Unsubscription FAQs
Unsubscription rules
Why can't I request an unsubscription?
If you cannot request an unsubscription in the console or on the Unsubscriptions page, it may be for one of the following reasons:
Product does not support refunds: The product is ineligible for a refund. For a list of products that support refunds, see Initiate an unsubscription.
Refund limit reached: Your account has already used its 5-day unconditional refund for this product this calendar year. You can request another 5-day unconditional refund in the next calendar year.
Pay-as-you-go product: Pay-as-you-go products are not eligible for refunds. If you no longer need the resource, back up your data, and then go to the product console to stop and release the related resources, which immediately stops billing.
Promotional restrictions: The rules of the promotional event state that refunds are not supported.
Resource transfer: Resources transferred from another account are not eligible for unsubscription.
Associated paid image: The product is associated with a paid image from Alibaba Cloud Marketplace and is not eligible for self-service unsubscription.
ECS unsubscription quota exceeded: You cannot unsubscribe from the ECS instance because you have exceeded your account's unsubscription quota.
Unpaid orders exist: An instance with unpaid orders cannot be unsubscribed from.
Why can't I unsubscribe from a promotional server?
For products purchased during a promotional event, the event's rules take precedence if they conflict with the general unsubscription rules. Resources that are specified as "non-refundable" in the event rules are not eligible for unsubscription. If you have questions about your resources, submit a ticket.
Calculating the 5-day refund period
Within five calendar days of a successful purchase, you can request a full refund equal to the amount paid, provided the product has not been renewed, upgraded, or otherwise modified.
Scope: This policy applies only to new subscription orders. It does not apply to orders for upgrades, renewals, or downgrades.
Limit: Each account can use the 5-day unconditional refund for a single product only once per calendar year.
Upgrade and downgrade fee calculation
Upgrading or downgrading modifies the configuration of an existing instance:
When you upgrade a configuration, you pay the price difference. The fee is calculated as follows: Upgrade fee = (Unit price of new configuration × Remaining duration - Unit price of original configuration × Remaining duration) × Applicable discount. If multiple billable items exist, the fee for each item is calculated separately and then summed.
When you downgrade a configuration, you receive a refund for the difference. The refund is calculated as follows: Refund amount = Remaining value of original configuration - Cost of new configuration. If multiple billable items exist, the refund for each item is calculated separately and then summed. The components are defined as follows:
Remaining value of original configuration = Actual amount paid for the order - Consumed amount, where Consumed amount = Daily rate × Days used × Applicable discount for the used duration.
Cost of new configuration = Monthly price of new configuration × Number of months.
If the calculated refund amount is less than 0, no refund is issued.
Do Savings Plans support unsubscription?
You can use the self-service feature in the Billing and Cost Management console to unsubscribe from unused or inactive Savings Plans. Savings Plans that are already in use are not currently eligible for self-service unsubscription. Eligibility also depends on the specific product. For more information, see the announcement on self-service unsubscription for Savings Plans.
Why is the refund amount zero?
The refund amount may be zero for two main reasons:
Voucher payment: The order was paid for with a voucher.
Non-full refund calculation: According to the rules for non-full refunds, the Refund amount = Actual amount paid - Consumed amount. If the consumed amount is equal to or greater than the actual amount paid at the time of unsubscription, the calculated refund amount is zero.
How long does a refund take?
Refund processing time depends on the destination:
Refund to your Alibaba Cloud account balance: The refund is typically credited to your account instantly.
Refund to the original payment method (such as a bank card or Alipay): The refund is typically processed within 3 to 5 business days. The exact time may vary depending on your payment provider.
If you do not receive the refund within the expected time frame, you can submit a ticket to contact us for assistance.
Why is my invoice amount negative?
If you have already issued an invoice for a purchase, a subsequent unsubscription creates a credit note. This amount must be offset against future invoices or balance withdrawals. For more information, see the FAQ.
How to refund Jushita products?
For refunds on products purchased through the Jushita platform, contact Jushita after-sales support for assistance.
Unsubscription operations and process
Can I unsubscribe by using an API?
You can call the RefundInstance API to unsubscribe from instances that you no longer need. For detailed policies, see Unsubscription rules.
If the API returns an error indicating the product is not supported, it means the product is not yet integrated with the self-service unsubscription API. In this case, you must unsubscribe from the product in the console. For instructions, see Initiate an unsubscription.
How to cancel an unsubscription?
Unsubscription is an irreversible action and cannot be canceled. Review all information carefully before you unsubscribe to avoid errors.
