Flex Consumption not available

Question

Hi,

I’m using an Azure free‑trial subscription and want to create a Python 3.10 / 3.11 Function App hosted on Linux.

When I select Flex Consumption as the hosting plan, I get the message:

“A assinatura de avaliação gratuita não é compatível com Consumo Flexível. Selecione uma assinatura diferente.”

If I choose Consumption (Windows), the Python option does not appear in the “Runtime stack” dropdown, because Python is only supported on Linux.

Questions:

1. Is Flex Consumption intentionally disabled on free‑trial subscriptions and only available on pay‑as‑you‑go subscriptions?
2. Is there a workaround to create a Python Linux Function App with a free‑trial (for example, using the Azure CLI or VS Code)?
3. If not, should I use an existing pay‑as‑you‑go subscription from my organization instead?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hey @Rafael Cruz ,

The Flex Consumption SKU is deployed under the “Microsoft.App” resource provider and isn’t part of the basic free-trial benefits. It only becomes available once you move to a Pay-As-You-Go (or equivalent) subscription that allows registering Microsoft.App and virtual-network integration.

1) Is Flex Consumption intentionally disabled on Free Trial?

Yes, this is by design. Free Trial subscriptions have built-in feature restrictions, and Flex Consumption is one of the excluded capabilities.

2) Is there a workaround (CLI / VS Code)?

No, because this is a subscription-level restriction rather than a limitation of the Azure portal UI, so using CLI, ARM templates, or VS Code will all result in the same failure. It cannot be bypassed. However, you can still create a Python Function App on a Linux Consumption (non-Flex) plan within a Free Trial subscription, which is the only supported alternative.

3) Should you use a Pay-As-You-Go subscription?

Yeif you specifically need Flex Consumption. In that case, you should either upgrade your own subscription to Pay-As-You-Go or use an existing paid subscription from your organization, both of which will allow you to access Flex Consumption and its features

1. Workarounds for Python/Linux on free trial You don't actually need Flex Consumption to run Python 3.10/3.11 on Linux; there’s the standard Consumption (Serverless) plan on Linux. In the portal’s “Create Function App” wizard: a. Choose “Consumption (Serverless)” as your Hosting plan. b. Set “Operating System” to Linux. c. Pick Python 3.10 or 3.11 as your Runtime stack.
   • If you prefer CLI or VS Code, you can run something like:

      
      az functionapp create \
      
      --resource-group MyResourceGroup \
      
      --name MyPythonFunction \
      
      --storage-account MyStorageAccount \
      
      --plan MyConsumptionPlan \
      
      --runtime python \
      
      --runtime-version 3.10 \
      
      --functions-version 4 \
      
      --os-type Linux
      
   

   That will give you a Linux-based Python Function on the Consumption plan without switching to Flex.
2. If you really need Flex Consumption
   • You'll need to upgrade or switch to a Pay-As-You-Go (or organizational) subscription where the Microsoft.App provider is registered. On that subscription you can then create a Flex Consumption plan and target Python 3.10/3.11.

References:

• Azure Functions Flex Consumption plan hosting
• Azure Functions “Consumption (Serverless)” plan (Linux + Python) Hope this helps!

---

If the resolution was helpful, kindly take a moment to click on and click on Yes for was this answer helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know

Answer 2

1. The available hosting plans and stacks depend on the subscription type and region. Flex Consumption is the recommended serverless plan for new function apps and is Linux-only, but the context does not specify subscription-level restrictions such as free‑trial vs pay‑as‑you‑go. Only the general guidance is provided: Flex Consumption is the recommended plan, and the legacy Consumption plan continues to support Windows apps.
2. The documented ways to create a Python Linux Function App on Flex Consumption are:
   • Azure portal: create a Function App and select Flex Consumption as hosting option, then choose Python as the runtime stack on the Basics page.
   • Visual Studio Code: use Azure Functions: Create function app in Azure...(Advanced), then select Flex Consumption as the hosting plan and a supported Python runtime stack.
   These are the supported creation paths in the documentation. The context does not provide an alternative workaround specific to free‑trial subscriptions beyond these tools.
3. For new serverless apps, the guidance is to use Flex Consumption instead of the legacy Consumption plan. If Flex Consumption cannot be selected in a given subscription, using another subscription (such as an organizational pay‑as‑you‑go subscription) where Flex Consumption is available aligns with the recommendation to host new apps on Flex Consumption rather than the legacy Consumption plan.

---

References:

• Create a Flex Consumption app
• Azure Functions Flex Consumption plan hosting
• Create a function app in the Azure portal (flex-consumption-plan)
• Azure Functions Consumption plan hosting (legacy)
• Migrate Consumption plan apps to the Flex Consumption plan (platform-linux)