Google Cloud Platform

Spot VMs

Spot VMs are affordable compute instances on Google Cloud Platform designed for batch jobs and fault-tolerant workloads. They operate on a pay-as-you-go pricing model, allowing users to pay only for the resources they consume during their active runtime. This service provides a cost-effective way to handle non-critical tasks that can withstand interruptions without requiring long-term commitments or reserved capacity.

Choose this service when running workloads that are inherently fault-tolerant and can handle potential preemption. A key limitation to note is that there is no free tier available for Spot VMs. Users must be prepared to pay for usage from the start, making it essential to monitor consumption carefully to avoid unexpected costs since no initial free allowance exists.