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Has anyone from the UK/Europe been able to successfully sign up to GCP? I can't seem to select "Individual" when I sign up, it permanently selects "Business" a

Has anyone from the UK/Europe been able to successfully sign up to GCP? I can't seem to select "Individual" when I sign up, it permanently selects "Business" and asks for a VAT number. I don't want to lie and get in trouble with the tax authorities or whatever. I only plan to use it for tinkering at home! AWS doesn't do this, why Google?

hobozilla 10y ago
If it makes you feel better all this free stuff generally only applies to the US anyway. Go Google!
dotdi 10y ago
I signed up about a week ago from Germany and it worked fine. I didn't have to provide any VAT number, but they wanted my CC number, stating that they won't charge anything without my prior confirmation. Today I got an email saying that my free trial was extended to 12 months.
- djhworld 10y ago
  I'm presuming you already have plans in place to pay the VAT on any charges you accrue though, it doesn't look like Google do this. This is what worries me the most, plus Google stipulate that your usage of the cloud platform must be for economic benefit, not for personal use. AWS don't seem to have this restriction and they will collect and pay VAT on your behalf. Why doesn't Google? Is it some sort of tax dodge?
  - tcwc 10y ago
    Usually a seller doesn't add VAT to B2B invoices into the EU, VAT is accounted for by the purchaser under the 'reverse charge' system. B2C is different, they would need to charge the local VAT rate in each member state. I suspect they simply haven't gotten around to supporting it yet.
SeanDav 10y ago
Perhaps go with AWS and not Google then - let the market speak.
potomushto 10y ago
I feel your pain. I'd love to play with Cloud ML and their datasets, but seems we don't have any legal options to do it right now.
Veratyr 10y ago
From https://www.quora.com/Is-there-any-way-to-use-Google-Cloud-Platform-as-individual-in-Europe/answer/Constantine-Dokolas https://www.quora.com/Is-there-any-way-to-use-Google-Cloud-P... It seems that if they offer accounts to non-business users, they have to pay VAT themselves in every country in the EU. If they only offer accounts to businesses, they can have the business pay the VAT instead, saving themselves some accounting.
7ewis 10y ago
Did you sign up and get it working in the end? I've been meaning to try GCP for a while. I've only ever used AWS, so want to try another cloud. But it seems like I can't legally use GCP?

hobozilla 10y ago

If it makes you feel better all this free stuff generally only applies to the US anyway. Go Google!

dotdi 10y ago

I signed up about a week ago from Germany and it worked fine. I didn't have to provide any VAT number, but they wanted my CC number, stating that they won't charge anything without my prior confirmation. Today I got an email saying that my free trial was extended to 12 months.

djhworld 10y ago
I'm presuming you already have plans in place to pay the VAT on any charges you accrue though, it doesn't look like Google do this. This is what worries me the most, plus Google stipulate that your usage of the cloud platform must be for economic benefit, not for personal use. AWS don't seem to have this restriction and they will collect and pay VAT on your behalf. Why doesn't Google? Is it some sort of tax dodge?
- tcwc 10y ago
  Usually a seller doesn't add VAT to B2B invoices into the EU, VAT is accounted for by the purchaser under the 'reverse charge' system. B2C is different, they would need to charge the local VAT rate in each member state. I suspect they simply haven't gotten around to supporting it yet.

SeanDav 10y ago

Perhaps go with AWS and not Google then - let the market speak.

potomushto 10y ago

I feel your pain. I'd love to play with Cloud ML and their datasets, but seems we don't have any legal options to do it right now.

Veratyr 10y ago

From https://www.quora.com/Is-there-any-way-to-use-Google-Cloud-Platform-as-individual-in-Europe/answer/Constantine-Dokolas https://www.quora.com/Is-there-any-way-to-use-Google-Cloud-P... It seems that if they offer accounts to non-business users, they have to pay VAT themselves in every country in the EU. If they only offer accounts to businesses, they can have the business pay the VAT instead, saving themselves some accounting.

7ewis 10y ago

Did you sign up and get it working in the end? I've been meaning to try GCP for a while. I've only ever used AWS, so want to try another cloud. But it seems like I can't legally use GCP?