If you unsubscribe by mistake, submit a ticket to support immediately. They will check if data recovery is possible for the instance, which depends on the specific product line.
How to check my refund status?
Log on to the My Orders page.
Find the refund order and click Details to view the refund destination and amount.
How to unsubscribe from a pending renewal?
You can unsubscribe from a renewal order that has not yet taken effect without affecting your current service. Follow these steps:
Log on to the Expenses and Costs console and go to the Unsubscriptions - Unsubscribe Pending Renewals page.
Find the renewal order that you want to unsubscribe from and click Unsubscribe.
Confirm the refund amount and submit the request. The refund will be returned to the original payment method.
After you unsubscribe from a pending renewal order, the instance will not be automatically renewed upon expiration. If you want to continue using the service, you must purchase a new subscription or enable auto-renewal before the instance expires.
Unsubscription for HiChina products
Unsubscription for domain and web hosting
Domain names: A domain name is an instant-delivery product and is not eligible for a refund after successful registration. If you want to delete a registered domain name due to a registration error or for other reasons, you can use the paid domain name deletion feature to delete the domain for a fee and receive a refund of the registration cost. For more details, see Paid Domain Name Deletion. All domain names that fail the naming audit are automatically deleted by the system within 5 to 7 days, and a refund is issued automatically.
Web hosting: This service supports a 5-day (calendar day) unconditional full refund. After 5 days, a refund can be requested only if the early unsubscription conditions are met.
Mailbox products: Not eligible for refunds.
Enterprise Application Store products and cloud application software products: Not eligible for returns or refunds.
Refunds will not be issued if a customer violates relevant laws, regulations, or the terms of service for the purchased product.
How to unsubscribe from HiChina products?
For HiChina products that support unsubscription, follow the instructions in Initiate an unsubscription.
Unsubscription for special products and scenarios
How do I unsubscribe from a Coding Plan?
The Coding Plan service is not eligible for refunds.
How to refund Alibaba Cloud Marketplace products?
The refund process for products provided by third-party vendors in Alibaba Cloud Marketplace, such as third-party images and SaaS applications, differs from that of Alibaba Cloud's own products:
For some Alibaba Cloud Marketplace products, you can submit a ticket to have Alibaba Cloud customer service assist with the refund process.
For other products, you must contact the corresponding third-party vendor to negotiate a refund. You can find the vendor's contact information in the Alibaba Cloud Marketplace console.
If an ECS instance is associated with a paid image from Alibaba Cloud Marketplace, you must first contact the image vendor to request a refund for the image. Then, you must change to a free image in the ECS console before you can unsubscribe from the ECS instance.
Charges after deleting a pay-as-you-go instance
There is a billing lag of 2 to 3 hours, or longer for some products, for pay-as-you-go resources. The charges you see are for usage incurred before the instance was released but not yet billed. These trailing charges are expected. If you have questions, you can view the detailed billing information in Billing and Cost Management > Bill Details.
Can I reuse a promotion after unsubscribing?
If you unsubscribe from an order that you purchased through a promotion, such as a new user offer or a limited-time discount, you typically cannot use the same offer again. Before you unsubscribe from a promotional order, consider that you will lose your eligibility for the offer:
After you unsubscribe, you may lose your new user status and cannot purchase the same product type at a promotional price again.
Your eligibility to repurchase the product and receive a discount is determined by the information displayed on the promotion page.
How to unsubscribe from a Simple Application Server instance?
Log on to the Billing and Cost Management console and go to the Unsubscriptions page.
In the instance list, find the Simple Application Server instance that you want to unsubscribe from and click Unsubscribe.
Select the checkbox at the bottom left to agree to the service agreement (required), complete the identity verification, and then submit the request.
You can receive a 5-day unconditional full refund for new purchases within five calendar days. After 5 days, the refund amount is calculated based on the non-full refund rules.
How to refund an issued SSL certificate?
For an issued certificate instance, revoke the certificate before you submit a refund request. Otherwise, the system prompts that the refund is unavailable.
Go to the management page that matches the certificate: SSL Certificate Management V2.0 for certificates purchased in V2.0, or SSL Certificate Management (V1.0 - Discontinued) for existing V1.0 certificates.
Find the target certificate and click Revoke in the Actions column.
Go to the Refund Management page.
Find the target order and click Refund in the Actions column.
In the Refund Application dialog box, click Refund. After the refund succeeds, the order status changes to Refund successfully.
How to unsubscribe and refund Trademark Service?
Trademark Service is an Alibaba Cloud Marketplace product. Go to the Alibaba Cloud Marketplace console to contact the corresponding trademark service provider to request a refund.