ByHow to Get an AWS Free Trial The Risk-Free Way
Cloud computing continues to be the popular method for storing and accessing global data from any location on any device. Amazon has jumped into the cloud computing arena with its affordable Web Services (AWS) platform, opening the door for more companies and developers to harness the power of this versatile technology.
Depending on the included services, AWS offers several types of paid plans which run the gamut from basic, pay as you go services, to pricier, higher-level database storage and processing capabilities. However, AWS' free trial, referred to as Free Tier, allows you to explore more than 100 products for no charge for up to 12 months.
While the allows the opportunity to explore their expansive line of services for one year, subscribers can be easily caught off guard if they forget to cancel before the expiration date. Users who did not expect to pay for the service are billed by Amazon on the credit card they submitted upon registration.
To avoid this problem, DoNotPay has a workaround that allows you to start the risk-free. This guide will cover how to start the AWS free trial without the worry of being charged after the trial ends.
Types of AWS Free Trials
DoNotPay offers three types of plans in the Free Tier program. It's important to know the differences between each so that you do not find yourself paying for unwanted subscriptions.
| Free trials | 12 months free | Always free |
| These are short-term free trial offers that start from the date you activate the service. They have VARYING time frames for each trial. | This category of products is all available for free during the entire 12-month trial period. | These free tier offers never expire and are available to all customers at no charge. |
How Can I Get the AWS Free Trial?
You can sign up for the AWS Free Tier by following the procedure given below:
- Navigate to the AWS Free Tier sign-up page.
- Click on Create a Free Account. As prompted, enter an email address that will be used to sign in to your account, a password, and an AWS account name. After entering this information, click Continue.
- Select between Business or Personal on how you will be using AWS. Fill in your contact information and agree to the terms of the AWS Customer Agreement. Click Continue.
- Enter your credit or debit card information. Click Verify and Continue.
- You will be taken to the payment gateway to validate your payment information and verify your credit card information. Click Submit.
- Select either Text message or Voice call to receive the verification code.
- Enter the 4-digit code that you received. You should see "Your identity has been verified successfully." Click Continue.
- Select a support plan from the choices given.
- Once you have completed all of the above successfully, you will see a confirmation page explaining your account is being activated. This will take between 30 minutes to an hour. You will receive a confirmation email once your account is active.
Does the AWS Free Trial Automatically Renew Into a Paid Subscription?
- After you have surpassed the Free Tier time limit, it will automatically convert to a paid plan if you do not cancel it before it expires. Note that several products have varying Free Tier time limits.
- You can also incur charges if you exceed the monthly Free Tier usage limits for specific services. To avoid being charged, check your AWS usage activity by logging into your Billing and Cost Management Dashboard. From this dashboard, you can identify and shut down resources that are generating the charges.
- AWS will issue refunds for charges within seven days of the conversion to a paid subscription. You can initiate a refund request by submitting a Refund Request Form.
Avoid Automatic Renewal With DoNotPay's Virtual Credit Card
More often than not, free trial subscribers forget to cancel service before they are charged with the credit card information they submitted. As a result, they end up paying for services they didn't intend to continue. This is where DoNotPay's Virtual Credit Card can be a lifesaver.
- DoNotPay generates a random number and credit card information that can be used to subscribe to any service.
- When the free trial expires, the service cannot charge you because there is no money on the card. As a result, you are unsubscribed automatically from the service.
- For more information, read Use a Virtual Credit Card for Free Trials.
How Much Does AWS Cost After the Trial?
- AWS uses a pay-as-you-go structure for varying prices on over 200 services. Visit AWS Pricing for more information on pricing for Compute, Storage, and Database services.
- AWS also features a pricing calculator, so you can estimate your monthly bill.
What Will AWS Charges Look Like on My Statement?
- AWS charges will appear on your credit card statement with the description of the service with your 9-digit invoice number. The AWS Billing and Cost Management console contains an orders and invoices section to compare the charges under this number.
- You may see Amazon Web Services, Amazon Marketplace PMTS Amazon.com appear on your credit card statement for charges related to the AWS service.
What Are the Most Popular Alternatives to AWS?
The following companies offer many of the same services like AWS and also have free trials.
- Microsoft Azure - Microsoft provides cloud services through its network of managed data centers. Azure will price match AWS for comparable services. See Azure's pricing details by product page for all plans.
- Google Cloud - Offers a wide range of hosted services. Request a quote or view the price list for individual products.
- Oracle Cloud - Oracle's cloud price list allows you to compare pricing across other providers.
- IBM Cloud - IBM has over 170 cloud products and services. They offer a $200 credit after upgrading to a Pay-As-You-Go account.
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
Solving your free trial issues is one of the many things DoNotPay can help you do. DoNotPay can help you solve several problems you're facing including:
- Jumping the phone queue when getting in touch with customer service reps
- Scheduling a DMV appointment fast and easy
- Protecting yourself from stalking and embarrassment
- Canceling subscriptions or memberships
- Getting revenge on robocalls
- Fighting speeding tickets
- Dealing with issues with credit cards
- Getting refunds and chargebacks from companies
- Dealing with bills you cannot pay
- Contesting parking tickets
- Disputing traffic tickets
- Send Demand Letters To people and companies in small claims court
- Getting rid of spam mail forever
- Getting compensation for delayed or canceled flights
- Signing up for free trials risk-free
- Getting rid of spam text messages
These are just a few guides and solutions DoNotPay provides to help you through many types of situations. With over 250,000 cases successfully resolved, DoNotPay's multi-purpose platform levels the playing field for everyone.