AWS complimentary Internet data-transfer allotments end at a free-tier cliff: below it bytes often look free; above it list $/GB tiers apply by region and SKU. Batch-21 thickens the worked stack with a numbered cliff table (below/above buckets + NAT twin) and FAQ that separates CloudFront edge cliffs from compute/origin cliffs. Model billable GB in Mode A (?path=free-tier-cliff), keep unverified rates Unknown until a dated provider cite, and decode the line beside the Cost Explorer DT decoder and AWS path checklist — cliffs are not S3 CRR and not CDN origin fill.
Updated
Complimentary Internet data-transfer allotments end — thicken the cliff with below/above buckets, a NAT twin, and a spike-month Mode A deep-link so averages cannot lie.
Path matrix: AWS Internet egress free-tier cliff drivers (educational)
Dated starting points only — Unknown until verified means no invented $/GB. PipeToll does not scrape private consoles or guarantee figures.
Path-class vocabulary: path template, Unknown until verified. PipeToll’s free-tier cliff glossary term lives here as a full path matrix. Complimentary Internet DT-out is real — and finite. Educational arithmetic only; no guaranteed savings.
Path templates to model
Single EC2 behind public IP — classic Internet DT-out toward clients; watch account free tier.
S3 public GET traffic — S3 free tier / grant interactions differ from EC2; don't paste one number.
NAT → Internet — free-tier cliffs on Internet DT-out still apply after NAT processing (see NAT spoke).
CloudFront edge — separate free tier possible; origin fill may still hit S3/EC2 cliffs.
Spike restore / launch month — one cliff-crossing month ruins averages built on quiet baselines.
Common traps
Annualizing a $0 free-tier month — Quiet baselines hide spike months that punch through the free-tier cliff. Model below-cliff vs above-cliff buckets explicitly in Mode A.
Blended “AWS free egress” cell — Blending EC2 and S3 grants into one cell invents a fake unit. Map the SKU that actually meters your path via the AWS egress path checklist.
NAT ignored when Internet looks free — Forgetting NAT processing still stacks when Internet GB look free. Open Mode B (?path=nat) beside the cliffed Internet line.
CDN removes all cliffs — Assuming CloudFront / CDN removes all cliffs is unsafe: edge tiers and origin fill can each cliff. Model two cliffs when both appear.
Promo credits as list-rate change — Treating promo credits as a permanent list-price change misreads invoices. Credits expire; list $/GB stays Unknown until verified.
Cliff confused with CRR or download caps — Confusing compute/Internet cliffs with object-store download caps (R2/B2) or with S3 CRR inter-region replication. Sibling Azure/GCP cliffs stay on multi-cloud free-tier cliffs.
Scorecrowns from Incomplete — No scorecrowns from Incomplete cells — badge Unknown. No guaranteed savings from “staying under free tier forever.”
FinOps checklist
Identify which product meters Internet DT-out for your top paths.
Read the current free grant and reset rules; date the cite.
Split GB into below-cliff and above-cliff buckets in the model.
Second educational stack (NAT + cliff twin): private subnet ships the same 2,100 GB via NAT → Internet. Split meters using the table above: (1) NAT hourly × hours, (2) NAT processing × 2,100 GB, (3) Internet DT-out with only ~2,000 GB above the free-tier cliff. Open Mode B (?mode=nat) for the NAT stack and Mode A for the cliffed Internet line — never one blended $/GB. Spike-month twin: a launch month that ships 5,100 GB Internet DT-out with the same 100 GB grant → ~5,000 GB above-cliff — re-run ?path=free-tier-cliff&gb=5000 instead of annualizing a quiet $0 month. Sibling Azure/GCP cliffs stay on multi-cloud free-tier cliffs. Not a savings guarantee.
Worked-estimate sensitivity (educational)
Hold the educational 100 GB free grant + 2,100 GB Internet DT-out month (≈ 2,000 GB above-cliff) and walk three cliff runs. List $/GB, NAT processing, and edge/origin cliffs stay Unknown until dated provider cites — literacy arithmetic, not a quote.
Run A — Below/above split: price only the ~2,000 GB above-cliff bucket in Mode A (?path=free-tier-cliff). Keep the 100 GB grant on its own line; decode the CE Internet label via the CE DT decoder before pasting rates.
Run B — Spike-month twin: same grant with a launch month that ships 5,100 GB Internet DT-out → ~5,000 GB above-cliff. Re-run ?path=free-tier-cliff&gb=5000 instead of annualizing a quiet $0 month. Sibling Azure/GCP cliffs on multi-cloud free-tier cliffs.
Run C — NAT + cliff sibling: private subnet ships the same 2,100 GB via NAT → Internet. Split meters: NAT hourly × hours, NAT processing × 2,100 GB (Mode B), and Internet DT-out with only ~2,000 GB above the cliff. Edge/origin second cliff stays on CloudFront vs Cloudflare CDN / Mode C — never blend into the Internet cliff cell.
The point where complimentary egress/bandwidth allotments end and list $/GB begins. Averages that ignore cliffs mislead FinOps reviews.
Is the AWS free tier the same for S3 and EC2?
Grants and product surfaces differ. Map the SKU that actually meters your path — see the path checklist spoke.
Can credits hide a cliff?
Yes. Promo credits can make invoices look $0 until they expire. Model list rates separately from credits.
How do I map a cliffed line in Cost Explorer?
Start with Internet / AWS Outbound-style labels on the CE DT decoder, then split GB into below-cliff and above-cliff buckets before Mode A arithmetic. Do not paste a DX, NAT, or CRR rate into the Internet cell.
Do CloudFront and compute share one free-tier cliff?
Usually no. Edge free tiers and origin/compute Internet DT-out can each cliff. Model two cliffs when both CloudFront edge and origin fill (or EC2/S3 Internet) appear — see CloudFront vs Cloudflare CDN and Mode C on origin-fill spokes.
How should I split GB before Mode A?
Read the dated free grant, then bucket billable GB as below-cliff vs above-cliff. Price only the above-cliff bucket in Mode A (?path=free-tier-cliff). Keep NAT processing, DX, CRR, and CDN origin fill on separate lines.
Is a free-tier cliff the same as S3 CRR or origin fill?
No. Cliffs are complimentary allotments on Internet/compute (or similar) meters. S3 CRR is bucket→bucket inter-region replication. CDN origin fill is miss-driven pull from origin — model with Mode C on the CDN spokes.
Trademarks: Amazon Web Services, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, GCP, and Cloudflare are trademarks of their respective owners. PipeToll (Ameti One LLC) is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by those companies. Educational comparisons may be outdated — verify current rates with each provider.
