In cloud services, what is typically a feature of the service model?

Pay-per-use pricing is a fundamental characteristic of cloud service models. This pricing structure allows users to pay only for the resources and services they actually consume, which is a significant advantage over traditional models that often require substantial upfront investments in hardware and software. This model aligns costs with actual usage, making it more flexible and cost-effective for users, especially businesses that may experience fluctuating demand.

The pay-per-use model is also central to the scalability of cloud services, enabling businesses to scale resources up or down as needed without the financial burden of maintaining excess capacity. This contrasts with on-premises deployment, proprietary software constraints, and fixed physical storage requirements that are more rigid and costly. The flexibility offered by pay-per-use pricing supports innovation and efficiency, empowering organizations to focus on their core business without the overhead of managing infrastructure.