How to Set Up WordPress on Oracle Cloud Free Tier with CloudPanel

When I first set up the web infrastructure for Royal Subz, I was obsessed with minimizing initial costs. I spent three sleepless nights trying to deploy WordPress on Oracle Cloud’s Free Tier. It felt like trying to pick an enterprise-grade lock with a paperclip. Yes, getting a 4 oCPU, 24 GB RAM server for free forever is an insane deal on paper, but the setup process is a minefield of SSH errors, blocked VCN ports, and Ubuntu firewall hurdles. If you want to check how proper cloud setups compare to standard plans, read our guide on Idaho Web Hosting Performance. This step-by-step guide is the map I wish I had back then.

Billing tip for Bangladesh developers: While Oracle's Free Tier doesn't cost a dollar, setting it up requires an international credit card for verification. If you don't have one or don't want the headache of managing raw Linux firewalls, you can get high-speed managed hosting or domains from RackUp IT using Bkash or Nagad. If you encounter timeout issues during setup, you can follow our detailed troubleshooting guide on How to Open Port 80 and 443 on Oracle Cloud VPS.

Step 1: Launch Your Ampere A1 Compute Instance

To begin, log into your Oracle Cloud Console, navigate to Compute > Instances, and click Create Instance. Ensure you select the Ampere (ARM) A1 shape. Allocate 4 oCPUs and 24 GB of RAM, and select Ubuntu 22.04 LTS as your operating system. Make sure to download and save your generated private key file (.key) safely as you will need it to connect via SSH.

Step 2: Install CloudPanel for 1-Click Management

Once your server is online, connect via SSH using your private key. Since we want an easy way to manage WordPress sites without paying licensing fees, we will install CloudPanel. Run the following installation script in your terminal:

curl -sS https://installer.cloudpanel.io/install.sh | sudo BOOTSTRAP=1 bash

This script will automatically configure PHP, Nginx, MySQL, and other key dependencies. However, before you can log in, you must configure the network firewalls to allow ingress traffic. Check out our Managed Shared WordPress hosting

Step 3: Open Network Ports in OCI Console

Oracle's Virtual Cloud Network (VCN) blocks all incoming traffic by default. Go to your instance details, click on the subnet, select the Default Security List, and add Ingress Rules for the following ports:
• Port 22 (SSH)
• Port 80 (HTTP)
• Port 443 (HTTPS)
• Port 8443 (CloudPanel Admin Panel)

Step 4: Open Ubuntu Firewall Rules

In addition to OCI VCN security rules, Ubuntu blocks ports locally. Run these commands inside your SSH session to allow incoming traffic:

sudo iptables -I INPUT 6 -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -I INPUT 6 -p tcp --dport 443 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -I INPUT 6 -p tcp --dport 8443 -j ACCEPT
sudo netfilter-persistent save

You can now navigate to https://your-server-ip:8443 to log into CloudPanel, add a site, and install WordPress in one click! Rackup Hosting Checkout | Managed WordPress VPS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Oracle Cloud's Free Tier truly free forever?

Yes, Oracle's Always Free resources — including the Ampere A1 Compute instance with up to 4 oCPUs and 24 GB of RAM — are genuinely free with no time limit. However, you do need a valid international credit card during sign-up for identity verification. Oracle will not charge it unless you manually upgrade to a paid tier.

Why does Oracle require an international credit card for a free account?

Oracle uses the credit card purely for identity verification to prevent abuse of their free resources. The card is not charged for Always Free services. Unfortunately, this is currently a hard requirement and there is no bypass. Bangladesh developers without an international card can opt for fully managed hosting alternatives like RackUp IT, payable locally via Bkash or Nagad.

What is CloudPanel and why use it instead of cPanel?

CloudPanel is a free, open-source server control panel built specifically for PHP-based applications like WordPress. Unlike cPanel, which costs $20–$40 per month in licensing fees, CloudPanel is completely free. It comes bundled with Nginx, PHP, MySQL, and Let's Encrypt SSL support, making it ideal for budget-conscious developers running servers on Oracle's Free Tier.

Why can't I access CloudPanel after installation?

This is the most common issue. Oracle Cloud blocks all incoming traffic by default at two levels — first at the VCN (Virtual Cloud Network) level through Security List Ingress Rules, and second at the Ubuntu OS level through iptables rules. You must open port 8443 (for CloudPanel), port 80 (HTTP), and port 443 (HTTPS) in both places before you can access the panel.

Can I run multiple WordPress sites on the Oracle Free Tier instance?

Yes. CloudPanel supports hosting multiple websites on a single server. With 4 oCPUs and 24 GB of RAM, your Oracle Ampere A1 instance has more than enough resources to run several low-to-medium traffic WordPress sites simultaneously — far more than what a typical shared hosting plan provides.

What happens to my server if Oracle decides to retire the Free Tier?

Oracle has maintained their Always Free program since 2019 and has not indicated plans to discontinue it. However, it is always best practice to keep daily automated backups of your WordPress database and files. If Oracle ever changes their policy, you will need to migrate to a paid cloud provider or a managed hosting service. Using CloudPanel makes this migration straightforward since you can export a full site backup in one click.

Is the Ampere A1 ARM architecture compatible with all WordPress plugins?

Almost all WordPress plugins and themes are written in PHP, which is fully compatible with ARM-based servers. Potential issues can arise with server-level software compiled specifically for x86 architecture. However, Ubuntu 22.04 LTS has excellent ARM support and the CloudPanel installation script handles all dependency configurations automatically, so most users will not encounter any compatibility problems.