WorkOS for Startups
SaaS Startup Programs Verified June 2026
Up to 12 months of free WorkOS credits for qualifying early-stage startups
Free WorkOS enterprise-auth credits for early-stage startups selling to the Fortune 500.
Who qualifies
Every condition below is taken from the vendor’s own published criteria. Read them before you spend an afternoon on the application.
Startups
The programme is aimed at startups. Vendors read this loosely, but expect to describe the company and what you are building on the application.
Eligible pre-seed, seed, and early Series A startups (typically under ~$10M raised) selling to enterprise customers can receive free or heavily credited access to WorkOS's SSO, SCIM, Directory Sync, and audit log APIs for a defined runway period. Apply through the WorkOS for Startups page and verify current credit cap and runway terms at signup.
About WorkOS for Startups
Quick answer
WorkOS for Startups is the official credit program from WorkOS, the enterprise-readiness API platform behind SSO, SCIM, Directory Sync, and audit logs. Qualifying pre-seed, seed, and early Series A startups can receive free or heavily credited access to the platform for a runway period (typically up to 12 months), removing the single biggest blocker to closing enterprise deals during your most capital-constrained stage.
If you sell to the enterprise, identity is the gate your deal dies at. WorkOS for Startups is the program that opens that gate for free, for up to a year, while you are still too small to negotiate meaningful vendor discounts on your own.
What is WorkOS for Startups?
WorkOS is the enterprise-readiness API platform that lets SaaS companies ship SAML SSO, OIDC, SCIM directory sync, audit logs, and passwordless authentication without building any of it from scratch. It sits in the same category as Auth0 or Okta, but is purpose-built for B2B SaaS vendors who need to treat every enterprise customer as a discrete tenant — which is exactly the mental model enterprise IT teams use when they evaluate a new vendor.
WorkOS for Startups is the company's official program for early-stage companies. It exists because WorkOS's biggest customers all started as small startups chasing their first enterprise deal, and the company knows that the cost of an enterprise auth stack during a seed round can be the difference between closing the deal and losing it. The program gives qualifying startups free or heavily credited access to the full WorkOS platform for a defined runway period so they can ship enterprise-grade identity without absorbing the full bill during their most fragile months.
What you get in the program
The exact award size is quoted after your application is reviewed, but the surface area of the program is consistent: approved startups get the full WorkOS stack credited, not a stripped-down tier. That matters, because the whole point of the program is to let you ship the same enterprise features you would have shipped as a Series C company.
SSO (SAML 2.0 + OIDC)
Drop-in single sign-on for every major identity provider, including Okta, Azure AD / Entra ID, Google Workspace, OneLogin, JumpCloud, and Ping. Most enterprise security reviews fail or stall on this single feature.
Directory Sync (SCIM v2.0)
Automate user provisioning and de-provisioning from your customer's IdP. When HR revokes access, your customer's directory propagates that to your app within seconds — exactly what SOC 2 auditors look for.
Audit Logs API
Stream every authentication, admin, and access event into your own data warehouse. This is the most-quoted artifact in SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and FedRAMP evidence requests.
Magic Auth & Passkeys
Passwordless primitives that close the gap between your SMB users and your enterprise users without maintaining two separate code paths.
Multi-tenant by default
Every enterprise customer is a first-class connection object. No fragile re-architecture when you go from 1 enterprise customer to 50.
Security posture inheritance
WorkOS maintains SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and related attestations, so you can reference them in your own customer security questionnaires.
✓ Apply if you:
- Have at least one enterprise prospect, pilot, or signed customer.
- Are in the middle of a vendor security review that requires SSO or SCIM.
- Are actively refactoring a homegrown or single-tenant auth layer.
- Stack WorkOS with AWS Activate, GCP for Startups, or Vercel/Supabase credits.
✗ Skip if you:
- Are pure B2C with no enterprise pipeline in the next 12 months.
