Best Free Cloud Computing Courses in 2026 (AWS and Azure)

Almost every backend, DevOps, data, and machine learning job now lists cloud experience as a requirement or a nice-to-have. Companies run their apps on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, and they want people who understand how those platforms work. You don't need to be a network engineer. For most roles, the bar is understanding core services, pricing, security basics, and how the pieces fit together. The good news: the two biggest cloud providers give away their entry-level training for free. AWS and Microsoft both publish official courses that prepare you for their foundational certifications. You can go from knowing nothing about the cloud to passing a recognized exam without spending a cent on study material. The exam itself costs money (roughly $100 to $150), but the prep is free.

We used three filters. First, it has to be genuinely free with no paywall hiding the useful parts. Second, it has to be taught by or built with the actual cloud provider, so the content matches what the platform really does. Third, it has to lead somewhere real: a certification, a verifiable badge, or a clear skill you can put to work. A quick note on scope. This guide covers the two biggest public clouds, AWS and Azure. Google Cloud has no free structured beginner course in our catalog yet, so it's not here. If that changes, we'll add it. For now, AWS and Azure are where most beginners start, and where most of the jobs are.

This is the official AWS training for the Cloud Practitioner certification, and it's the place most people should begin. It runs about 7 hours, split into short modules covering cloud concepts, the core services (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda), security, pricing, and support. The curriculum lines up directly with the AWS CCP exam objectives, so finishing it gets you most of the way to passing. The AWS CCP is the standard entry-level cloud credential. A lot of employers treat it as proof that you understand the basics of how the cloud works, which makes it a strong first cert even if you're not aiming to specialize in AWS. You get a free completion badge when you finish. Best for: anyone who wants a structured, provider-official path to their first cloud certification. Find it at /courses/aws-cloud-practitioner-essentials, and see the platform profile at /platforms/aws-skill-builder.

This is a single 13-hour video on freeCodeCamp's YouTube channel that covers the same CCP curriculum, just at a slower pace with more explanation. If the official AWS modules feel too dense or move too fast, this is a good alternative or supplement. One instructor walks you through every topic end to end. There's no certificate here, but that's not the point. It prepares you for the paid CCP exam, and the extra depth helps if you're new to cloud concepts and want things explained rather than summarized. Many people watch this alongside the official AWS modules to fill in gaps before sitting the exam. Best for: self-taught learners who prefer a single instructor walking through everything in detail. Find it at /courses/freecodecamp-aws-ccp.

Microsoft's official, browser-based learning path for the AZ-900 exam. It runs about 4 hours and includes interactive sandbox exercises, so you can practice in a real Azure environment without a credit card. It covers cloud concepts, Azure architecture, pricing, and compliance. This is the natural pick if you work in a Microsoft-heavy environment (Office 365, Teams, .NET), or if you want a second credential to sit alongside the AWS CCP. The hands-on sandbox is a genuine plus: you learn by clicking through a live Azure portal rather than just watching. You earn a free completion badge, and the path maps to the paid AZ-900 certification. Best for: people in Microsoft shops, or anyone who wants a second cloud cert after AWS. Find it at /courses/microsoft-learn-az-900, and see the platform profile at /platforms/microsoft-learn.

| Course | Platform | Time | Certificate | Best for | |---|---|---|---|---| | AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials | AWS Skill Builder | ~7 hrs | Completion badge | First cloud cert | | AWS CCP Study Course | freeCodeCamp | ~13 hrs | No (preps for exam) | Slower, deeper walkthrough | | Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 | Microsoft Learn | ~4 hrs | Completion badge | Second cloud / Microsoft shops |

Pick AWS first if you want the most widely recognized entry-level cert, or if the jobs you're targeting are AWS-heavy. Most cloud job postings mention AWS more than any other provider, so it's the safest default. Pick Azure first if your employer already runs on Microsoft tools. In a shop that lives in Office 365 and .NET, an AZ-900 badge is more immediately useful. Honestly, both are free, so there's no real reason not to do both in sequence. That's roughly 24 hours total if you do the official AWS course, the freeCodeCamp video, and the AZ-900 path. Doing both gives you a working understanding of how the two biggest clouds compare, which is a useful thing to talk about in interviews. See all free cloud courses at /languages/cloud.

Once you have a foundational cert or two, the next move is picking a specialty. The common paths are infrastructure (networking, containers, Kubernetes), data engineering, or AI and machine learning on the cloud. Each provider has deeper certifications for these tracks, and the entry-level cert you just earned is the prerequisite for most of them. If the AI route appeals to you, cloud skills are a big part of deploying real AI systems. See our guide on how to become an AI engineer at /guides/how-to-become-an-ai-engineer for that path.