The AWS Cost Explorer and the AWS Pricing Calculator are distinct tools designed to aid in understanding and managing expenses related to Amazon Web Services. One provides retrospective analysis of spending, while the other projects potential costs for future deployments. Understanding their individual functionalities is crucial for effective cloud financial management.
Utilizing both tools provides comprehensive financial oversight. The retrospective analysis can identify areas of inefficiency or unexpected spending, allowing for optimization. Proactive cost estimation enables informed decisions about resource allocation and infrastructure design, preventing budget overruns. Historically, the increasing complexity of cloud services has driven the need for such tools.