5 Best Free Cloud Computing Courses for Beginners (2026 Edition)
A curated list of the 5 best free cloud computing courses in 2026, including the official vendor courses from AWS, Microsoft, and Google.
📌 Originally published on Sherdil E-Learning. Republishing here so the Hashnode community can find it.
Finding quality free cloud computing courses is harder than it looks. Thousands exist on YouTube, Udemy, and Coursera, but most are scattered playlists rather than structured, current, vendor-aligned curricula.
This guide covers the 5 best free cloud computing courses for beginners in 2026 — including the three official vendor courses from AWS, Microsoft, and Google.
Disclosure: Courses #1 and #2 are from Sherdil E-Learning (where I teach). Courses #3, #4, and #5 are official vendor courses with no affiliate relationship.
How I picked these
To make this list, a course had to meet five criteria:
Genuinely free — no hidden paywalls for the core curriculum.
Structured — sequenced lessons, not a loose playlist.
Taught by people with real cloud experience or by the vendor directly.
Current for the 2025–2026 cloud landscape.
Beginner-accessible — no prior cloud experience required.
1. Freelancing & Multicloud Fundamentals — Sherdil E-Learning
The most ambitious of the five: introduces all three major cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) in a single sequenced curriculum with practical freelance use-cases built into the lessons.
Format: Structured video course with assignments
Language: Urdu (with English technical terms)
Best for: Beginners who haven't picked a cloud yet and want to compare all three
Cost: Free
Why it's #1: Most "intro to cloud" courses pick one vendor. This one shows you all three side-by-side.
Enroll: Freelancing and Multicloud Fundamentals
2. AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials, AWS Skill Builder (official, English)
If you've decided to focus on AWS (the largest cloud provider globally), this free course is the most direct entry path. Covers AWS fundamentals, EC2, VPC, S3, and IAM.
Language: English
Best for: Beginners committed to AWS
Cost: Free
Acts as a gateway to the paid AWS Cloud Practitioner certification.
Enroll: AWS Essentials for Beginners
3. AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials — AWS Skill Builder (Official)
The official free course from AWS. ~7 hours, covers exactly what the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam tests. The vendor's own course — authoritative and always current.
Format: Self-paced video + reading + knowledge checks
Language: English
Best for: Anyone preparing for the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam
Cost: Free
Start: AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials
4. Microsoft Learn AZ-900 Path (Official)
Microsoft's free learning path for Azure Fundamentals is one of the highest-quality vendor courses anywhere. ~10 hours, includes browser-based lab simulations (no Azure subscription needed for most modules), maps directly to AZ-900 — the easiest cloud certification on the market.
Language: English
Best for: Beginners targeting AZ-900
Cost: Free
Standout feature: browser-based labs let you practise creating resources without spending a cent.
Start: Microsoft Learn — AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals
5. Google Cloud Digital Leader Path — Cloud Skills Boost (Official)
Google's official entry-level path for the Cloud Digital Leader certification. Cloud Skills Boost typically offers free quest credits to new users. Hands-on labs through the Skills Boost browser sandbox.
Format: Self-paced video + hands-on Qwiklabs
Language: English
Best for: Beginners interested in data, analytics, or AI engineering
Cost: Free (with quest credits)
Start: Cloud Digital Leader Learning Path
At a glance
| # | Course | Vendor | Hours | Language | Cert path |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multicloud Fundamentals | Sherdil | ~10 | Urdu | Multi-cloud foundation |
| 2 | AWS Essentials | Sherdil | ~8 | Urdu | AWS Cloud Practitioner |
| 3 | AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials | AWS | ~7 | English | AWS Cloud Practitioner |
| 4 | AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals | Microsoft | ~10 | English | AZ-900 |
| 5 | Cloud Digital Leader | ~8 | English | GCP Cloud Digital Leader |
How to pick
https://skillbuilder.aws Haven't picked a cloud yet → Course #1 (Multicloud) Decided on AWS → Course #2 then #3 Want the easiest first cert → Course #4 (AZ-900) Interested in data, analytics, or AI → Course #5 (GCP)
The practical pattern for non-English-native learners: start with a structured course in your native language to build concepts, then move to the vendor-official English courses for exam prep. The language jump is much easier after you already know the concepts.
Frequently asked questions
Are free cloud courses enough to get a job?
Rarely on their own. You'll typically also need a recognised certification (AWS Cloud Practitioner, AZ-900, or GCP Cloud Digital Leader minimum) and a small portfolio of hands-on projects.
Should I do all five courses?
No. Pick two — one beginner course in your native language for concepts, one vendor-official English course to prepare for the certification exam.
How long does each course take?
Roughly 6–10 hours of self-paced study. Allow 2–4 weeks of part-time study to actually retain it.
Do free courses provide certificates of completion?
Sherdil's free courses provide a free certificate. Vendor courses provide achievement badges linkable from LinkedIn — not the same as the paid certification exams.
Which cloud has the most jobs?
AWS for breadth. Azure for corporate/enterprise. GCP for data/ML premium.
Next steps
Free courses are the entry point. The next step is a recognised certification + practical project work.
For a structured certification path, the Sherdil E-Learning course catalogue covers AWS, Azure, GCP, Alibaba Cloud, and DevOps.
About the author
Muhammad Usman Khan is a Lead Cloud Instructor at Sherdil E-Learning, holding the Alibaba Cloud ACP certification along with AWS and Azure credentials. He has delivered 1,500+ hours of training across 12+ countries.
Found this useful? Bookmark this for your annual "is this still the best free course?" check, and follow my Hashnode blog for upcoming deep-dives on how to pass each of these certifications, building your first portfolio project, and the certification-to-first-job journey.
📖 Full original article (with Urdu-specific learning patterns): elearning.sherdil.org/pages/free-cloud-computing-courses-urdu