You’re likely asking how to use AWS Credits to pay your AWS bill, not a general “credit service.” AWS Credits are promotional funds that AWS provides to help offset the costs of using their services.
Here’s how AWS Credits work and how they are applied to your bill:
How AWS Credits Work:
- Automatic Application: AWS credits are automatically applied to your bill to cover costs associated with eligible AWS services. You don’t typically need to manually select or apply them during the billing process.
- Coverage: Credits can usually be applied to a wide range of AWS services, including compute (EC2, Lambda), storage (S3, EBS), data transfer, and more. However, there might be exclusions, such as upfront costs for Reserved Instances or Savings Plans, AWS Marketplace fees, or certain support plans.
- Usage-Based: Credits are deducted as you consume AWS resources. The cost of your usage is first covered by the available credits until they are exhausted or expire.
- No Cash Value: AWS Credits have no intrinsic cash value, are non-refundable, and cannot be transferred or sold.
- Expiration: Credits have an expiration date. Make sure to utilize them before they expire, as any unused credits will be forfeited.
How to Check Your AWS Credit Balance:
You can view your AWS credit balance in the AWS Billing and Cost Management Console:
- Sign in to the AWS Management Console.
- Navigate to the Billing and Cost Management console.
- In the navigation pane, choose Credits.
- The Amount remaining column will show your current credit balance since the last billing date.
- To see your estimated credit balance for the current month, navigate to the Bills page and then choose the Savings tab. This balance updates approximately every 24 hours.
Key Things to Understand About Using AWS Credits:
- Automatic Deduction: You don’t usually need to take any specific action to use your credits. AWS automatically applies them to your eligible charges.
- No Manual Payment with Credits: You don’t “pay” your bill with credits in the traditional sense of making a transaction. The credits are applied as a discount against your usage.
- Payment Method Still Required: You still need to have a valid payment method (like a credit card or ACH direct debit) associated with your AWS account. If your usage exceeds your available credits or includes ineligible services, the remaining charges will be billed to your default payment method.
- Check Eligible Services: Be aware that your credits might be specific to certain services. You can usually find this information in the terms and conditions of the credit or in the AWS Billing and Cost Management Console (sometimes under the “Applicable Products” column on the Credits page).
In summary, to “pay” your AWS bill using AWS Credits, you simply need to have the credits in your account and consume eligible AWS services. AWS will automatically apply the credits to offset your charges. Ensure you have a valid payment method on file for any remaining balance or ineligible services.
If you are referring to using a standard credit card to pay your AWS bill, you can add and manage your credit card information in the Payment preferences section of the AWS Billing and Cost Management Console. AWS accepts various credit cards.