incorrectly or the storage service is unavailable, the recording system automatically stops the task after the first recording file segment fails to upload. This prevents unnecessary charges.
Cloud recording pricing
Billing type | Billing tier | Corresponding recording file type/specification | Unit price (CNY/minute) |
Individual recording | Audio-only | Audio-only | 0.0035 |
480p or lower | 640 × 480 or lower | 0.007 | |
720p or lower | From 640 × 480 to 1280 × 720 (inclusive) | 0.014 | |
Above 720p (including 1080p) | Above 1280 × 720 | 0.032 | |
Composite recording | Audio | Audio-only | 0.009 |
480p or lower | 640 × 480 or lower | 0.018 | |
720p or lower | From 640 × 480 to 1280 × 720 (inclusive) | 0.036 | |
Above 720p (including 1080p) | Above 1280 × 720 | 0.072 |
Statistics rules
If you start multiple recording tasks in the same channel, the duration of each task is calculated separately. Each task incurs a separate recording fee.
If a single task outputs recordings in multiple formats, the duration for each format is calculated separately. Each format incurs a separate recording fee.
If no audio or video data is received during a recording, billing continues for the duration of the configured idle timeout period. You are charged based on the media type or video resolution of the last received frame. This generates recording fees for the corresponding specification.
For individual recording, if multiple user streams are recorded simultaneously, the audio and video duration of each stream is billed separately. This results in multiple recording fees.
For individual recording, the media type or video specification is based on the subscribed user's source stream. If the media type or resolution of the source stream changes, you are charged based on the actual type or resolution. For example, if you record a stream that is audio-only for a period, 640p video for another period, and 720p video for a third period, you are billed for audio during the audio-only period, for 640p video during the second period, and for 720p video during the third period.
For composite recording, if you combine and record multiple user streams, you are billed for the audio and video duration of the composite output stream. This results in a single recording fee.
For composite recording, the media type or video specification is based on the composite output stream. Even if the media type or resolution of the source streams changes, you are still charged based on the resolution tier of the composite output stream.
Billing examples
Example 1: Individual recording
User A (audio) and User B (480p video) are in a call for 10 minutes. You record only User B's video, and the output is a 480p video.
Fee = Individual recording fee (480p or lower) = 0.007 × 10 = CNY 0.07
Example 2: Composite recording
User A (720p video) and User B (480p video) are in a call for 10 minutes. You combine and record their streams as a single 720p video.
Fee = Composite recording fee (720p or lower) = 0.036 × 10 = CNY 0.36