How To: Setup an always free account with Oracle Cloud

BitmapBytes.com uses the Oracle Cloud to host this blog - in a 6 part series I will be taking you through how you can quickly and easily spin up a website with 200gb of free space hosted on the Oracle Cloud. Connect it with your domain with https support, setup the domain with free email service for 5 emails provided by ZOHO mail - and finally install the Ghost blogging platform and configuring it with Mailgun for sending out newsletters to your followers.


In this guide we are going to set you up with a free Oracle Cloud Account - you'll need your credit card but don't worry this is just for authentication and initial setup of your cloud account.

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You'll only be charged if you upgrade a service or select a service that is not part of the Always free tier.

If you want to find out more with what you get with Oracle Cloud Infrastructures Free Tier head here - https://www.oracle.com/cloud/free/

Signing up for an account

  1. Head over to the Oracle Cloud Signup page
    https://signup.cloud.oracle.com/

2. Validate your email

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I wasn't able to use my gmail account at the time of going through this but was able to use my own provider email.
Verify Email from Oracle Cloud 

3. Add your account information

4. Verify your address and payment

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I ran into a few issues here with the Payment Verification... But after a few tries changing verification cards my account was setup. 
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Start my free trial???
Don't worry - you won't be charged unless you upgrade a service or select a billable service.


You can use your Always Free resources as long as you want with no time constraints—subject only to the capacity limits noted. When your 30-day trial period for the expanded set of services ends, you can continue using Always Free services with no interruption.

Always Free and Free Trial instances can be seamlessly upgraded to paid at any time. Existing Oracle Cloud customers have access to Always Free services automatically—no new sign up required.