Deploy Azure SQL Database for free

Try Azure SQL Database at no cost with the free tier. For each database, you get 100,000 vCore seconds, 32 GB of data, and 32 GB of backup storage free per month for the lifetime of your subscription. Each Azure subscription allows you to create up to 10 free tier General Purpose databases.

Tip

To get started and quickly create a new free Azure SQL Database, visit the Azure SQL hub at aka.ms/azuresqlhub. In the Create a database pane, select the Start free link.

Prerequisites

You need an Azure account and subscription. Unlike the previous Azure free account offer, the free tier is available with most Azure subscription types. Microsoft Azure for Students Starter isn't supported.

Create a database

Choose the Azure portal, Azure CLI, PowerShell, or an agent prompt to create a free tier database.

Use the Azure portal to create the new free Azure SQL Database. To create a free tier database, follow these steps:

Go to Azure SQL hub at aka.ms/azuresqlhub.
In the pane Create a database, select Start free.
On the Basics tab:
1. Under Project details:
  - Select your Subscription. Your current subscription is already selected.
  - An existing Resource Group is already selected. You can select a different resource group or create a new one.
2. Under Database details:
  - Use the automatically created unique Database name, or provide a new name.
  - An existing logical Server is already selected. You can select a different logical server or create a new one.
The Cost summary card on the right side of the page shows an Estimated Cost/Month of zero. The database is created with default settings, including the option to pause the database when the free limits are reached. You can change these database settings later.
Select Review + create.
Review and select Create.

Use an existing logical server in the active subscription, or create a new one. The resource group must already exist. For the complete server setup, see Create a single database.

If you need a new logical server, create it first:

az sql server create --name <server-name> --resource-group <resource-group> --location <region> --admin-user <admin-login> --admin-password <admin-password>

If you plan to use an existing server, verify the server name and resource group:

az sql server show --name <server-name> --resource-group <resource-group> --output table

Then create the database in that server with az sql db create and --use-free-limit true. Without this parameter, you create a billable serverless database.

az sql db create --name <database-name> --server <server-name> --resource-group <resource-group> --edition GeneralPurpose --family Gen5 --capacity 2 --compute-model Serverless --use-free-limit true --free-limit-exhaustion-behavior AutoPause

The command is on one line so you can use it in PowerShell, Bash, or another supported shell without changing line-continuation characters.

To connect from your computer, add its public IP address to the logical server's firewall. Replace <client-ip-address> with your public IPv4 address:

az sql server firewall-rule create --name AllowClientIp --server <server-name> --resource-group <resource-group> --start-ip-address <client-ip-address> --end-ip-address <client-ip-address>

Use AutoPause to pause at the monthly free limit, or BillOverUsage to continue with charges. For more information, see Considerations and limitations.

Install the Az.Sql PowerShell module and sign in with Connect-AzAccount. Use an existing logical server in the active subscription, or create a new one. The resource group must already exist.

If you need a new logical server, create it first. The command prompts you for the server administrator credentials:

New-AzSqlServer -ResourceGroupName "<resource-group>" -ServerName "<server-name>" -Location "<region>" -ServerVersion "12.0" -SqlAdministratorCredentials (Get-Credential)

If you plan to use an existing server, verify the server name and resource group:

Get-AzSqlServer -ResourceGroupName "<resource-group>" -ServerName "<server-name>"

Then create the database in that server. -UseFreeLimit is a switch in Azure PowerShell, so don't add a value after it:

New-AzSqlDatabase -ResourceGroupName "<resource-group>" -ServerName "<server-name>" -DatabaseName "<database-name>" -Edition GeneralPurpose -VCore 2 -ComputeGeneration Gen5 -ComputeModel Serverless -UseFreeLimit -FreeLimitExhaustionBehavior AutoPause

To connect from your computer, add its public IP address to the logical server's firewall. Replace <client-ip-address> with your public IPv4 address:

New-AzSqlServerFirewallRule -ResourceGroupName "<resource-group>" -ServerName "<server-name>" -FirewallRuleName "AllowClientIp" -StartIpAddress "<client-ip-address>" -EndIpAddress "<client-ip-address>"

Use AutoPause to pause at the monthly free limit, or BillOverUsage to continue with charges. For more information, see Considerations and limitations.

Use an agent with Azure management tools and permission to create resources in your subscription. For example, follow the setup instructions for GitHub Copilot for Azure, open Copilot Chat in Visual Studio Code, and select Agent.

Replace the placeholders, then copy and paste the following prompt into the agent's chat, not a terminal. Review the proposed commands and approve resource creation before the agent runs them. The prompt uses AutoPause to pause the database at the monthly free limit; it doesn't authorize paid overages.

Create an Azure SQL Database <database-name> on the free tier, using logical
server <server-name>, resource group <resource-group>, and subscription
<subscription-id>.

