What is a Free Cloud VPS Trial?
A free cloud VPS trial gives you limited-time access to a virtual private server, allowing you to test cloud hosting features without an upfront payment. In 2025, leading providers such as Oracle, AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure offer generous trial credits or always-free tiers. These trials are ideal for developers deploying apps, system administrators practicing Linux skills, or businesses testing server environments before scaling.
These cloud VPS trials typically include modern features like SSD/NVMe storage, full root or SSH access, IPv6 support, and access to global data center regions. Supported operating systems usually include Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, and AlmaLinux. Compare providers, read performance benchmarks, and claim your free VPS hosting trial below.
1. π Google Cloud Free VPS Trial β $300 Credits in 2025
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offers one of the most generous free cloud VPS trials. New users get $300 in free credits valid for 90 days. You can use these credits to launch virtual machines (VMs), host websites, run Docker containers, test cloud APIs, and more.
π Key Features:
- π΅ $300 credit valid for 90 days
- βοΈ Deploy VMs with up to 4 vCPUs and 15 GB RAM
- π 20+ global regions and data centers
- π Secure with built-in firewall and IAM
- π¦ Use with Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS) or Windows
π How to Register for the Free Trial:
- Go to https://cloud.google.com/free
- Click βGet started for freeβ
- Sign in or create a Google account
- Add basic billing info (credit card required, but you wonβt be charged)
- Activate your $300 credit and start building π
π‘ Tips for Using GCP Free VPS:
- Use f1-micro or e2-micro in eligible regions to stretch your credits
- Always stop unused VMs to avoid wasting credit
- Enable the Always Free Tier for long-term free usage (1 f1-micro instance per month in select regions)
- Use
gcloud
CLI or the web console to manage resources easily
π― Verdict: GCP is ideal for developers who want flexibility, generous credit, and a production-grade cloud platform for testing or learning in 2025.
2. π Oracle Cloud Always Free VPS β 4-Core ARM VPS for Life!
Oracle Cloud offers one of the best free VPS hosting deals in 2025 β and itβs always free. Unlike other providers, you get a permanent free tier with up to 4 ARM cores and 24 GB RAM, perfect for light hosting, testing, or personal projects.
π Key Features:
- π§ 4 vCPU ARM-based VM + 24 GB RAM (Ampere A1)
- π½ 2 Block Volumes (up to 200 GB total)
- π¦ 2 Autonomous Databases (20 GB each)
- π Always Free β no expiration
- π Free outbound bandwidth (up to 10 TB/month)
π How to Register:
- Visit https://www.oracle.com/cloud/free/
- Click βStart for Freeβ
- Create an Oracle account
- Enter billing info (credit card verification only)
- Choose a region with Ampere A1 available
- Launch a VM using Ubuntu, Oracle Linux, or Debian
π‘ Tips for Using Oracle Free Tier:
- Choose an Ampere A1 shape for maximum specs
- Free tier resources are shared β setup firewall rules early
- Use OCI CLI or dashboard for smooth control
- Pair with Cloudflare for better uptime and free SSL
π― Verdict: Oracleβs always-free tier is unbeatable for long-term projects, labs, or self-hosted apps with generous RAM and CPU limits.
3. βοΈ Amazon AWS Free VPS β 12 Months EC2 Trial (2025)
AWS offers a 12-month free tier with access to its EC2 virtual machines. It's perfect for beginners to explore cloud hosting on the worldβs most popular infrastructure. The free tier includes 750 hours/month of a t2.micro or t3.micro instance.
π Key Features:
- π 750 hours/month for 12 months (t2.micro or t3.micro)
- π½ 30 GB SSD (Elastic Block Storage)
- π Free IAM, Load Balancer, and monitoring tools
- π Global region support
- β
Eligible for EC2, S3, Lambda, RDS free tier use
π How to Get Started:
- Go to https://aws.amazon.com/free/
- Click βCreate a Free Accountβ
- Fill out registration, including ID verification and credit card
- After activation, launch a t2.micro instance via EC2
- Use AWS Management Console or AWS CLI to manage your VM
π‘ Tips for AWS Free VPS:
- Stick to t2.micro/t3.micro in the free tier to avoid charges
- Use CloudWatch for free monitoring
- Leverage other free-tier services like S3 for backups
- Set up billing alerts to prevent accidental overuse
π― Verdict: AWS is great for testing, learning, or building prototypes with professional-grade tools during your free trial year.
