AWS Direct Connect pricing

AWS Direct Connect is a cloud service that links your network directly to AWS to deliver consistent, low-latency performance. With AWS Direct Connect, you pay only for what you use and there is no minimum fee. There are no setup charges, and you may cancel at any time. However, services provided by your AWS Direct Connect Delivery Partners or other local service provider may have other terms that apply.

Once you have linked your locations to AWS Direct Connect, you can send data between them using SiteLink. When using SiteLink, data travels over the shortest path between locations. The SiteLink feature is off by default and can be turned on or off at any time.

When connecting to resources running in any AWS Region (such as an Amazon Virtual Private Cloud or AWS Transit Gateway) or Local Zone, there are three factors that determine pricing: capacity, port hours, and data transfer out (DTO) through your AWS Direct Connect location.

Capacity is the maximum rate that data can be transferred through a network connection. The capacity of AWS Direct Connect connections are measured in megabit per second (Mbps) or gigabit per second (Gbps). One gigabit per second, or 1 Gbps, is equal to 1,000 megabits per second (1,000 Mbps).

Port hours measure the time that a port is provisioned for your use with AWS, or an AWS Direct Connect Delivery Partner’s, networking equipment inside an AWS Direct Connect location. Even when no data is passing through the port, you are charged for port hours. Port hour pricing is determined by the connection type: dedicated or hosted.

Dedicated connections are physical connections between your network port and an AWS network port inside an AWS Direct Connect location. Dedicated port hours are billed as long as that port is provisioned for your use. You request a dedicated connection through the AWS Direct Connect section of the AWS Management Console.

Hosted connections are logical connections that an AWS Direct Connect Delivery Partner provisions on your behalf. When using hosted connections, you connect to the AWS network using one of the partner’s ports. You request a hosted connection by contacting an AWS Direct Connect Delivery Partner directly.

Data transfer out (DTO) over AWS Direct Connect refers to the cumulative network traffic that is sent out of AWS through your AWS Direct Connect location. This is charged per gigabyte (GB), and unlike capacity measurements, DTO refers to the amount of data transferred, not the speed. When calculating DTO, exact pricing depends on the AWS Region or AWS Local Zone, and the AWS Direct Connect location, you are using (see tables below).

Note: AWS Direct Connect only sends data to your AWS Direct Connect location, it does not transfer data out of AWS over the internet. For information on DTO over the internet refer to the EC2 pricing page.

Data transfer in refers to network traffic that is sent into AWS from outside, over AWS Direct Connect. AWS Direct Connect data transfer in is charged at 0.00 USD per GB in all locations.

Except as otherwise noted, our prices are exclusive of applicable taxes and duties, including VAT and applicable sales tax. For customers with a Japanese billing address, use of the Asia Pacific (Tokyo) Region is subject to Japanese Consumption Tax. Learn more.

When sending network traffic from one AWS Direct Connect point of presence (PoP) to another, such as when you want to connect two or more data centers or branch offices, there are two factors that determine the additional cost: SiteLink hours and SiteLink data transfer.

SiteLink hours reflect the number of hours an AWS Direct Connect virtual interface (VIF) has the SiteLink feature enabled.

SiteLink data transfer refers to the amount of data flowing between AWS Direct Connect locations and you pay per gigabyte (GB). SiteLink data transfer rates change depending on the source and destination of the network traffic. For example, data sent from Europe to Canada is charged at a different rate than data sent from Europe to India.

Port hour pricing for dedicated connections is consistent across all AWS Direct Connect locations globally, except in Japan. The table below lists the port hour price by dedicated connection capacity selected.

Contact an AWS Direct Connect Partner to order Hosted Connections. Hosted Connection port hour pricing is consistent across all AWS Direct Connect locations globally with the exception of Japan. The table below lists the port hour price by hosted connection capacity selected.

Data transfer in is $0.00 per gigabyte at all AWS Direct Connect locations.

DTO pricing is dependent on the source AWS Region or Local Zone and AWS Direct Connect location. Choose your AWS Direct Connect location and geographic region from the Direct Connect locations page.  Look up the Direct Connect geographic region from the table below to get USD per GB pricing for data transferred out from each AWS Region or Local Zone to an AWS Direct Connect location. If you are using an AWS Direct Connect gateway, you will pay applicable DTO data rates based on the AWS Region that is the source of the traffic and AWS Direct Connect location where it is connected.

You pay a fixed rate of $0.50 USD per hour for each VIF with SiteLink enabled. This is true for all locations, connection speeds, and connection types, and you pay for SiteLink hours even when no data is sent or received.

Find the rate that applies to your use case by finding the row where the source of your data is located and then determine find where it intersects with the column that represents your destination.

Use the AWS Pricing Calculator to create an estimate for your specific Direct Connect architecture needs.   Using the calculator you provide specific data sources, Direct Connect locations, and usage quantities. The calculator returns detailed pricing calculations and a total estimate. 

You work for a medium-sized manufacturing company that has migrated its inventory management system to AWS. This system is important to your ongoing operations but doesn’t need to process transactions in real time. Your monthly AWS Direct Connect bill will be the sum of port hour and data transfer charges.

Calculating monthly port hour charges for AWS Direct Connect

Let’s assume that, following the AWS Direct Connect resiliency recommendations, you worked with an AWS Direct Connect Delivery Partner to deploy a highly resilient architecture. This involved setting up one port at two separate AWS Direct Connect locations (one in Chicago, IL and a second in Columbus, OH). Both of these locations are associated with the US East (Ohio) AWS Region. At each location, you are always connected to a 2 Gbps (gigabit per second) Hosted port, even when no data is being sent or received.

You are in charge of the global network for an up-and-coming gaming company and you must design for maximum resiliency. As in the preceding example, your monthly AWS Direct Connect bill will be the sum of the port hour and data transfer charges generated by your workload.

Calculating monthly port hour charges for AWS Direct Connect
Taking advice from AWS Direct Connect resiliency recommendations for designing for maximum resiliency, you created two port connections at two geographically separate AWS Direct Connect locations (one in Newark, NJ and a second in Columbus, OH). You are using an AWS Direct Connect gateway so you can access any AWS Region (except AWS Regions in China) from these AWS Direct Connect locations. At each location, you are always connected to your redundant 10 Gbps dedicated ports, even when no data is being sent or received. Most importantly, you have selected your port capacity so that if any links are interrupted, the others have enough excess capacity to smoothly take on the additional load.

Imagine that your organization has deployed AWS Direct Connect at locations in New York and Amsterdam. In addition to sending data to resources inside AWS Regions over these connections, you want to send data between them using SiteLink. The additional cost is the sum of SiteLink hours and SiteLink data transfer.