Yes, you read that right: A FREE server
This post is exactly what the title says. I’m going to teach you how to get a server with 24 GB of RAM and 4 processor cores totally free. Well, technically it’s a virtual machine, but come on, for what most of you are going to need it for, it’s more than enough.
And no, it’s not a 30-day free trial or a scam. It’s free for your entire life.
Many of you who follow me will already know that I have a previous video on this same thing, but Oracle has changed the interface and I have seen many doubts in the comments. So here I bring the updated version with everything very clear and without wasting time.
If after reading this you still have doubts, leave them in the comments of the video and I will be happy to help you.
The questions EVERYONE asks (read this first)
This is probably the most important part of the post. I’m going to answer all the doubts I’ve seen in the comments of the previous post. If you read this carefully, you will save yourself a lot of headaches.
How is it free? There’s something fishy here…
Okay, I know what you’re thinking: “If something is free, you are the product”. The typical phrase you will see in the comments.
Well look, it’s a free server that Oracle gives us. Why? To attract customers. It is a pure and hard marketing strategy. Just like Amazon offers you a one-year free tier, or just like a casino offers you free bets when you register (if we want to look at it with bad eyes).
Oracle can afford it because they bill billions. Instead of spending that money on ads, they offer it to you in the form of free servers. And it works, because it attracts people who can then end up using their paid services.
So yes, it is free. And no, Oracle does not pay me to say this. Let’s take advantage of everything we can from them.
Does it only work with ARM?
Yes. It is the architecture they give you for free. If you want another one, you will have to pay. But don’t worry, nowadays almost everything is adapted for ARM, so it is not a problem.
Does it work in my country?
In Spain, Europe and the United States it works 100%. In Latin America I have seen mixed cases: there are people from Argentina who have achieved it without problems, but I have also seen people from other LATAM countries who have issues.
My advice: try it. You lose nothing by trying. If at some point it doesn’t let you advance, probably in your country it is not available yet.
Are they going to close my account?
NO. This is the fear everyone has, and it is understandable. But I tell you clearly: if you follow this method, Oracle will not close your account.
Why? Because we are going to configure it with the Pay as you go mode. When you become this type of user, you are no longer a “free trial” user. You are a paid user who simply won’t spend anything because you use free resources.
And this leads me to the next super important question…
What do I need to do this?
You need a credit card in your name. Super important that it is in your name, because Oracle will verify your identity.
Does a debit card work? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I have seen cases where it works, but usually you need a credit one. If you only have debit, try it, but be prepared in case it asks for a credit one.
THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENT: They will charge you (but return it)
Read this carefully because then I don’t want to see comments asking about this:
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When registering: They will charge you 1 dollar (97 cents) and return it instantly.
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When switching to Pay as you go: They will charge you 100 dollars (about 93€) and return it instantly.
Yes, it is scary to see that they charge you 100 dollars. But believe me, it is just a verification that you have funds. They do not keep the money. I have done it and I know dozens of people who have done it. The money comes back.
Why is this necessary? Because if you don’t become a Pay as you go user, getting the server is going to be hell. You will have to be hitting “create instance” a thousand times praying for availability. And even if you get it, there is a danger that they delete your machine due to inactivity.
So you need to have 100 dollars on your card. Period.
What limits does the server have?
The resources they give you for free are:
- 24 GB of RAM
- 4 processor cores (ARM)
- 200 GB of storage
- 10 TB of data transfer per month
From there, if you want more, you will have to pay. Although their prices are not bad either, I tell you.
You can also create several servers dividing those resources, but I recommend creating a single server with everything and then you divide the applications inside with Docker or whatever you use.
Let’s get to work: Step-by-step tutorial
Okay, if you have reached this far and are still interested, let’s go to the tutorial. I’m going to explain each step, so don’t get lost.
Step 1: Registration in Oracle Cloud
Enter the registration page: https://signup.cloud.oracle.com/
Fill in with your real data. Seriously, real data. Oracle verifies everything and if you put false or invented data, they won’t give you the account.
They will send you an email with a link. You just have to open it to verify it’s you.
Step 2: Initial configuration
Now you get to a screen where they ask you for:
- Password: The one you want for your account
- Username: The one you decide
- Region: This is SUPER IMPORTANT
The region is where your machine will be physically located. It has to be the closest to your location to have less latency.
In my case, since I am from Spain, I select Spain Central (Madrid). If you are from another country, look for the one closest to you.
Step 3: Address data
On the next screen they ask for your home address. More of the same: real data, please. Don’t play with this.
Step 4: Payment method (the critical step)
This is where almost everyone usually has problems. It will ask for the credit card.
