Lite (Free)
- 256M runtime memory, up to 100 service instances
- sample applications tend to be created with 256M allocated, so will need adjusted if you want to run more than one application at a time
- service instances by IBM (database, messaging, Watson, etc) will be created with what is call a Lite Plan, only one each of which can defined to your account at any time; for example, trying to create a second Watson Speech to Text service instance will fail
- third party services which have no IBM Cloud charging plan (twilio, elephantSQL, rediscloud, ...) can be added, subject to the provider's restrictions
- sample applications available in the catalog (shown as "Boilerplates") may try and create instances of services (usually Cloudant database), regardless of whether a similar instance already exists
Pay-As-You-Go
- 512M runtime memory, up to 100 service instances
- keep using the free services (Lite Plan), as well as adding other services which may incur charges after any free use allocation
Trial (Free)
- you have applied a promotion code to your account, usually to experiment with services for which the
Lite (Free)option is too restrictive; this type of account is time-limited, and must be converted toPay-As-You-Go(orSubscription) by the end of the trial period, or it will be suspended.
Subscription
- you've elected to pay monthly upfront - you probably know what you're doing ...