Embedded Files
Services Included
Google Colab provides a ready-to-use Jupyter Notebook environment that runs entirely in the cloud. Key features of the free service include:
No Setup Required
You can start coding in Python directly from your browser without any installation or configuration.
Access to GPUs and TPUs
Users get free access to powerful hardware accelerators like Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), which can significantly speed up complex calculations, especially in machine learning.
Pre-installed Libraries
Many popular data science and machine learning libraries such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, and pandas come pre-installed.
Collaboration
Just like Google Docs, Colab notebooks can be easily shared and edited collaboratively with others.
Services Excluded
While the free tier is powerful, it's not without its constraints. These limitations are in place to ensure fair access for all users:
Resource Availability
Access to resources, particularly GPUs and TPUs, is not guaranteed and can fluctuate based on demand.
Session Timeouts
Notebooks have a maximum runtime of about 12 hours, after which the session is disconnected, and all variables and files are lost if not saved. The session will also disconnect after a period of inactivity.
Dynamic Usage Limits
Google employs dynamic usage limits that can change over time. Heavy or prolonged usage may lead to temporary restrictions on resource access.
Memory and Storage
The amount of RAM and disk space is limited.
Prohibited Activities
The free version cannot be used for certain activities like cryptocurrency mining, running distributed computing, or engaging in peer-to-peer file sharing.
Paid Services
For users who find the free tier's limitations restrictive, Google offers several paid plans that provide more consistent and powerful resources:
Pay As You Go
This option allows you to purchase "compute units" without a monthly subscription. These units can be used to access more powerful GPUs and longer runtimes.
Colab Pro
A monthly subscription that provides a set number of compute units, faster GPUs, more memory, and longer runtimes compared to the free tier.
Colab Pro+
A more expensive monthly subscription offering a larger allocation of compute units, priority access to the best GPUs, and the ability for notebooks to run in the background for up to 24 hours.
Colab Enterprise
Aimed at organizations, this plan integrates with Google Cloud and offers enterprise-grade features and billing.
Page updated
Report abuse