serverless.au runs container images on demand and bills by the second. You can drive it from the svl command-line tool, or do everything in the browser with the web console: create an account there and skip ahead.
1. Install the CLI
curl -fsSL https://serverless.au/install.sh | sh
This installs svl into ~/.local/bin (macOS and Linux, Intel or ARM). Make sure that directory is on your PATH.
2. Log in or sign up
svl login
Enter your email address and type the 6-digit code we email you (from notifications@serverless.au). If you're new, serverless.au creates your account and asks a few quick questions — your name, mobile number, country, whether the account is for a business, and what you plan to run. Your account is approved as soon as the details are complete. Then it asks for a voucher code. If someone gave you one, type it in for free credit; otherwise press enter.
Got a voucher before you sign up? Pass it straight in:
svl login --voucher WELCOME
Check where you are at any time:
svl whoami
3. Get some credit
serverless.au is prepaid. If you have a voucher, redeem it with svl voucher redeem <code>. Otherwise add credit by card: svl topup 20, or Billing in the web console. Check it with svl balance.
4. Run your first pod
svl run alpine echo "hello from serverless.au"
serverless.au schedules the pod, pulls the image, runs the command, streams its output and exits with the container's exit code — just like docker run.
Run something long-lived in the background and publish a port:
svl run -d -p 80 nginx:alpine
serverless.au prints the pod ID and the public IPv4 and IPv6 addresses for port 80.
5. Get inside
svl ls # your live pods
svl ssh p-7k2xq9 # a shell inside the container
svl logs -f p-7k2xq9 # follow its output
svl stop p-7k2xq9 # stop it (billing stops too)
Next steps
- CLI reference — every command and flag.
- Pods — sizing, environment, lifecycle.
- Ports & networking — public and private ports.
- Billing — how the meter works.