Unexpected Charges - Q&A

Đặng Minh Đức 0 Reputation points
2025-08-29T02:58:10.57+00:00

I recently created an Azure SQL Database for a school project, and I am certain that I selected the free plan with the expectation that it would automatically pause or stop once it reached the free limits. However, I was unexpectedly charged, and it seems my subscription was switched to a paid plan without my knowledge.

This subscription was only intended for learning purposes, and I believed I was within the free tier usage. Could you please review my account and help clarify why I was charged?

Azure Cost Management
Azure Cost Management
A Microsoft offering that enables tracking of cloud usage and expenditures for Azure and other cloud providers.
0 comments No comments
{count} votes

1 answer

Sort by: Most helpful
  1. TP 134.2K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-08-29T03:03:24.51+00:00

    Hi,

    I recommend creating a billing support request so that you can discuss with billing support engineer. Billing support is free.

    Please carefully follow my instructions below to create new billing support request without getting stuck in endless loop. I you have issues creating ticket please let me know in a comment.

    1. Navigate to this link to start the process:

    https://portal.azure.com/#create/Microsoft.Support

    2. Enter billing in the box and click Go

    User's image

    3. Select Billing and click Next

    User's image

    4. Select your subscription from the dropdown and click Next

    5. At this point there will be a delay of several seconds, and then various options will be displayed. Click Create a support request button at the top. DO NOT CLICK any of the other options.

    User's image

    6. Fill out screen, Summary, Problem type, Problem subtype, then click Next button at bottom. You might need to select different problem/problem subtype than what are shown below

    User's image

    7. There will be another several second delay, and then some solutions will be displayed (this is similar to above). DO NOT CLICK any of the solutions, instead click on Return to support request button in upper left corner, similar to below

    azure support request Return to support request

    8. Now you are back at support case. Click Next button at bottom to continue to Additional details tab. Fill out information as required, one of the items you may need is your Subscription ID.

    User's image

    You can open separate browser tab and navigate to your subscription in portal, the ID is there, click the copy button to the right of it, then paste it into the box on Additional details tab. Click Next to advance to Review + create tab, then click Create.

    You should receive an automated email within a few minutes and then be contacted by support within 1 business day.

    Please click Accept Answer and upvote if the above was helpful.

    Thanks.

    -TP

    0 comments No comments

Your answer

Answers can be marked as Accepted Answers by the question author, which helps users to know the answer solved the author's problem.