Verified free-tier limits
Azure Free Tier: $200 Credit and Limits
$200 for 30 days plus ongoing free allowances
Yes. New Microsoft Azure customers receive a $200 credit that can be used for 30 days. Azure also advertises more than 20 services with free monthly quantities for 12 months and more than 65 services with ongoing free monthly quantities. A card is required for identity verification, but Microsoft says Azure will not charge it unless the customer moves to pay-as-you-go pricing.
What remains free after the Azure credit
Azure's introductory credit and its service allowances are separate benefits. The $200 credit expires after 30 days. Some service-specific quantities continue for the first 12 months, while a different set is always free within published monthly caps. For example, Azure's live table lists Azure DevOps for five users with unlimited private Git repositories as always free, Event Grid with 100,000 operations per month as always free, and the Basic Load Balancer with 750 hours, 15 GB of data processing, and up to five rules for 12 months. Usage above any allowance requires pay-as-you-go billing.
| Introductory credit | $200, usable for 30 days |
|---|---|
| 12-month services | 20+ services with published monthly quantities |
| Always-free services | 65+ services with published monthly quantities |
| Example limits | Azure DevOps: 5 users; Event Grid: 100,000 operations/month |
Where the free limits apply
- The $200 credit is for eligible new Azure customers.
- Microsoft requires a phone number, card, and Microsoft or GitHub account for signup.
- A temporary card authorization can appear during verification; Microsoft documents that it is not a charge.
- Free service quantities apply only within their stated regions, SKUs, and monthly caps.
How to start without an accidental bill
- 01 Create the account from Azure's official free-account page and review the displayed regional terms.
- 02 Confirm the $200 credit and 30-day expiration in Cost Management after signup.
- 03 Use Azure's free-services table to check the exact SKU and monthly quantity before deploying a resource.
- 04 Set a budget and decide whether to move to pay-as-you-go before the credit expires.
Limits to know before you choose
- The $200 introductory credit expires after 30 days.
- Microsoft disables services if the credit or 30-day period ends and the customer does not move to pay-as-you-go.
- Always free means free only up to each service's monthly quantity, not unlimited use.
- A pay-as-you-go account can incur charges when usage exceeds a free allowance.
Verified alternatives
Only alternatives with a first-party education offer or free tier are listed here.
First-party sources
Offer terms can change. Each citation records exactly what it supports and when CostBench checked it.
- Microsoft Azure — Account purchase options $200 credit, 30-day period, 12-month and always-free service counts, card policy, and upgrade behavior.
- Microsoft Azure — Free services Current service-level quantities, including Azure DevOps, Event Grid, and Load Balancer examples.
Frequently asked questions
01 How much free Azure credit do new customers get?
Eligible new customers get $200 in Azure credit that can be used during the first 30 days.
02 Does Azure charge the signup card automatically?
Microsoft says it does not charge the card unless you move to pay-as-you-go. A temporary authorization can appear for verification.
03 What happens after the 30-day Azure trial?
The credit expires. You must move to pay-as-you-go to keep services enabled, while eligible 12-month and always-free quantities can still offset usage.
04 Are Azure's always-free services unlimited?
No. Each service has a published monthly quantity, SKU, and other conditions. Usage beyond those limits is billable on pay-as-you-go.