Oracle Cloud's free tier gives beginners a real virtual server at no cost, but the signup and setup process has traps that can lead to unexpected charges or a locked account.

The free tier has two parts: Always Free resources that stay free within set limits, and a time-limited trial credit. For a first VPS you only need the Always Free resources.

Sign up with a card for identity verification, pick your home region carefully since it cannot easily change, and enable two-factor authentication immediately.

Create a small Always Free instance, save the SSH key securely, harden the server with updates and a firewall, and check your usage monthly so you never leave the free tier by accident.