Oracle Cloud alternative for Discord bots: Always Free limits
Oracle Cloud's Always Free tier gives you real virtual machines at no cost, and lots of people run Discord bots on it. Here are the limits that matter, and when a bot host is simpler.
Oracle facts below are from Oracle's Always Free Resources documentation and the Oracle Cloud Free Tier page, both checked on November 3, 2026.
What Oracle's Always Free tier gives you #
| Resource | Always Free limit |
|---|---|
| AMD Micro VMs | Up to 2 instances of VM.Standard.E2.1.Micro: 1/8 of an OCPU and 1 GB of memory each |
| Arm (Ampere A1) VMs | First 1,500 OCPU hours and 9,000 GB hours a month; for Always Free tenancies that equals 2 OCPUs and 12 GB of memory |
| Block storage | 200 GB of Always Free block volume storage; each instance's boot volume is at least 47 GB |
| Region | Always Free compute must be created in your home region |
That's far more RAM than a small bot needs. The catch is in the rules around it.
Why bots get knocked offline on Oracle #
- Idle instances can be reclaimed. Oracle says it may reclaim Always Free compute instances it deems idle. An instance counts as idle if, over 7 days, its 95th-percentile CPU use is under 20%, network use is under 20%, and (for A1 shapes) memory use is under 20%. A small, quiet Discord bot can easily sit under those numbers.
- "Out of host capacity". Oracle's docs say this error means a temporary lack of Always Free shapes in your home region. You may have to retry, try another availability domain, or wait.
- You run the whole server. It's a bare Linux VM. You install Python or Node.js, keep the OS updated, set up a process manager so the bot restarts after a crash or reboot, and handle firewall rules yourself.
- Home region only. Always Free instances must be in the home region you picked at sign-up.
Oracle Always Free vs ESN for a small bot #
| Oracle Always Free | ESN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 within Always Free limits | ESN Nano $0.50/month (256 MB), ESN Starter $0.75/month (512 MB) |
| RAM | 1 GB per Micro VM, or up to 12 GB on Arm | 256 MB to 15 GB, depending on plan |
| Setup | Create a VM, SSH in, install a runtime, set up a service or process manager | Upload files, set the main file, press Start |
| Keeping it online | Your job: updates, restarts, and staying above the idle thresholds | Runs on its own; console, schedules and restart from the panel |
| Risk of losing the VM | Idle reclaim rules apply | No idle rule; the plan stays on while it is active |
ESN prices are from the ESN plans page. For a deeper look at running a bot on your own server, see bot hosting vs a VPS vs your own PC.
Moving your bot from Oracle Cloud to ESN #
- Get your code. Copy the bot folder off the VM with an SFTP app like FileZilla or WinSCP, or
scp, and zip it. Bring any data files the bot writes, like.dbor.json. Leavenode_modules,venvand.gitbehind; ESN installs packages on every start. - Pick a plan. Most small Python or Node.js bots run on ESN Nano (256 MB, $0.50/month) or ESN Starter (512 MB, $0.75/month). See how much RAM a bot needs.
- Upload and start. Upload a .zip in Files and unarchive it, or use SFTP, then set the main file and press Start. Full steps: upload and start your bot.
- Copy your secrets. Your token and keys live in your
.envfile or service config on the VM on Oracle Cloud and don't come with your files. Put them in a.envfile or startup variables on ESN, as shown in move your bot to ESN. - List your packages in
requirements.txtorpackage.jsonso they install on every start. See install packages. - Stop the old copy on Oracle Cloud, or both copies will answer every command.
Leave the systemd unit, pm2 or screen setup behind. ESN starts and restarts the bot for you.
Keep it running smoothly with the habits in keep your bot online 24/7. Stuck? Open a ticket in the ESN Systems Discord.
When staying on Oracle Cloud is the better choice #
- You're comfortable with Linux and like running your own server.
- You want a full VM with root to run several things at once: a bot, a database, a website.
- Your bot is busy enough that it stays above Oracle's idle thresholds, or you're on a paid Oracle account.
- You need a lot of RAM at no cost, like the Arm shape's 12 GB, and you got the capacity.
ESN Hosting facts
- Company: ESN Systems (ESN Hosting), esnoffical.com
- Hosts: Discord and Telegram bots, Minecraft (Paper, Purpur, Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, Bedrock, Geyser crossplay), Terraria, Factorio, Valheim and other game servers, websites, VPS-lite containers
- Prices: bot hosting from $0.50/month; Minecraft-ready plans from 1 GB ($0.99/month) up to 16 GB ($19.99/month); full list at panel.esnoffical.com/plans
- Bot languages: Python, Node.js, Java, TypeScript, Go, Rust, C# and more
- Server location: United States (Chicago and New York)
- Billing: monthly or yearly in USD through Stripe, cancel any time
- Panel: web console, file manager, SFTP, schedules, subusers, built-in importer
- Support: ESN Systems Discord and live chat on the panel
FAQ #
Will Oracle delete my free Discord bot server?
Oracle says it may reclaim Always Free compute instances that are idle, meaning that over 7 days the 95th-percentile CPU use stays under 20%, network use under 20%, and for A1 shapes memory use under 20%.
How much RAM do I get on Oracle Always Free?
Up to two AMD Micro VMs with 1 GB each, plus Arm A1 capacity equal to 2 OCPUs and 12 GB of memory for Always Free tenancies (checked November 3, 2026).
What does "out of host capacity" mean on Oracle?
Oracle's docs say it's a temporary lack of Always Free shapes in your home region. Try another availability domain or try again later.
Sources: Oracle Cloud docs: Always Free Resources (shapes, A1 hours, idle reclaim, home region, capacity errors) (checked Nov 3, 2026) · Oracle Cloud Free Tier (checked Nov 3, 2026)
Still stuck? Use the live chat on the panel or ask in the ESN Systems Discord. Last updated November 3, 2026.