5 free VPS mistakes that get people charged
short answer: Set a billing alert first, stay inside the free tier shapes and regions, keep the server active, and delete trial servers before the trial ends. Those four steps prevent almost every free VPS surprise bill.
1. no billing alert
Set it before you create anything. Every major cloud lets you do this.
2. paid resources outside the free tier
A free VM with a paid disk, IP, or snapshot is not free.
3. idle instances
Oracle can reclaim idle Always Free instances. Use the server, or expect it to disappear.
4. trial expiry
Google deletes trial resources after a grace period. Kamatera starts billing after 30 days unless you delete.
5. wrong region
Free shapes are region-specific. Pick a region where the free shape actually exists.
faqs
Q: Can I run a real site on a free VPS? A: A small, low-traffic site, yes. A customer-facing production site, no — use a paid VPS for that.