# AWS - Create Your Free Account In 7 Easy Steps

**Amazon Web Services (AWS)** is one of the leading **cloud computing** platforms.
If you are looking for a solution that will make it simple for you to **develop**, **test**, and **deploy** your project, and after the deployment, if you want to **monitor** and smoothly **scale up and down** your project depending on user demand then AWS is totally for you because it already has them!

Let’s have a look at the benefits of using AWS at a glance:
- **Cost-effective** as you will be paying only for the computing power, storage, and other services on a usage base.
- **Flexible** with selecting the operating system, programming language, database, web application platform, and other services that are needed.
- **Reliable** as it has a secure and global computing infrastructure.
- **Scalable** and super **Available**.
- **Secure** as AWS provides end to end approach with their physical, software, and operational measures.
- **Easy to use**.

Now, if you are convinced to use AWS for your business, yourself, or simply for playing around, you must first create an account with AWS in order to get started. In this article, I'll walk you through the process of setting up your account in accordance with **AWS Best Practices**. So, keep reading this article to the very end!

****Note:**** Creating an AWS account is free and gives you immediate access to the [***AWS Free Tier***](https://aws.amazon.com/free/?all-free-tier.sort-by=item.additionalFields.SortRank&all-free-tier.sort-order=asc&awsf.Free%20Tier%20Types=*all&awsf.Free%20Tier%20Categories=*all).

### Step 1 - Sign up for AWS:

1. Go to **[*AWS Sign Up*](https://portal.aws.amazon.com/billing/signup?nc2=h_ct&src=header_signup&redirect_url=https%3A%2F%2Faws.amazon.com%2Fregistration-confirmation#/start/email)** page.
2. Fill up the **Root user email address**. This email will have all the administrative access in AWS.

  ****Best Practice:**** According to AWS, for business purposes, use a business email address (e.g. it.admins@example.com).
3. Fill up the **AWS account name.** You'll be able to change it later.

  ****Best Practice:**** According to AWS naming conventions, for organization, use organization-purpose-environment (e.g. abc-device_management-dev), and for personal, use first_name-last_name-purpose (e.g. john-doe-testaccount).
4. Click on the **Verify email address** button.

![sign-up-page.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669203660690/Dm6ye01Yd.png align="left")

### Step 2 - Verify email address:

1. Check your inbox. If you can’t find the email, then check your spam folder. It can take up to 5 minutes for the email to arrive.

  ![verification-email.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669203675207/Ig-582MQG.png align="center")
    
2. Upon getting the email, copy the code. Then go back to the confirmation page and paste the code. Finally, hit the **Verify** button.

  ![confirmation-page.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669203688964/3jG9JQSyP.png align="center")

### Step 3 - Set up root user password:

1. Enter ****Root user password**** and ****Confirm root user password.****
2. Press **Continue.**

![password-setup-page.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669203708871/iXiZ1sNq1.png align="center")

### Step 4 - Set up contact information:

1. Choose the plan. If you are creating the account for business purposes, then select the **Business** option or else select the **Personal** option. As I am creating for my personal usage so I am going to choose the personal option.
2. Enter your **Full Name.**
3. Enter your **Phone Number**. 
    
    ****Best Practice:**** For business, make sure to enter your company phone number.
    
4. Enter your **Country or Region, Address, City, State, Province, or Region,** and **Postal Code** one by one.
5. Read and accept the **[*AWS Customer Agreement*](https://aws.amazon.com/agreement/)**.
6. Recheck the information and press **Continue.**

![personal-information-page.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669203745892/WogKHPg-r.png align="center")

### Step 5 - Set up billing information:

1. Enter your **Credit or Debit card number.**
2. Enter the **Expiration date** of your Credit or Debit card.
3. Enter the **Cardholder’s name.**
4. Select your contact address as your billing address. If you want to input a different address for billing, then select **Use a new address** and fill in the necessary information.
5. Recheck the information and press **Verify.**

![billing-info-page.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669203760928/vS-JyQOTz.png align="center")

****Important:**** You need to add valid billing information, or else you won’t be able to proceed with the account creation. Also, AWS will mortgage $1 USD or an equivalent amount in local currency until the completion of billing information verification. The billing information verification process can take 3-5 days to complete. When it is completed, AWS will return your money.

### Step 6 - Verify contact number:

1. Select your **Country or Region Code.**
2. Enter your **Mobile phone number.**
3. Enter the correct **CAPTCHA.**
4. Press **Send SMS** button.

  ![contact-number-verification-page.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669203789986/Dj8dIHbIK.png align="center")
    
5. Wait for a few minutes to get the verification code for your given number.
6. After receiving the code, enter it and press the **Verify** button.

  ![verify-code-page.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669204504301/iU9uo7qQd.png align="center")

### Step 7 - Select a support plan:

1. Select your desired **Support Plan.**
2. Press the **Complete sign up** button.

![completion-page.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669203541710/VExNqQtdJ.png align="center")


**Congratulations!** You have completed the final step!!!

![congratulations-page.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669203560146/oG3HLSRZP.png align="center")


### Account activation email

Although you are presented with a **Congratulations!** message, still a button saying **Complete Sign Up** is showing at the top right corner of the page.

![congratulations-page-2.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669203605235/N-PYhnax3.png align="center")

Well, Don’t get worried. AWS is simply activating your account and within 24 hours you will get an email from them. After you get the activation email, you will have access to all AWS services.

![activation-email.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669204529198/nwig4w62n.png align="center")


So, when your AWS account is ready start exploring and start building some awesome projects!!!

![aws-account-dashboard.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1669219249963/TttPiG6Bv.png align="left")

****Important:**** If you don’t get the email within the time period:

- Check all the steps for the signup process.
- Check the information associated with the payment method.
- Contact your bank to see if you have proper permission.
- Check your email for additional information.
- Contact **[*AWS Support*](https://aws.amazon.com/support)** for help.