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I created a "Web App + DB" in Azure and deployed my ASP.NET API to it. For the SQL database I selected the "Free plan".

Now, after some days of running the API (only a dozen datasets were written and ~30 API calls were made) Azure/Microsoft changed the pricing tier from "Free" to "S0" and for another API from "Free" to "Basic". And now the database produces costs for every day.

Why is this happen? And how can I prevent Azure from doing this without asking me?

UPDATE: Some screenshots to illustrate the availability of free plans for sql databases in Azure.

Currently I've 3 SQL Databases with a free plan (how long? nobody knows) and 2 databases in Basic, that were former free plan databases:

enter image description here

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  • There is no free plan for Sql databases. Free plan have Web Apps but databeses are with payment.
    – Llazar
    Commented Oct 18, 2018 at 19:14
  • Not, if I create the DB directly ... But via "Web App +SQL" I can select a "Free" plan left of the Basic-Tab
    – Konrad
    Commented Oct 18, 2018 at 19:16
  • Free plan only for web app but the Sql db you need to pay.
    – Llazar
    Commented Oct 18, 2018 at 19:17
  • Only if you have a student subscription maybe you have some services free like Sql db but I am not sure.
    – Llazar
    Commented Oct 18, 2018 at 19:19
  • I added some screenshot to show that there is a free plan selection for databases (in a "Web App + SQL" App service)
    – Konrad
    Commented Oct 18, 2018 at 19:26

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UPDATE: at the time the question was posted on 2018 the procedure to create a free database with PowerShell was the only one available. Starting September 26, 2023, Azure offers a free Azure SQL Database (in Preview) with a limit 100,000 vCore seconds of compute every month. This free offer provides a General Purpose database for the lifetime of the subscription. This offer is rolling out by region, with new regions added every week. The following regions are currently supported: East US, West Central US, UK South.

Azure SQL Database allows you to create one free Azure SQL Server database per region, it reverts to Standard after 365 days. That is what I know ever since you use PowerShell to create it (I don't know about using other methods).

New-AzureRmSqlDatabase -DatabaseName $DatabaseName  -ServerName $sqlServer.ServerName 
-ResourceGroupName $resourceGroup.ResourceGroupName -Edition 'Free' 
-RequestedServiceObjectiveName 'Free'

This works only for the following regions, for now:

 Location           DisplayName
 --------           -------------------
 australiaeast      Australia East
 australiasoutheast Australia Southeast
 centralindia       Central India
 eastasia           East Asia
 francecentral      France Central
 japaneast          Japan East
 japanwest          Japan West
 koreacentral       Korea Central
 koreasouth         Korea South
 northcentralus     North Central US
 northeurope        North Europe
 southeastasia      Southeast Asia
 southindia         South India
 uksouth            UK South
 ukwest             UK West
 westcentralus      West Central US
 westeurope         West Europe
 westindia          West India
 westus2            West US 2
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