Overages on Iris are additional usage costs incurred when you exceed your plan’s included cloud usage limits. This article breaks down how overages are calculated across different Iris plans, the differences in overage rates, and the restrictions you might encounter. Understanding these aspects is crucial for effectively managing your projects on Iris, ensuring you can anticipate and control additional costs associated with exceeding your plan's included usage.
Calculating Overages
Identify Your Plan’s Overage Rate: Determine the overage rate applicable to your plan—3 cents per minute for Standard and 2.5 cents per minute for Pro.
Calculate Your Usage: Monitor your cloud usage in the Iris dashboard. Usage is calculated as the number of sources multiplied by the minutes used, multiplied by the number of users.
Determine Excess Usage: Subtract your plan’s included usage limit from your total usage to find the excess usage in minutes.
Calculate Overages: Multiply your excess usage by your plan’s overage rate to calculate your total overage cost for the billing period.
Differences in Overages
Plan | Included Usage | Overage Rate per Minute |
Free | 5 Hours | N/A |
Standard | 25 Hours | 3 Cents |
Pro | 100 Hours | 2.5 Cents |
Free Plan: Does not incur overages. Exceeding the included usage limits results in a switch to local mode.
Standard and Pro Plans: Incur overages at their respective rates once the included usage is exceeded.
Restrictions
Payment Information: Users must have a valid payment method on file to cover overages. Failure to have a valid payment method may lead to service restrictions.
Service Restriction for Free Plan: Upon reaching the included usage limit, Free plan users are switched to local mode and cannot accrue overages.
Monthly Billing of Overages: Regardless of whether you're on a monthly or annual billing cycle, overages are billed monthly.
Tips and Best Practices
Update Payment Methods: Ensure your payment information is up to date to avoid service interruptions due to unpaid overages.
Consider Plan Upgrades: If you frequently exceed your included usage, consider upgrading your plan to one with a higher included usage limit and lower overage rates.
Use Local Mode: For all plans, remember that local mode does not accrue any usage or overages, offering an alternative when you’ve reached your limit.
FAQs
Q: How can I check if I'm close to incurring overages?
A: Monitor your cloud usage through the Iris dashboard, which provides real-time updates on your consumption relative to your plan's limits.
Q: What happens if I don't pay my overages?
A: Failure to pay overages can result in service restrictions, including the inability to accrue further overages or, in some cases, suspension of your account.
Q: Can I set alerts for when I'm approaching my usage limit?
A: Currently, Iris may not offer automated alerts for approaching usage limits. Regularly monitoring your dashboard is recommended to manage your usage.
Q: Are overages prorated if I upgrade my plan mid-cycle?
A: Yes, if you upgrade your plan mid-cycle, your overage rate will adjust according to your new plan, and your included usage limit will be updated accordingly.
Q: What's the most cost-effective way to manage overages?
A: The most cost-effective strategy is to monitor your usage closely and choose the right plan for your needs. Upgrading your plan can be more economical if you consistently exceed your included usage.
Overages on Iris are an important aspect of managing your cloud usage and project budgets. By understanding how overages are calculated, the differences in rates between plans, and the associated restrictions, you can take proactive steps to manage your usage and costs. Regular monitoring, maintaining updated payment information, and choosing the right plan for your needs are key strategies to avoid unexpected overages and ensure your projects run smoothly on Iris.