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Oracle Cloud free tier: what you really get
Oracle's Always Free tier gives you 2 Arm OCPUs with 12 GB of RAM, or up to two tiny AMD VMs with 1 GB each, plus 200 GB of storage and 10 TB of outbound data a month. It does not expire. The catches: you usually need a credit card to sign up, idle instances can be reclaimed, free capacity is sometimes not available, and compute must stay in your home region. If you need guaranteed uptime, a paid VPS starts at €3.81/month for 4 GB.
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What is included in Oracle Cloud Always Free?
| Resource | Free amount |
|---|---|
| Arm compute (Ampere A1) | 2 OCPUs and 12 GB RAM in total (1,500 OCPU hours and 9,000 GB hours a month). One or two instances. Boot volume at least 47 GB. |
| AMD micro compute | Up to 2 VMs, each 1/8 OCPU (can burst) and 1 GB RAM, 50 GB default boot volume. |
| Block and boot storage | 200 GB in total, boot and block volumes combined. Five volume backups. |
| Object storage | 20 GB, 50,000 API requests a month. |
| Outbound traffic | 10 TB a month. |
| Load balancer | One flexible load balancer at 10 Mbps (tenancies created 15 Dec 2020 or later). |
| Free trial (separate) | $300 in credits for up to 30 days. |
Sources: Always Free Resources and Free Tier overview, read 5 October 2026. Oracle changes these limits, so check them before you sign up.
What are the catches?
- Card and phone check. Oracle says most users need a mobile number and a credit card to sign up. The card is not charged unless you upgrade.
- Idle reclamation. If, for 7 days, CPU (95th percentile) is under 20%, network is under 20% and (Arm) memory is under 20%, Oracle can reclaim the instance. A quiet server can look idle.
- "Out of host capacity". Oracle says this means a temporary lack of Always Free shapes in your home region. You may need to retry.
- Home region lock. Free compute and block volumes can only be created in your home region, chosen at sign-up.
- Hard Arm limit. Above 2 OCPUs and 12 GB in total, extra Arm instances are disabled and deleted after 30 days.
- Arm only for the big one. The 12 GB machine is Arm (aarch64). Most software works, but some x86-only tools and Docker images do not.
Can you get it without a credit card?
Plan on needing one. Oracle's docs say "most users" need a mobile phone number and a credit card, and that the card is not charged unless you upgrade your account. We found no official way to skip it. Prepaid and virtual cards may be rejected; we have not tested that, so we do not say either way. If you do not want to use a card, see the paid options below.
Is the Oracle free tier enough?
Yes for: a personal bot, a self-hosted app for a few people, learning Linux, a test server, or an OpenClaw gateway (the OpenClaw docs name this tier).
No for: anything a customer relies on, a game server, steady heavy CPU, or a project where losing the VM would hurt. Free capacity can be missing when you need it, and idle boxes can be reclaimed.
When a paid VPS is better: cheapest options
| Plan | vCPU | RAM | Monthly | Contract | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 OVHcloud3.8TrustpilotVPS-1'From' price on OVH's page; the final price depends on location and commitment chosen when you configure. Unlimited traffic. | 2 | 4 GB | €3.81 | Monthly ('from' price) | See plan |
 Hostinger4.6TrustpilotKVM 1Intro price needs 24 months paid upfront; renews at $11.99/mo. Billed in USD; euro price at the ECB rate of 1.1225 USD per EUR. | 1 | 4 GB | €5.78 | 24 months paid upfront | See plan |
 Netcup3.8TrustpilotVPS 500 G12.5Price needs a 12-month term. Derived from the €8.26 incl.-VAT price shown on the page (19% German VAT). | 2 | 4 GB | €6.94 | 12-month term | See plan |
 Contabo4.6TrustpilotCloud VPS 4Promo price for the first 24 months; the page doesn't show the price after that, so check before buying. CPU is often reported as oversold. | 4 | 8 GB | €4.40 | Promo for first 24 months | See plan |
| Contabo4.6TrustpilotCloud VPS 6Price rises to €9.00 after 24 months. CPU is often reported as oversold. | 6 | 12 GB | €6.00 | Promo for first 24 months | See plan |
| OVHcloud3.8TrustpilotVPS-2'From' price on OVH's page; the final price depends on location and commitment chosen when you configure. Unlimited traffic. | 4 | 8 GB | €7.21 | Monthly ('from' price) | See plan |
Cheapest in-stock 4 GB and 8 GB plans we track. Monthly prices excluding VAT, as shown to a visitor from Turkey (0% VAT). EU buyers pay local VAT on top. Paid VPS plans have their own catches (contract length, renewal price), listed per plan. More: cheapest 16 GB VPS, Hetzner Cloud pricing, VPS for Claude Code, VPS for n8n.
Questions people ask
What do you get in Oracle Cloud's free tier?
Always Free gives each tenancy: Arm Ampere A1 compute equal to 2 OCPUs and 12 GB of RAM in total, up to two AMD micro VMs (1/8 OCPU and 1 GB RAM each), 200 GB of combined boot and block storage with five volume backups, 20 GB of object storage, 10 TB of outbound data a month, and one 10 Mbps flexible load balancer. A separate trial gives $300 in credits for up to 30 days. (Oracle docs, checked 5 October 2026.)
Is Oracle Cloud's free tier really free forever?
Always Free resources have no end date, and Oracle says your account stays active and the resources keep running after the 30-day trial ends. The limits are strict: go over the Arm limit and the extra instances are disabled and deleted after 30 days. Idle instances can be reclaimed.
Can you sign up for Oracle Cloud free tier without a credit card?
Usually no. Oracle's docs say that for security reasons most users need a mobile phone number and a credit card to create an account, and the card is not charged unless you upgrade. The word is 'most', so some people may get through without one, but you should plan to need a card.
Why does Oracle say 'out of host capacity'?
Oracle's docs: the error means a temporary lack of Always Free shapes in your home region. Oracle calls it temporary. You cannot switch to a free region, because Always Free compute must be in your home region.
Can Oracle reclaim my free instance?
Yes, if it is idle. Oracle's rule: an instance is a candidate when, over 7 days, the 95th percentile CPU use is under 20%, network use is under 20%, and (for Arm A1 shapes) memory use is under 20%. A quiet personal server can meet that.
Can you change your home region later?
Oracle's docs tell you to choose the home region carefully during sign-up, because Always Free compute instances and Autonomous Databases can only be created there. Pick the region you will use before you finish the form.
Is Oracle's free tier enough for a real server?
For a hobby project, a bot or a test box, 2 Arm OCPUs and 12 GB of RAM is generous. It is not enough if you need guaranteed capacity, steady uptime for a business, or a lot of CPU. Free capacity can be missing when you try to create it.
What is the cheapest paid alternative?
On 5 October 2026 the cheapest in-stock plan we track with 4 GB is OVHcloud VPS-1 at €3.81/month, and with 8 GB it is Contabo Cloud VPS 4 at €4.40/month. Terms and catches differ, see the table.