How is my dedicated server's traffic billed?

A dedicated server comes with a commit: an agreement on how much traffic you take. There are two models, flat or 95th percentile with a commit. Which model you get and what's in your contract, you agree with sales.

The two models

Flat. You have a fixed port speed that is capped. Your server can't send or receive faster than that speed.

95th percentile with a commit. Your traffic is measured throughout the month. At the end of the month, the highest 5% of the measurements are dropped. The highest measurement that remains is your 95th percentile. Short peaks therefore don't count. The commit is the level you agree with sales.

What counts?

Only traffic to the internet counts towards your commit.

Traffic above your commit

With the 95th percentile you can go above your commit. Traffic above it is billed at the overage rate, which is shown in your service overview in the client portal. With flat that can't happen: your port speed is capped.

Fair use

The fair use policy does not apply to these commits. Your agreement with sales is what applies.

Which model suits me?

• If you want to know exactly where you stand in advance, flat is the simplest.
• If your traffic has peaks, the 95th percentile often fits better.

Not sure? Put it to sales. Open a ticket for sales and tell them what runs on your server and how much traffic you expect.

See also Which dedicated servers are there and how do I request a quote?