> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs-hub.magicmealkits.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Signing up for Google Cloud

> Creating your first Google Cloud project, for anyone who has never used Google Cloud before. Do this before Setting up.

The hub runs in your own Google Cloud project, so before you can deploy it
you need a project with billing linked. If you already have one, skip this
page and go straight to [Setting up](/quickstart). If you have never touched
Google Cloud, this is the account you make first.

## Before you start

* **A Google account.** Personal Gmail works. Google Workspace accounts
  cannot sign up for this free trial.
* **A credit or debit card.** Google asks for one to confirm you are a real
  person, not to start charging you. Nothing is billed automatically once the
  trial ends; see [What free actually means](#what-free-actually-means)
  below.
* **Your phone**, for a one-time verification code.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open cloud.google.com/free">
    In your browser, go to
    [cloud.google.com/free](https://cloud.google.com/free) and press **Get
    started for free**.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp-hub/eLxoDBwABNvLy3la/assets/google-cloud-signup/01-free-trial-page.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=eLxoDBwABNvLy3la&q=85&s=efd324ae2c2c19461314639343191d60" alt="The Google Cloud free trial landing page, with the Get started for free button highlighted" width="1080" height="778" data-path="assets/google-cloud-signup/01-free-trial-page.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Agree to the terms">
    Choose your country, tick both agreement checkboxes, and press
    **Continue**.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp-hub/eLxoDBwABNvLy3la/assets/google-cloud-signup/02-agree-to-terms.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=eLxoDBwABNvLy3la&q=85&s=53a0e8d078a286077e06a5cb6e08a3e4" alt="The account information step, with country selected and both terms checkboxes ticked" width="1080" height="894" data-path="assets/google-cloud-signup/02-agree-to-terms.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter your details">
    Fill in your account type, tax information, and name and address, then
    continue to the next section.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp-hub/eLxoDBwABNvLy3la/assets/google-cloud-signup/03-your-details.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=eLxoDBwABNvLy3la&q=85&s=71f5aaab570ead13f62b5b9e19f2be23" alt="The billing details form asking for account type, tax information, and name and address" width="1080" height="954" data-path="assets/google-cloud-signup/03-your-details.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify your phone number">
    Enter your phone number and the code Google texts you, then continue.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp-hub/eLxoDBwABNvLy3la/assets/google-cloud-signup/04-phone-verification.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=eLxoDBwABNvLy3la&q=85&s=47081b9b65cf4d074381a19c0dc53fd8" alt="The phone verification form with a field for the code Google texted" width="1080" height="885" data-path="assets/google-cloud-signup/04-phone-verification.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a payment method and start the trial">
    Enter your card, then press **Start free**.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp-hub/eLxoDBwABNvLy3la/assets/google-cloud-signup/05-payment-method.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=eLxoDBwABNvLy3la&q=85&s=a3530c29655510f148932401300ee0d4" alt="The payment method form with a card number field and the Start free button" width="1080" height="949" data-path="assets/google-cloud-signup/05-payment-method.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## The survey Google shows you

Right after signup, Google asks a short survey about what you plan to use
Cloud for. It is optional. Close it, or answer it if you like; either way,
your project is already made.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp-hub/eLxoDBwABNvLy3la/assets/google-cloud-signup/06-survey.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=eLxoDBwABNvLy3la&q=85&s=216ce23198e9ad4ec76e4bd0e4f167db" alt="An optional survey dialog asking what the account will be used for, with a close button" width="1080" height="817" data-path="assets/google-cloud-signup/06-survey.png" />
</Frame>

## What free actually means

<Frame caption="Free trial credit, applied to a new project.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp-hub/eLxoDBwABNvLy3la/assets/google-cloud-signup/07-free-trial-credit.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=eLxoDBwABNvLy3la&q=85&s=61a327cd36d2899d4c897caaaf7bcfef" alt="The new project's home screen showing the free trial credit balance and the number of days left" width="1080" height="857" data-path="assets/google-cloud-signup/07-free-trial-credit.png" />
</Frame>

* **\$300 of credit, for 90 days.** That is far more than deploying and
  running the hub will spend; see [what it costs to run](/cost) for the
  actual numbers.
* **Nothing is charged automatically.** Google asks for a card so the trial
  cannot be signed up for over and over, not to bill you. Charging only
  starts if you explicitly upgrade to a paid account yourself.
* **Free Tier products stay free after the 90 days too**, within their own
  usage limits. Cloud Run, which is what the hub runs on, is one of them; see
  [Cloud Run is free at this size](/cost#cloud-run-is-free-at-this-size).

## Activate your billing account now

The same screen has an **Activate a full account** button. Press it now
rather than waiting.

<Warning>
  **Skip this and the hub can stop working in about 90 days**, when the free
  trial itself ends, with no warning beyond the trial's own countdown. Google
  may also ask whether this is a production environment first; either answer
  is fine.
</Warning>

Activating does not start charging you. It only unlocks staying on Google
Cloud past the 90-day trial window, and your account still runs on Free Tier
usage until it goes over those limits, same as during the trial. See
[what it costs to run](/cost) for the actual numbers at hub scale.

## Next

* [Setting up](/quickstart), to deploy the hub into the project you just made
* [What it costs to run](/cost)