AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02)Billing, Pricing, and SupportMedium
A retail company purchases a third-party security monitoring solution through AWS Marketplace that bills on an hourly software usage fee in addition to the underlying EC2 infrastructure cost. How does this Marketplace charge typically appear in the company's AWS billing?
- AAs a completely separate invoice from the third-party vendor, outside of AWS billing
- BCombined into the consolidated AWS bill alongside standard AWS service charges
- CCharged only once annually regardless of actual usage
- DOnly visible in the vendor's own billing portal, never in AWS Cost Explorer
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Combined into the consolidated AWS bill alongside standard AWS service charges
AWS Marketplace software charges, including hourly or usage-based software fees, are billed through and consolidated into the customer's standard AWS bill, and they also appear in Cost Explorer and Cost and Usage Reports alongside native AWS service charges.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Marketplace purchases are billed through AWS, not as a separate vendor invoice.
- C. Usage-based Marketplace fees are billed according to their metering schedule (often hourly/monthly), not a flat annual charge.
- D. Marketplace charges do appear in Cost Explorer and CUR data, not just the vendor's portal.
AWS Marketplace Billing
AWS Marketplace software charges are billed through the customer's AWS account and consolidated into the standard monthly AWS invoice.
- Charges appear in Cost Explorer, CUR, and the AWS Billing console.
- Pricing models vary: hourly, monthly, annual, or usage-based (e.g., per API call).
- Marketplace purchases can also be covered under consolidated billing across an Organization.
Memory trick: Marketplace apps ride on the same AWS bill, not a separate tab.