With AWS Directory Service, you pay only for the type and size of the managed directory that you use. There is no up-front commitment and no minimum fee. You can delete your managed directory at any time.

30-day limited free trial

You can try a small Simple AD managed directory and a small AD Connector at no additional charge through the AWS Directory Service 30-day limited free trial. The Directory Service 30-day limited free trial includes 1,500 hours of use across all your Directory Service managed directories during your first 30 days as a Directory Service customer. Directory Service 30-day limited free-trial hours are metered based on the type of managed directory you create. For more details, see Directory Service 30-day limited free trial.

Pricing table

The prices shown in the following table are based on the region in which your managed directory is running. AWS charges for Simple AD and AD Connector are based on the size of your managed directory (small or large) and the number of hours that your managed directory is running.

Amazon WorkSpaces, Amazon WorkDocs, and Amazon WorkMail

If you use Amazon WorkSpaces, Amazon WorkDocs, or Amazon WorkMail in conjunction with AWS Directory Service, you will not be charged an additional fee for either Simple AD or AD Connector directories registered with these services, as long as you have active users of Amazon WorkSpaces, Amazon WorkDocs, or Amazon WorkMail. In order to qualify for free usage of Simple AD and AD Connector, you must have at least one active user for small directories each month and at least 100 active users for large directories each month. You can also pay for Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory, and run it in conjunction with Amazon applications, such as Amazon WorkSpaces and Amazon WorkMail.


Pricing Examples

Pricing example 1: A Single Small Simple AD Directory

If you are a new AWS Directory Service customer and create a single small Simple AD directory in the US West (Oregon) region, and run that managed directory 24 hours a day for 60 days, AWS calculates your charges as follows:

The AWS Directory Service 30-day limited free trial includes 1,500 domain-controller and connector hours of use across all your eligible Directory Service managed directories. Each Simple AD directory includes two domain controllers for high availability, so your Simple AD directory uses two limited free-trial hours for every hour that the managed directory is running. Unused hours do not rollover.

Summary of charges for first 30 days

You do not incur any charges for the first 30 days.

Simple AD small directory charge (for first 30 days) $0

24 hours x 30 days = 720 hours per domain controller

2 domain controllers per managed directory (required)

720 hours x 2 total domain controllers = 1,440 total domain controller hours

1,440 total hours – 1,500 limited free-trial hours = 0 billable hours

After 30 days or 1,500 free-trial hours (whichever comes first), AWS bills you at the hourly rate per managed directory.

Summary of charges after first 30 days

Your bill for the first 30 days of use after the expiration of the free trial is $36.00.

Simple AD small directory monthly charge (after 30 days or 1,500 free-trial hours) $36.00

24 hours x 30 days = 720 hours per domain controller

2 domain controllers per managed directory (required)

720 hours x 2 total domain controllers = 1,440 total domain controller hours

1,440 billable hours * $0.025 per domain controller hour = $36.00

Please note that unlike AWS Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory, your AWS bill for Simple AD does not break down costs by individual domain controllers. Your bill shows a single line item for Simple AD for $36.00.

This example also assumes you are not using Simple AD with Amazon WorkSpaces, Amazon WorkDocs, or Amazon WorkMail. You can use Simple AD and AD Connector with those services at no additional charge if you have at least 1 active user for small directories each month or at least 100 active users for large directories each month.


Pricing example 2: A Single Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory (Enterprise Edition) Managed Directory and a Single Small Simple AD Directory

If you are a new AWS Directory Service customer and create a Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory (Enterprise Edition) managed directory and a small Simple AD directory in the US West (Oregon) region, and run those directories 24 hours a day for 60 days, AWS calculates your charges as follows:

The AWS Directory Service 30-day limited free trial includes 1,500 domain controller and connector hours of use across all your eligible Directory Service managed directories. Each domain controller in your managed Microsoft Active Directory and small Simple AD directory uses one limited free-trial hour for every hour that the domain controller is running. High availability is built into both managed directories, so each managed directory uses two limited free-trial hours for every hour that the managed directory is running.

AWS meters free-trial hours as they are used, so in this example, each managed directory is allocated 750 of the total 1,500 30-day free-trial hours.