4. π Huawei Cloud Free Tier β 12 Months Free VPS Hosting
Huawei Cloud offers a 12-month free tier that includes a free Elastic Cloud Server (ECS) instance and additional cloud services. It's a great choice for developers and startups looking for a reliable cloud VPS solution across Asia, Europe, and other regions.
π Key Features:
- π 12-month free ECS instance (1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM)
- πΎ 40 GB General Purpose SSD storage
- π Access to 10+ global regions
- π‘ Free basic DDoS protection and IPv6 support
- βοΈ Supports Linux (Ubuntu, CentOS, Debian) and Windows
π How to Register for Huawei Free Tier:
- Go to Huawei Cloud Free Trial Page
- Click βActivate Free Tierβ and create an account
- Verify identity via mobile and credit card (for validation only)
- Launch a free ECS instance from your account dashboard
π‘ Tips for Huawei Cloud VPS:
- Stick with eligible instance types to stay within the free tier
- Use the console to monitor free usage and avoid charges
- Enable automatic shutdown of unused VMs to save resources
- Pair with Huawei Cloud Object Storage for backups
π― Verdict: Huawei Cloudβs 12-month free tier is a strong competitor for low-cost VPS hosting in Asia-Pacific, ideal for testing, learning, or light web apps.
5. π§ DigitalOcean Free Trial β $200 Credits for 60 Days
DigitalOcean is known for its simplicity, developer tools, and lightning-fast droplets (VPS). New users can get $200 in credits valid for 60 days β enough to test out multiple services including compute, storage, and managed databases.
π Key Features:
- π΅ $200 free credit (valid for 60 days)
- βοΈ Fast SSD Droplets with Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, etc.
- π§° One-click apps: WordPress, Docker, LAMP/LEMP, GitLab
- π 14 global data centers
- π Built-in monitoring & alerting
π How to Get Started:
- Visit DigitalOcean Free Trial Page
- Sign up and verify your email
- Enter billing info (credit card or PayPal)
- Receive $200 credit and launch your first Droplet
π― Verdict: Excellent for developers who want to quickly deploy apps, test stack setups, or try Kubernetes and managed DBs on budget.
6. β‘ Vultr Free Trial β $100 Credits for 30 Days
Vultr provides high-performance VPS instances with hourly billing and a huge global presence. With their $100 free credit (30-day) offer, you can test compute instances, block storage, or deploy prebuilt apps.
π Key Features:
- π΅ $100 in free credit for new users
- π¦ Cloud Compute, Optimized CPU, Bare Metal available
- π οΈ ISO uploads + custom OS support
- π§© Marketplace with prebuilt stacks (Nextcloud, CyberPanel, etc.)
- π 30+ locations worldwide
π How to Get the Trial:
- Go to Vultr Promotions Page
- Create an account and verify with card or PayPal
- Claim your $100 credit and deploy your first VPS
π― Verdict: Vultr is a strong option if you're looking to test performance in specific regions or want custom ISO support.
7. π Linode Free Trial β $100 Credits for 60 Days
Linode (now part of Akamai Cloud) offers developers a clean and stable environment with transparent pricing and powerful instances. With $100 credit valid for 60 days, you can try out their VPS, object storage, or Kubernetes platform.
π Key Features:
- π΅ $100 free credits (60-day usage)
- π₯οΈ Shared, Dedicated, and GPU compute instances
- π§° One-click app deployment
- π‘ Private networking & IPv6 included
- π 10+ worldwide data centers
π How to Start with Linode:
- Visit Linode Free Credit Page
- Sign up and verify with a payment method
- Get $100 credit and deploy your first server
π― Verdict: Linode is great for developers and agencies who want reliable performance with straightforward control panel and support.