Google Colab

Google's browser-based Jupyter notebook environment that runs Python with free access to GPUs and TPUs, no local setup. Widely used for coursework, data science, and machine learning projects.

Best for: Data-science & ML coursework with free GPUs

What you get

• Free tier: browser notebooks with free (but availability-limited) GPU/TPU access, up to ~12h runtime, and idle timeouts
• Paid upgrades: Colab Pro $9.99/mo and Pro+ $49.99/mo for faster GPUs, more memory, and longer/background runtimes
• Pay As You Go: buy compute units (~$9.99 per 100 units) instead of a subscription — check their site
• Student angle: verified US students & faculty can currently get Colab Pro free for 1 year (limited spots, .edu verification); offer active as of 2026

How students use it

• Run Python notebooks with a free GPU for an ML assignment
• Share a runnable notebook with your lab or study group
• Prototype models without a powerful laptop