1. Confirm the subscription, resource group, region, database name, and whether
   the logical server exists. Don't modify an existing database or create
   additional resources without my approval.
1. Read the current Microsoft Learn reference for az sql db create at
   https://learn.microsoft.com/cli/azure/sql/db#az-sql-db-create.
   Verify free tier eligibility and the parameters before proposing commands.
1. Show me the planned resources, authentication method, firewall changes, and
   any potential charges. Ask for my explicit approval before making changes.
   Don't ask me to paste passwords or access tokens into chat.
1. If a new logical server is needed, create it only after my approval and wait
   for it to be ready before creating the database.
1. Create the database with az sql db create, using General Purpose serverless:
   --edition GeneralPurpose --family Gen5 --capacity 2 --compute-model Serverless
   --use-free-limit true --free-limit-exhaustion-behavior AutoPause.
   Don't omit --use-free-limit true. Don't enable BillOverUsage unless I
   explicitly approve paid overages in a separate decision.
1. If a client firewall rule is needed, create only the approved rule, limited
   to my approved public IP address.
1. Format commands for my shell. Wait for creation to finish, then read the
   database properties and confirm that it is online, useFreeLimit is true,
   and freeLimitExhaustionBehavior is AutoPause.
1. If any step fails or the free tier configuration can't be verified, stop
   and show the error, current resource state, and a safe next step. Don't
   create a billable database as a fallback or claim success without verification.

Verify the deployment

After creation finishes, confirm that:

The database is online in the intended subscription, resource group, and logical server.
The database uses the free tier. In Azure CLI output, useFreeLimit is true.
The behavior at the monthly free limit matches your choice. The creation examples in this article use AutoPause; BillOverUsage enables paid overages.

Use the database's Overview and Compute + storage pages in the Azure portal, az sql db show, or Get-AzSqlDatabase to check the configuration.

Query the database

After you create the database, connect to it with the tool or language of your choice. For a guided first query, see Query the database.

Use the query editor in the Azure portal to run queries without installing a tool.
Use SQL Server Management Studio, the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code, or sqlcmd for interactive queries.
To query the database from an application, choose a driver or provider from Microsoft SQL drivers and frameworks. For example, use Microsoft.Data.SqlClient for .NET or mssql-python for Python. Then follow the language quickstarts to connect and run your first query.

Monitor and track service usage

Track free usage

Use the Azure portal to track the free amount remaining or consumed:

On the database Overview tab, you see a Free monthly vCore amount entry:
Select the seconds remaining amount. The Metrics chart launches where you can look at Free amount remaining or Free amount consumed metrics.

On the Metrics tab, you can also create an alert rule at no cost. Use the Free amount remaining metric to send an alert when the amount is less than 10,000 vCore seconds (10% of the monthly limit), so you know when you're running out for the month.

Monitor with Database Hub (preview)

Optionally, use Database Hub in Microsoft Fabric (preview) for an estate-wide view of Azure SQL databases that you have permission to access. It's available with a Fabric Free license and doesn't require Fabric capacity. Your databases remain in their existing Azure subscriptions.

For setup and preview prerequisites, see Monitor a Microsoft SQL database. To add performance data, see Enable performance monitoring for Microsoft SQL.

Considerations and limitations

The following considerations and limitations apply to Azure SQL Database free tier databases:

The free tier uses the same fully managed General Purpose infrastructure as a paid database, but it doesn't include a service-level agreement (SLA). Use it primarily for development and proof-of-concept scenarios.
Choose the behavior for when you reach the monthly free limit:
- Auto-pause the database until next month stops charges, but the database is inaccessible until the allowance resets at the start of the next calendar month.
- Continue using database for additional charges keeps the database online and bills overages at standard General Purpose serverless rates. You can't switch back to the auto-pause option.
The free tier databases automatically pause after 15 minutes of inactivity. The auto-pause delay is fixed and can't be changed, regardless of the selected behavior when the monthly free limit is reached.
Disconnect querying tools such as SQL Server Management Studio, including the Object Explorer, when you're done. An open connection prevents auto-pause and continues to consume vCore seconds. If the database doesn't auto-pause, review features that prevent auto-pause.
You can apply the free tier only to a new database. You can't restore or convert an existing database to the free tier.
If you use Advanced configuration, the region selected for the first free tier database applies to all free tier databases in that subscription and can't be changed.

For backup, scaling, copying, and feature compatibility details, see the Azure SQL Database free tier FAQ.

Upgrade to Hyperscale

As your workload grows, you can upgrade your existing free tier database to Hyperscale. The guide covers prerequisites, separate updates to disable the free tier and convert the database, and verification.

Allowing paid overages doesn't disable the free tier. Leaving the free tier is permanent for this database, and paid General Purpose usage can accrue even if the subsequent Hyperscale conversion fails. Review the upgrade guide before making changes.

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Last updated on 2026-11-02