AWS Free Tier: What's Free for 12 Months?
A new AWS customer wants to explore AWS services for the first time. They launch a t2.micro EC2 instance and use up to 5 GB of Amazon S3 storage. They want to understand if these will incur charges. Which AWS programme provides limited free usage of many services for new accounts during the first 12 months?
Quick Answer
The answer is the AWS Free Tier, which is the correct choice because it provides new AWS customers with limited free usage of select services—such as t2.micro EC2 instances and up to 5 GB of Amazon S3 storage—for the first 12 months after account creation, as long as they stay within the defined usage limits. This program is designed specifically to let users explore AWS services without incurring charges, making it the exact match for the scenario described. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this concept tests your understanding of the AWS Free Tier 12 months limits and how they apply to common services like EC2 and S3; a frequent trap is assuming all services are free or that the Free Tier lasts indefinitely. A strong memory tip is to remember the "12-month rule" for new accounts: t2.micro EC2 (750 hours/month) and 5 GB of S3 standard storage are the classic free-tier benchmarks, so if you see those numbers, think "Free Tier."
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse the AWS Free Tier with promotional credits or support plans, mistakenly thinking that any new account automatically receives free usage through credits or that support plans include free service usage, rather than recognizing the Free Tier as the specific program with defined limits and duration.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
AWS Free Tier
The AWS Free Tier is designed specifically for new AWS customers, offering limited free usage of select services—including t2.micro EC2 instances and 5 GB of Amazon S3 storage—for the first 12 months after account creation. This program allows users to explore AWS services without incurring charges, as long as they stay within the defined usage limits. The scenario matches the Free Tier's eligibility criteria exactly, making option B correct.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
AWS Enterprise Support
Why it's wrong here
Enterprise Support is a paid support plan. It does not provide free service usage.
- ✓
AWS Free Tier
Why this is correct
The AWS Free Tier provides 12 months of limited free service usage for new accounts. It includes 750 hours/month of t2.micro or t3.micro EC2 and 5 GB of S3 Standard storage, among many other services.
- ✗
AWS Credits Programme
Why it's wrong here
AWS Credits are promotional or research credits applied to an account's bill. They are separate from the Free Tier, which is a structural offering for all new accounts.
- ✗
Reserved Instance discount
Why it's wrong here
Reserved Instances require an upfront commitment for 1 or 3 years in exchange for a discount. They are not a free tier for new customers.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on CLF-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. What does the AWS Free Tier offer to new AWS customers?
easy- A.Unlimited free usage of all AWS services forever
- ✓ B.Free usage of certain services up to specified limits for 12 months
- C.Free usage only for the first month after signup
- D.Free usage for all services with a credit card on file
Why B: The AWS Free Tier is designed to allow new customers to explore and experiment with AWS services at no cost for the first 12 months after sign-up. It includes specific usage limits per service (e.g., 750 hours of Amazon EC2 t2.micro instances per month, 5 GB of Amazon S3 standard storage, etc.), after which standard pay-as-you-go rates apply. This helps customers gain hands-on experience without upfront financial commitment.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CLF-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CLF-C02 exam.