AWS Cost Explorer — Your Financial Compass in the Cloud
Tags: devops, aws
Published: 2023-11-16 18:09:43

Introduction to AWS Cost Explorer, your guide to financial clarity in the dynamic realm of cloud computing. Developed by Amazon Web Services (AWS), this tool is crafted to navigate the complexities of managing costs and usage effectively within the AWS platform.

AWS Cost Explorer is more than just a financial compass; it’s a comprehensive solution to the challenges organizations face in the ever-expanding cloud landscape. Whether you prefer a visual dashboard or a programmatic approach, this tool caters to your needs. Its user-friendly interface allows you to delve into historical data, forecast expenses for the future, and provides strategic recommendations for cost optimization, including the use of Reserved Instances.

AWS introduced Cost Explorer in response to the surging complexity of cloud spending. As organizations embraced the cloud for its flexibility and scalability, the need for effective cost management became paramount. This tool emerged as a financial advisor, simplifying the cloud financial journey by offering a consolidated view of your financial landscape on AWS.

It goes beyond just numbers; it’s about empowering users to make informed decisions and ensuring that cloud budgets remain in check. The integration of the AWS Cost Management console with the Billing console provides a holistic approach to managing ongoing payments and optimizing future costs.

## Essential benefits of AWS Cost Explorer

* **Visibility and Transparency**: Provides a clear view of AWS spending.

* **User-Friendly Interface:** Intuitive for users at all levels.

* **Historical Data Analysis:** Analyze costs for the past 12 months.

* **Cost Forecasting: **Estimate spending for the next 12 months.

* **Reserved Instances Recommendations:** Optimize costs with strategic recommendations.

* **Preconfigured Views:** Quick insights into cost trends.

* **Cost Explorer API:** Programmatic access for automation.

* **Data Export:** Export data for custom analyses.

* **Regular Data Refresh: **Data is updated at least every 24 hours.

* **Cost Management Integration: **Works seamlessly with the Billing console.

* **Free User Interface Access:** No additional charges for UI usage.

## Use Cases

* **Cost Monitoring and Visibility:** Gain insights into ongoing AWS costs for visibility and control.

* **Budgeting and Financial Planning:** Forecast future spending to create budgets and allocate resources efficiently.

* **Resource Optimization: **Utilize Reserved Instances recommendations for strategic cost optimization.

* **Historical Cost Analysis: **Analyze trends and patterns in historical cost data for informed decision-making.

* **Cost Attribution and Showback: **Allocate costs to projects, departments, or teams for accountability.

* **Custom Reporting and Analysis:** Export data for tailored, in-depth analysis using external tools.

* **Automation and Integration:** Integrate with workflows using the Cost Explorer API for automated cost management.

* **Periodic Cost Reviews: **Schedule regular reviews to proactively manage and optimize costs.

* **Educational and Training: **Use as a learning tool for AWS cost management practices.

* **Vendor and Financial Audits: **Facilitate audits and financial reviews with comprehensive cost data.

## Pricing

AWS Cost Explorer provides users with the ability to view and analyze their costs and usage on the AWS platform for free. You can explore your spending trends, and historical data for up to the last 12 months, and get insights into your projected costs for the next year — all without incurring additional charges for using the Cost Explorer user interface.

However, it’s essential to note that if you choose to access your data programmatically using the Cost Explorer API, each paginated API request incurs a minor charge of $0.01. The user interface, though, is at your service without any additional cost.AWS Cost Explorer, with its user-friendly interface and powerful features, is a valuable tool for managing and optimizing your cloud expenses without breaking the bank!

## Let’s take a deeper look at Cost Explorer

open the AWS Cost Management console, In the navigation pane, choose Cost Explorer and On the Welcome to Cost Explorer page, choose Launch Cost Explorer.

**AWS Cost Management console -> Cost Explorer -> Launch Cost Explorer**

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/4472/0*cTdEjnI4CCO_81WD)

On the Cost Explorer page, you have the flexibility to view cost reports tailored to your specific date range. What’s even better is that you can download these reports into a handy comma-separated value (**CSV**) file.

It’s like having your cost data at your fingertips, ready to be analyzed or shared in a format that suits your needs. It’s all about giving you the tools to manage your cloud costs with ease!

***Note***: In the Filters section select the charge type as usage.

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/4712/0*dcfrO2nMCe2ajZsn)

To view costs based on resources, go to the “**Group by**” section in Cost Explorer. Under Dimensions, choose “**service**”. This smart move categorizes your costs, giving a visual breakdown of expenses and showing where your spending is concentrated across AWS services.

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/4746/0*UYghgS_fhf2fJjbe)

For region-based cost reports in Cost Explorer, choose “**Region**” under Dimensions. Save it with a specific name for organized reference. Easy and effective!

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/2000/0*Sysl7vrcQTplQr5M)

On the Cost Explorer page, check out the region-wise cost report dashboard for a quick visual overview of your expenses across different AWS regions. Simple and insightful!

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/4736/0*KlpInXukqgO1Cd4i)

Let’s try to get the cost based on the specific AWS Resources, i.e Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) we can use the filters to get the cost of EC2:

* Service: EC2

* Linked Account: subbaramireddy

* Regions: ap-south-1, ap-south-2

* Instance Types: t2.micro, t3.micro, t2.medium

* Charge Types: usage

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/4676/0*9K2eAA6PF1911ArG)

## Cost Reports

**AWS Cost Management -> Reports**
Check out the list of reports on the Cost Explorer page — some made by AWS, some custom. For a new report, simply click “**New Report**”. It’s your ticket to personalized cost analysis!

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/4700/0*GmDSji16NamdWyY4)

Choose “**Cost and Usage**” as the report type (recommended), then click “**Create Report**” It’s the quick path to insightful cost analysis!

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/4456/0*AW-L1pRbwrRQ9rVx)

In essence, AWS Cost Explorer is your ally in simplifying the cloud financial journey, combining practical insights with aesthetic appeal. It’s not just a tool; it’s a testament to AWS’s commitment to empowering users for efficient and cost-effective cloud usage. For a deeper dive into AWS resources, understanding, and organizing your bills, refer to the AWS Billing.

Thanks for reading! I hope you found this helpful and informative.

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