Azure VM Software cost when VM stopped

Question

I would like to know if the software cost part of a VM is charged when a VM is stopped. I want to run an Azure SQL VM Enterprise. The software cost of the VM per month is '$1,116/mo'.

If I stop the will I still be charged for the software.

Answer 1

Hi VMs and their licences are billed as PAYG. As long as the server is Stopped (Deallocated) you should not be charged.

On the home page for SQL enterprise the FAQ for "If my deployed instance says “stopped”, am I still being billed?" it mentions you are not charged for the software licence but are for the cores if the machine is the "Stopped" state.

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/pricing/details/virtual-machines/sql-server-enterprise/

Further the Azure Pricing Calculator indicates that a monthly charge for a single hour of run time would be the same as the hourly cost (ie, no on-going licence cost).