ExpressRoute circuit SKUs ​

Azure ExpressRoute has three different circuit SKUs:

• Local
  • With Local SKU, you are automatically charged with an Unlimited data plan.
• Standard
  • You can select between a Metered or an Unlimited data plan.
  • All ingress data are free of charge except when using the Global Reach add-on.
• Premium
  • You can select between a Metered or an Unlimited data plan.
  • All ingress data are free of charge except when using the Global Reach add-on.

The way you are charged for your ExpressRoute usage varies between these three SKU types.

Explore pricing based on ExpressRoute SKU ​

SKU models have been discussed previously as Local, Standard and Premium. It is a good practice to estimate costs before using Azure ExpressRoute as the price might affect your design decisions.

Use the Azure pricing calculator to estimate costs before you create an Azure ExpressRoute circuit.

1. On the left, select Networking, then select Azure ExpressRoute to begin.
2. Select the appropriate Zone depending on your peering location.
3. Then select the SKU, Circuit Speed, and the Data Plan you would like an estimate for.
4. In the Additional outbound data transfer, enter an estimate in GB of how much outbound data you might use over the course of a month.
5. Lastly, you can add the Global Reach Add-on to the estimate.

ExpressRoute circuit and billing models ​

Microsoft offers various Express Route options depending on the desired bandwidth of this private connection between the customer on premises network and the selected Azure region. Typically, enterprises need to evaluate their current usage and determine how much data they use monthly to start with.

The next step is to figure out which of the available ExpressRoute is the best choice depending upon the requirements of the Enterprise keeping in mind the budget and SLA requirements.

When you deploy ExpressRoute, you must choose between the Local, Standard and Premium SKUs. The Standard and Premium SKU are available in a metered version, where you pay per used GB and an unlimited option.

The other option is the ExpressRoute Direct, connecting your network to the closest Microsoft Edge node which then connects to the Microsoft Global Network, to connect to other customers offices or factories and any Azure Region. The usage of the Microsoft Global Network is charged on top of the ExpressRoute Direct.

You can purchase ExpressRoute circuits for a wide range of bandwidths. The supported bandwidths are listed as follows. Be sure to check with your connectivity provider to determine the bandwidths they support.

• 50 Mbps
• 100 Mbps
• 200 Mbps
• 500 Mbps
• 1 Gbps
• 2 Gbps
• 5 Gbps
• 10 Gbps

Choose a billing model ​

You can pick a billing model that works best for you. Choose between the billing models listed as followed.

• Unlimited data
  • Billing is based on a monthly fee; all inbound and outbound data transfer is included free of charge.
• Metered data
  • Billing is based on a monthly fee; all inbound data transfer is free of charge.
  • Outbound data transfer is charged per GB of data transfer.
    • Data transfer rates vary by region.
• ExpressRoute premium add-on
  • ExpressRoute premium is an add-on to the ExpressRoute circuit. The ExpressRoute premium add-on provides the following capabilities:
    • Increased route limits for Azure public and Azure private peering from 4,000 routes to 10,000 routes.
    • Global connectivity for services. An ExpressRoute circuit created in any region (excluding national clouds) will have access to resources across every other region in the world. For example, a virtual network created in West Europe can be accessed through an ExpressRoute circuit provisioned in Silicon Valley.
    • Increased number of VNet links per ExpressRoute circuit from 10 to a larger limit, depending on the bandwidth of the circuit.