Try the cloud for free: AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud
Starting credits, how long they last, always-free services, what happens at the end, and what to watch for when you sign up from India.
- Checked on official pages
- Source link for each cloud
- India notes
Checked on . Offers change often: confirm on the provider's page before you sign up. CloudBrum is independent of AWS, Microsoft and Google.
Side by side
The three free offers for new accounts. Credit amounts are in US dollars, as the providers state them.
| AWS | Azure | Google Cloud | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting credit | $100 on sign-up, plus up to $100 more for trying services such as Amazon EC2 and Amazon Bedrock | $200 (in your billing currency) | $300 |
| How long it lasts | Free plan: up to 6 months or until credits run out, whichever comes first | 30 days for the credit | 90 days, or until the $300 is used |
| Who can get it | New accounts created on or after 15 July 2025 (older accounts keep the earlier free tier) | New eligible users | People who have never paid for Google Cloud, Google Maps Platform or Firebase |
| Always-free services | 30+ services, within monthly limits | 65+ services, within monthly limits | 20+ products, within monthly limits |
| Free for 12 months | Replaced by credits for new accounts | Popular services for 12 months | No (a 90-day trial instead) |
| When the offer ends | Free plan: account is suspended and data is kept for 90 days; upgrade to a paid plan to continue | Services are disabled until you upgrade to pay-as-you-go | Trial account closes unless you upgrade; you can reinstate within 30 days by upgrading |
| Limits on what is covered | The free plan blocks some services used by large enterprises | Not every service is free; check the free services list | Credit cannot pay for Gemini API usage in Google AI Studio |
| Card needed | Yes. AWS India takes a temporary 2 INR verification charge, refunded | Yes | Yes |
AWS AWS Free Tier
A free plan that cannot charge you, or a paid plan with credits.
What you get
- $100 in credits when you sign up, and up to $100 more for trying services such as Amazon EC2 and Amazon Bedrock.
- Two plan choices at sign-up: a free plan that does not charge until you upgrade, or a paid plan with full service access and pay-as-you-go prices.
- 30+ always-free services within monthly limits, on both plans.
Watch out for
- The free plan ends after 6 months or when the credits are used, whichever is first. It cannot be extended, and AWS suspends the account and keeps your data for 90 days.
- The free plan blocks some services that large enterprises use.
- Accounts created before 15 July 2025 stay on the earlier Free Tier rules, which are different.
- AWS pages give different expiry periods for credits (6 or 12 months depending on the plan). Check the exact date in your Billing console.
- Customers with an Indian address are billed by AWS India. A temporary 2 INR charge is taken to verify your card and refunded.
Azure Azure free account
A quick credit to explore, then 12 months of popular services.
What you get
- $200 credit (in your billing currency) to use in the first 30 days.
- Popular services free for 12 months, and 65+ services that stay free within monthly limits.
- After you upgrade to pay-as-you-go, the 12 months of free services still apply.
Watch out for
- When the credit is used up or 30 days pass, your services are disabled until you upgrade to pay-as-you-go.
- Microsoft states that the 12-month free services are not available to people who sign up directly for pay-as-you-go in India. That is about direct pay-as-you-go sign-ups, not the free account, so check what the sign-up page offers you.
- Only services on the free list are free. Check each service before you create it.
Google Cloud Google Cloud Free Trial and Free Tier
The biggest starting credit, plus a free tier with no end date.
What you get
- $300 welcome credit to spend over 90 days. You are not billed during the trial.
- A Free Tier of 20+ products with monthly limits and no end date. It needs a billing account, and the limits do not roll over.
- Upgrading to a paid account keeps your remaining credit until it expires.
Watch out for
- The trial closes when you spend $300 or reach 90 days, unless you upgrade. You can still reinstate within 30 days by upgrading.
- Only people who have never been a paying Google Cloud, Google Maps Platform or Firebase customer qualify.
- The credit cannot pay for Gemini API usage in Google AI Studio.
- Google can change or remove Free Tier limits with 30 days' notice.
- Banks in India may decline automatic card payments above set limits, and some debit cards do not work for recurring payments.
Avoid surprise bills
Free offers protect you only while you stay inside them.
- Set a budget alert on day one: AWS Budgets, Azure Cost Management budgets, or Google Cloud budgets and alerts.
- Write down the date your credit or free plan ends, and set a reminder a week earlier.
- Delete resources when you finish a lab: stopped servers can still bill for disks and addresses.
- Use the cheapest region and size that works, and avoid services outside the free list.
- Keep one account per person. Offers are for new accounts and may be refused on repeat sign-ups.
- Never put access keys in public code, so nobody can run up charges on your account.
Frequently asked questions
Which cloud has the best free tier for a beginner?
It depends on what you want to learn. AWS gives starting credits with a free plan that stops without charging, Azure gives a short burst of credit plus 12 months of popular services, and Google Cloud gives the largest credit for the longest period. Compare the table above, then pick the cloud your target jobs or employer use.
Will I be charged on a free account?
Not unless you move to a paid plan or use a service the free offer does not cover. AWS says its free plan will not charge you until you upgrade, Azure disables services when credit ends until you upgrade, and Google Cloud closes the trial account unless you upgrade. Set a budget alert anyway, and delete what you no longer need.
Do I need a credit or debit card to sign up from India?
Yes, all three ask for a card. AWS India places a small temporary verification charge of 2 INR that is refunded. Your bank may also ask for extra authentication, and some debit cards do not work for automatic payments. Check the amount and the rules on each sign-up page.
What is the difference between a free trial and an always-free tier?
A trial or credit is time-limited: it ends after a number of days or when the money runs out. An always-free tier gives you limited monthly usage of selected services with no end date, though providers can change the limits. Usage above the limit is billed once any credit is used up.
How often are these offers updated?
Providers change them often. This page was checked on 14 October 2026 against each provider's own pages, which are linked in every section. Confirm the current terms there before you sign up.
Is CloudBrum part of AWS, Microsoft or Google?
No. CloudBrum is an independent website. Names and logos belong to their owners.
Planning something real, not just a lab?
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