As I told you before:
- They will charge you 93 cents (1 dollar) and return it instantly
- If your debit card doesn’t work, you will need a credit one
Once this is done, Oracle has to confirm your account. This can take from a few minutes to a few hours. If it takes more than a day, something has gone wrong.
Step 5: Upgrade to Pay as you go
Once inside the Oracle panel, search in the top search bar: “Update and manage payment”.
Something like this will appear:
The interface may be a little different because Oracle updates it from time to time, but the concept is the same.
You will see your payment details and an option to switch to Pay as you go.
Optional trick: Switch to debit card
When I did this, I changed my payment method from credit to debit once the account was created. Why? For fear that they would charge me something.
Spoiler: after two years using the server, they have never charged me anything. But if you want to do it for security, you can change the card right here and even configure a monthly spending limit.
Confirm the upgrade
You give it to “Individual” (not company), say you don’t have “tax details” and accept.
This is where they will charge you the 100 dollars that they will return instantly.
Now it’s time to wait. It can take from minutes to a week (extreme cases). Normally it is ready in a few hours. If it takes more than a week, there is probably a problem with your card and you have to change it.
Create your free server
Once Oracle confirms your Pay as you go account, we can create the server. Let’s go there.
Step 1: Create instance
In the top search bar, look for “Instances”.
Click on “Create instance”.
Step 2: Basic configuration
Server name: Give it whatever name you want. I’m going to name it edu-server.
Availability domain: Leave it default (AD-1). You don’t need to change it.
Step 3: Operating system image
Here you select which operating system you want. I recommend Ubuntu with the latest stable version.
Change the image to Ubuntu and select the most recent version that appears.
Step 4: Machine configuration (the important part)
Here comes the good stuff. You have to configure these values exactly:
- Machine type: Virtual Machine
- Architecture: Ampere (ARM)
- Shape: VM.Standard.A1.Flex
- CPUs: 4
- RAM: 24 GB
If you don’t put exactly this, you will be leaving free resources unused or trying to use resources they will charge you for.
Step 5: Network (create subnet)
Here normally Oracle creates a default network for you. If you don’t have it, you will have to create a subnet, but it is quite straightforward. Just click create and accept the default values.
Step 6: Storage
Change the storage to 200 GB. It is the maximum they give you for free, so take advantage of it.
Step 7: SSH Keys (VERY IMPORTANT)
Oracle will generate a pair of SSH keys for you. Download the private key and save it in a safe place.
If you lose this key, you will never be able to enter your server again and you will have to reset it from scratch. So save it well, please.
Step 8: Create
Click on “Create” and wait. It may take a couple of minutes to create the instance.
Connect to your server
Once the server is created, copy the public IP that appears in the instance details.
In Windows
Open PowerShell or the terminal you use. I use Warp Terminal, which is very cool and has integrated AI. I leave the link in the description.
First you have to change the permissions of the private key. In PowerShell:
icacls "path\to\your\key.key" /remove:g "NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users"
icacls "path\to\your\key.key" /remove:g "Users"
icacls "path\to\your\key.key" /remove:g "Everyone"
icacls "path\to\your\key.key" /inheritance:r
icacls "path\to\your\key.key" /grant:r "${env:USERNAME}:(R)"
Then you connect:
ssh -i "path\to\your\key.key" ubuntu@YOUR_PUBLIC_IPIn Linux or macOS
Change permissions:
chmod 600 /path/to/your/key.keyAnd connect:
ssh -i /path/to/your/key.key ubuntu@YOUR_PUBLIC_IPThe first time it will ask you if you trust the host. Type yes and you’re in.
And now what do I do with this?
Well now you have a server with 24 GB of RAM and 4 cores to do whatever you want.
Some ideas:
- Minecraft Server (soon I will have a tutorial for this)
- N8N (I have a post about this)
- Private VPN with WireGuard (I have a post about this)
- Your own api to earn money with it (I have a post about this)
- Web server for your projects (I have a post about this)
- Database for your apps
- Ad blocker On your whole network easy and fast(I have a post about this)
- Discord or Telegram Bot
- Whatever comes to mind
I have a lot of self-hosting tutorials on the blog that use this same server. I encourage you to take a look because you might be interested in one.
If you want me to make more specific tutorials on what to do with this server, leave it in the youtube video comments :).
Conclusion
And that’s it. You already have your free server forever. You don’t need more.
As you see, it is no weird trick or anything illegal. It is simply taking advantage of what Oracle offers us officially. I have been with this server for two years and I have never had any problem. They have never charged me anything nor closed my account.
Mind you, remember that if you exceed the free limits I mentioned, then they will start charging you. So pay attention to consumption.
If you liked this post, share it with your developer colleagues. And if you have doubts, you know, in the comments that I read them all.
See you in the next post.
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