Azure offers a Free Tier that allows users to explore and test various Azure services without incurring any charges. Here's how you can access Azure for free:
Azure Free Tier Features
Azure Subscription:
- Sign up for an Azure account at Azure Free Account.
- You get $200 credit to spend on Azure services for the first 30 days.
- After the 30-day period, some services remain Hit Post free forever, while others continue to be free with certain usage limits.
Free Services:
- Azure offers a range of services that are always free, even after the initial $200 credit is used up.
- Some of the popular free services include Azure App Service (for web and mobile apps), Azure Functions (serverless computing), Azure Cosmos DB (NoSQL database), and more.
12 Months of Free Services:
- Beyond the initial 30 days, Azure provides 12 months of select free services.
- This includes popular services like Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Blob Storage, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), and more.
Always Free Products:
- Even after the initial 12 months, certain Azure products are always free.
- These include Azure DevOps, Azure Active Directory, Azure Functions (with certain usage limits), and more.
- Learning Resources:
- Access to a wide range of learning resources, including free Azure courses, documentation, and tutorials.
How to Get Started with Azure Free Tier
Sign Up:
- Visit the Azure Free Account page and sign up for a free account.
- You'll need a credit card for verification, but you won't be charged until you choose to upgrade to a paid account.
Activate Free Services:
- Once signed up, you can activate your $200 credit and access free services for the first 30 days.
- After the initial credit is used up, you can continue to use the services that are always free or covered by the 12-month free tier.
Explore Azure Portal:
- Log in to the Azure portal with your account credentials.
- Here, you can browse all available Azure services, deploy resources, and manage your subscriptions.
Start Exploring:
- Deploy virtual machines, set up web apps, databases, or any other services you're interested in.
- Make use of the free learning resources to understand various Azure services better.
Monitoring Usage and Limits
- Keep an eye on your Azure usage to ensure you stay within the limits of the Free Tier.
- Azure provides usage and spending alerts to help you monitor your usage and avoid unexpected charges.
- Check the pricing details of each service to understand any potential charges beyond the free usage limits.
Conclusion
Azure Free Tier is an excellent way to get started with cloud computing and explore various Azure services at no cost. Whether you're a developer, IT professional, or a business looking to leverage cloud services, Azure Free Tier provides ample opportunities to learn and build applications without worrying about upfront costs.