AWS Cost Explorer is a built-in tool provided by Amazon Web Services that enables users to visualize, track, and analyze their cloud spending patterns over time. It helps identify cost trends, forecast expenses, and uncover opportunities for optimization.
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Key Features of AWS Cost Explorer
- Visualize Cost and Usage: Track your AWS spending with easy-to-read charts and dashboards highlighting trends, spikes, and usage over time.
- Filter, Group & Save Views: Break down data by service, account, region, or tags. You can also save filtered views to access them later without having to reapply settings.
- Forecasting and Hourly Insights: Use past usage data to predict future costs. For detailed tracking, hourly granularity is available for some services.
- Data Export and API Access: Download reports in CSV format or access data via API for automation and integration into your systems.
How does AWS Cost Explorer Work?
Managing cloud spend effectively is a top priority for businesses using AWS. But without the right tools, understanding where your money is going can feel like solving a puzzle in the dark. That’s where AWS Cost Explorer steps in, as explained below:
| Component | How It Works |
| User Interface (Dashboard) | Provides charts and graphs to explore costs and usage across services, linked accounts, etc. |
| Historical Data Access | Access up to 12 months of past usage and cost data for analysis and reporting. |
| Forecasting Engine | Analyzes historical usage to estimate future expenses, helping with budget planning. |
| Data Filtering & Grouping | Break down data by service, linked accounts, regions, or tags to focus on specific areas. |
| Trend Analysis | Highlight patterns, cost spikes, or unusual changes in your spending over time. |
| Cost Optimization Suggestions | Offers tips to reduce spending, like identifying idle resources or recommending Savings Plans. |
Use Cases of AWS Cost Explorer
- Build Custom Views & Applications: Create personalized dashboards or integrate with your internal tools using the AWS Cost Explorer API to tailor cost analysis to your business needs.
- Drill Down with Granular Filters: Filter cost and usage data by service, account, region, or tags to isolate specific spending patterns and gain detailed insights.
- Forecast Future Spending: Based on past trends, predict upcoming AWS costs, helping teams prepare budgets and plan cloud usage more efficiently.
- Track Cost and Usage Patterns: Visualize how cloud consumption and costs evolve, making it easier to identify peaks, changes, or inefficient usage.
Common Limitations of AWS Cost Explorer
- Delayed Data Updates: Cost data can be up to 48 hours old, which isn’t ideal for real-time tracking needs.
- Limited Historical and Forecast Range: You can only view 13 months of past data and forecast up to 12 months, which may not be enough for long-term planning.
- Forecasting Accuracy: Predictions are based on past trends and may not reflect sudden changes or new services.
- Tagging Dependency & Complexity: Accurate reporting relies on consistent tagging, and the interface can be overwhelming for new users.
AWS Cost Explorer FAQs
- Q1. Is the AWS Cost Explorer different from AWS Budgets?
AWS Cost Explorer helps you review and understand your AWS spending over time, while AWS Budgets lets you set limits and notifies you when your usage or costs near or exceed those limits. - Q2. Does AWS charge anything for using Cost Explorer?
Yes, the basic features of AWS Cost Explorer are free. This includes access to standard reports and usage data. - Q3. Is AWS Pricing Calculator different from Cost Explorer
The AWS Pricing Calculator is used to estimate costs before you start using a service. Cost Explorer looks at your real-world usage and shows you what you’ve already spent. - Q4. What types of graphs or charts does Cost Explorer offer?
You can use bar, line, or area charts to visualize spending trends by service, account, or region. - Q5. Does AWS Cost Explorer show historical data?
You can access up to 12 months of past usage and cost data for analysis and reporting.
How Can CloudKeeper Help with AWS Cost Explorer?
CloudKeeper builds on the foundation of AWS Cost Explorer by delivering enhanced cost visibility, actionable optimization insights, and dedicated expert support. While AWS Cost Explorer helps users monitor and analyse their AWS spending, CloudKeeper adds value through:
- Automated Savings: CloudKeeper combines AWS Savings Plans with cost analytics to automatically generate cost savings, beyond what Cost Explorer alone can provide.
- Actionable Recommendations: Instead of just visualising cost patterns, CloudKeeper translates insights into prioritised, actionable steps for cost reduction.
- Expert Cost Governance: CloudKeeper’s team of cloud economists helps organizations interpret complex AWS billing data and align it with business goals.
- Enhanced Reporting: Get enriched reporting and tagging strategies for more granular cost allocation across teams and projects.
- End-to-End Support: CloudKeeper’s services include setup, ongoing monitoring, and anomaly detection to ensure you’re getting the most out of AWS Cost Explorer.