- Already have a multi-year enterprise contract with a deeply discounted identity vendor.
- Are past late Series A and have the budget to pay WorkOS's standard pricing.
- Have not yet launched an MVP and have no traction metrics to share.
WorkOS for Startups vs alternatives
| Program | What it funds | Typical award | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| WorkOS for Startups | Enterprise identity (SSO, SCIM, audit logs) | Free or credited runway, typically up to 12 months | B2B SaaS chasing enterprise deals |
| Auth0 for Startups | General-purpose auth and identity | Up to ~12 months free (verify current terms) | Mixed B2B/B2C with light enterprise needs |
| Clerk for Startups | Modern auth and user management | Discounted plans for early-stage teams | Developer-first SMB and prosumer apps |
| Stitch (AWS Activate identity stack) | Identity adjacent credits via AWS Activate | $1K–$100K+ in AWS credits | Teams already on AWS who want compute credits |
The differentiator is intent: WorkOS for Startups is the only program in this list that is purpose-built for selling into enterprises. If your roadmap includes a Fortune 500 logo in the next 12 months, WorkOS is the more strategic pick. If your customers are SMBs and prosumers, Clerk or Auth0 is a better fit.
What the credit covers
- Free or credited access to SSO (SAML 2.0 and OIDC) APIs for enterprise customer onboarding
- Discounted SCIM v2.0 Directory Sync to automate user provisioning and de-provisioning
- Audit Logs API for SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA-evidence collection
- Magic Auth (passwordless) and Passkey (WebAuthn) primitives at startup-tier pricing
- Multi-tenant connection model that mirrors how Fortune 500 IT teams expect SaaS auth to work
- Production-grade uptime and security posture that survives enterprise security reviews
- Referenceable enterprise-readiness stack that unblocks stalled procurement cycles
- Email support with direct line to WorkOS startup-program engineers during onboarding
- Path to standard pay-as-you-go pricing once the credit runway expires
- Co-marketing and case-study opportunities for high-growth startup customers
Programme tracks
Verified June 2026. What WorkOS for Startups publishes for each stage — confirm on the application, since credit programmes are re-cut more often than list pricing.
| Track | Value | Who it is for | What it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-seed / Seed | Free | Up to 12 months | SSO (SAML, OIDC) API access · Directory Sync (SCIM v2.0) · Audit Logs API · Magic Auth and Passkey support · Up to 1 active enterprise customer connection at no cost (cap varies by usage) |
| Series A (early) | Discounted / credit-based | Up to 12 months | Full platform credit allowance negotiated on application · Production-grade SSO, SCIM, Directory Sync · Priority email support · Higher connection and active-user ceilings |
| Beyond runway | Standard WorkOS pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pay only for what you use (active directory connections) · Volume discounts as you scale · Optional enterprise SLAs and premium support |
How to apply
4 steps. The last one is the part most people skip.
- 1
Open WorkOS for Startups through the link on this page
It carries our referral tag. The terms you get are identical either way, and it never changes what this page says about the programme.
- 2
Have the eligibility evidence ready
Applications are checked against one condition — startups. Incorporation date, cap table and a one-line description of what you are building cover most of it.
- 3
Size the migration against the 12 months window
Credits start burning from activation, not from when you get round to using them. Work out what you will genuinely consume in that window before you move production workloads across.
- 4
Know the rate you land on when it runs out
Eligible pre-seed, seed, and early Series A startups (typically under ~$10M raised) selling to enterprise customers can receive free or heavily credited access to WorkOS's SSO, SCIM, Directory Sync, and audit log APIs for a defined runway period. Apply through the WorkOS for Startups page and verify current credit cap and runway terms at signup.
Where this programme wins and loses
What works
- Eliminates the #1 enterprise sales blocker SSO and SCIM are non-negotiable for the vast majority of Fortune 500 and mid-market security reviews. Shipping them via WorkOS removes the most common reason enterprise pilots stall.