Summary of charges for first 30 days

Your bill for the first 30 days of use is $155.25.

AWS Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory charge (for first 30 days) $138.00

24 hours x 30 days = 720 hours per domain controller

2 domain controllers per managed directory (the minimum)

720 hours x 2 total domain controllers = 1,440 total domain-controller hours

1,440 total hours – 750 limited free-trial hours = 690 billable domain-controller hours

690 billable hours x $0.20 per domain controller hour = $138.00

Simple AD small directory charge (for first 30 days) $17.25

24 hours x 30 days = 720 hours per managed directory

2 domain controllers per managed directory (the minimum)

720 hours x 2 domain controllers = 1,440 total domain-controller hours

1,440 total hours – 750 limited free-trial hours = 690 billable domain-controller hours

690 billable hours x $0.025 per domain controller hour = $17.25

Total AWS Directory Service charges  (for first 30 days) $155.25

Note that although the pricing table for AWS Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory lists the hourly cost per managed directory ($0.40 per hour), your AWS bill lists each domain controller as an individual line item. Your bill shows two domain controllers, each for $0.20 per hour, totaling $69.00 each. However, Simple AD does not break down costs by individual domain controllers. Your bill shows a single line item for Simple AD for $17.25.

This example assumes you are not using Simple AD with Amazon WorkSpaces, Amazon WorkDocs, or Amazon WorkMail. You can use Simple AD and AD Connector with these services at no additional charge if you have at least one active user for small directories each month or at least 100 active users for large directories each month.

After 30 days or 1,500 free-trial hours (whichever comes first), AWS bills you at the hourly rate per managed directory or connector.

Summary of charges after first 30 days

Your bill for the first 30 days of use after the expiration of the free trial is $324.00.

AWS Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory monthly charge (after first 30 days or 1,500 free-trial hours) $288.00

24 hours x 30 days = 720 hours per domain controller

2 domain controllers per managed directory (the minimum)

720 hours x 2 domain controllers = 1,440 total domain controller hours

1,440 total hours x $0.20 per domain-controller hour = $288.00

Simple AD small directory monthly charge (after first 30 days or 1,500 free-trial hours) $36.00

24 hours x 30 days = 720 hours per managed directory

2 domain controllers per managed directory (the minimum)

720 hours x 2 domain controllers = 1,440 total domain-controller hours

1,440 total hours x $0.025 per domain-controller hour = $36.00

Total AWS Directory Service monthly charges (after first 30 days or 1,500 free-trial hours) $324.00

Note that although the pricing table for AWS Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory lists the hourly cost per managed directory ($0.40 per hour), your AWS bill lists each domain controller as an individual line item. Your bill shows two domain controllers, each for $0.20 per hour, totaling $144.00 each. However, Simple AD does not break down costs by individual domain controllers. Your bill shows a single line item for Simple AD for $36.00.

This example assumes you are not using Simple AD with Amazon WorkSpaces, Amazon WorkDocs, or Amazon WorkMail. You can use Simple AD and AD Connector with these services at no additional charge if you have at least one active user for small directories each month or at least 100 active users for large directories each month.


Pricing example 3: A single large Simple AD directory

If you are a new AWS Directory Service customer and create a large Simple AD directory in the US West (Oregon) region, and run that managed directory 24 hours a day for 60 days, AWS calculates your charges as follows:

Simple AD large directories are not eligible for the Directory Service 30-day limited free trial.

Summary of charges for first 30 days

Your bill for the first 30 days of use is $108.00.

Simple AD large directory charge (for first 30 days) $108.00

24 hours x 30 days = 720 hours per domain controller

2 domain controllers per managed directory (required)

720 hours x 2 domain controllers = 1,440 total domain-controller hours

1,440 total hours * $0.075 per domain-controller hour = $108.00

Note that unlike AWS Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory, your AWS bill for Simple AD does not break down costs by individual domain controllers. Your bill shows a single line item for Simple AD for $108.00.

This example assumes you are not using Simple AD with Amazon WorkSpaces, Amazon WorkDocs, or Amazon WorkMail. You can use Simple AD and AD Connector with these services at no additional charge if you have at least one active user for small directories each month or at least 100 active users for large directories each month.


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