Unable to run simultaneously two EC2 instances as Free Tier

Question

Hello,

I'm new to AWS and I'm trying to find out if it's possible to run simultaneously two EC2 instances as Free Tier. The instance types that have 2 vCPU are not eligible for Free Tier. Is this a limit based on region, or its for all of Free Tier subscriptions.

You have requested more vCPU capacity than your current vCPU limit of 1 allows for the instance bucket that the specified instance type belongs to.

Please advise how to run two Free tier eligible instances simultaneously.

Accepted Answer

Hello.

> The instance types that have 2 vCPU are not eligible for Free Tier. Is this a limit based on region, or its for all of Free Tier subscriptions.

For the free tier of EC2, you can use t3.micro in regions where t2.micro is not available.  
t3.micro offers 2vCPU.  
https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/pricing/?nc1=h_ls  
> As part of the AWS Free Tier, you can get started with EC2 for free. This includes 750 hours of Linux and Windows t2.micro instances (t3.micro for the regions in which t2.micro is unavailable), each month for one year. To stay within the Free Tier, use only EC2 Micro instances.

The regions where t2.micro cannot be used are quite limited.  
https://aws.amazon.com/free/free-tier-faqs/?nc1=h_ls#Instances  
> The EC2 instance sizes available as part of the Free Tier depends on the region you choose to provision your resources. Some regions like the Middle East (Bahrain) region and the EU (Stockholm) region do not offer t2.micro instances. In cases like these, AWS offers the same 750 hour usage on t3.micro instances as they do for t2.micro instances in other regions. Check the console in the region you plan to provision your resources or use the describe-instance-types API to determine which one is Free Tier in any specific region.

> Please advise how to run two Free tier eligible instances simultaneously.

It is possible to start up even two EC2 machines as long as the monthly startup time is within 750 hours in total.  
In other words, the operating time when two devices can be started at the same time is 375 hours.  
So, if you use the free tier EC2 on two machines at the same time, you can leave them running for about 15 days a month.

Answer

AWS Free Tier has limits on the number of vCPUs you can use. The limit is specific to the region you are operating in. If you are trying to launch instances in a region where you have reached the vCPU limit, you won't be able to launch additional instances that exceed the limit.

Here are steps that can help you run two Free Tier eligible instances simultaneously:

1. Choose Eligible Instance Types:
Select instance types that are eligible for the Free Tier. Instances with 1 vCPU are typically part of the Free Tier.

2. Check vCPU Limits:
Verify the vCPU limits in the AWS Management Console. Go to the EC2 Dashboard, and under "Limits" on the left navigation pane, check the vCPU limits for the region you are operating in.

3. Use Different Regions:
If you encounter vCPU limits in one region, consider launching instances in a different AWS region where you have not reached the vCPU limits.

Unable to run simultaneously two EC2 instances as Free Tier

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