- Developer-first API design The WorkOS SDK and dashboard are built for fast-moving engineering teams. Most startups can wire SSO, Directory Sync, and audit logs into production in days rather than quarters.
- Multi-tenant by default Unlike auth products built for single apps, WorkOS treats every enterprise customer as a distinct connection, which matches the mental model of enterprise IT and avoids painful re-architecture later.
- Compounds with other startup credits WorkOS pairs naturally with AWS Activate, GCP for Startups, and Azure credits — your cloud bill is offset elsewhere, and WorkOS covers the auth and identity layer.
- Security and compliance leverage WorkOS itself maintains SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, so startups can inherit that posture in their own security questionnaires instead of building it from zero.
What doesn't
- Eligibility is opaque WorkOS does not publish a public credit ladder with hard numbers. Award size, runway length, and active-user caps are quoted only after you apply, which makes modeling the savings ahead of time difficult.
- Credit runway expires The free period is time-boxed (commonly up to 12 months). Once the credit window closes, you transition to standard pay-as-you-go pricing, which can become a meaningful line item at scale.
- Best suited to B2B SaaS If your startup is consumer-first and has no near-term enterprise pipeline, you are paying engineering attention to APIs you won't use for a while.
- Less generous than hyperscaler credits Compared to AWS Activate's $100K or GCP for Startups' $200K+, the WorkOS offer is targeted and modest in dollar terms — valuable, but not a cap-table mover.
The bottom line
If you are an early-stage B2B SaaS with any real enterprise pipeline, WorkOS for Startups is one of the highest-leverage credit programs available — it directly funds the auth and identity layer that gates your largest deals. The only reason to hesitate is if you have no enterprise motion yet, in which case the credits will sit idle.
WorkOS for Startups FAQ
The questions we actually get asked about this programme.
Ask us something elseIt is the official startup program from WorkOS, the enterprise-readiness API platform behind SSO (SAML/OIDC), SCIM directory sync, audit logs, and passwordless auth. The program gives qualifying early-stage startups free or heavily credited access to these APIs so they can ship enterprise-grade authentication quickly without absorbing the full platform cost during their first 12 months.
WorkOS targets pre-seed, seed, and early Series A companies that are actively selling (or planning to sell within the next 12 months) to enterprise customers. Typical requirements include being a venture-backed or institutional-funded startup, having a working product, and demonstrating an enterprise go-to-market motion. Final eligibility is decided by the WorkOS startup team after review.
WorkOS does not publish a fixed public credit cap. The size and length of the credit award (commonly up to 12 months of free or discounted usage) is determined after you submit your application and is typically calibrated to your stage, headcount, and projected connection volume. Verify the specific award at signup.
Approved startups get access to the core WorkOS stack: SSO (SAML 2.0 and OpenID Connect), Directory Sync (SCIM v2.0), Audit Logs, and typically Magic Auth and Passkey. Higher-tier awards may also include premium support and elevated connection ceilings.
Yes. The startup runway is time-boxed, most commonly up to 12 months from the date your application is approved. After the runway ends, you transition to standard WorkOS pay-as-you-go pricing, which bills per active directory connection.
Yes. There is no exclusivity clause. Most startup stacks use WorkOS for identity and pair it with AWS Activate, GCP for Startups, Azure for Startups, or Vercel/Supabase credits for compute, storage, and hosting. Combining programs is the standard playbook.
Most founders hear back within 5–10 business days, though complex applications or those with incomplete enterprise pipelines can take longer. You can accelerate the process by including traction metrics, your security posture, and a clear list of target enterprise customers.
For B2B SaaS startups, WorkOS is often used instead of, or alongside, general-purpose auth like Auth0 or Clerk. WorkOS is purpose-built for selling into enterprises — it models every customer as a tenant and ships SAML, SCIM, and audit logs out of the box, which is exactly what enterprise security teams demand.
