Startup Credits
Startup Credits & Programs
Free and heavily discounted credits for early-stage startups — distinct from coupon deals. Cloud computing, AI APIs, and SaaS tools across AWS, GCP, Azure, IBM, Anthropic, OpenAI, HubSpot, Mixpanel, GitHub, and more.
268+ programs across cloud, AI, and SaaS. Credit amounts, eligibility requirements, application links, and honest verdicts on which programs are worth your time — including 29+ accessible without a VC. Updated May 2026.
Cloud Provider Credits
Free cloud infrastructure credits from AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Oracle and more for early-stage startups.
AI Platform Credits
API credits and free access to leading AI models -- Anthropic, OpenAI, Mistral, Together AI and more for startups building with AI.
SaaS Startup Programs
Discounted and free access to top SaaS tools -- CRM, support, analytics, and infrastructure -- through official startup programs.
The bootstrapped startup credits stack
Over $230K in cloud credits and $125K+ in AI credits accessible without any investor or accelerator affiliation. IBM Cloud ($120K), Cloudflare (BOOTSTRAPPED code), Oracle, Vultr, Anthropic, PostHog, GitHub for Startups, and more.
All startup credit programs (268)
Browse AI Startup Program
Join the Browse AI startup program to save 20% on annual plans and build scalable, no-code web data pipelines in minutes. The program empowers startups to extra
Browserless Free Tier
Get 1,000 free monthly requests for headless browser automation including web scraping, PDF generation, and screenshot capture with zero infrastructure setup
Cacheflow Startup Accelerator Plan
Early-stage SaaS startups with less than $1M ARR can access Cacheflow's Startup Accelerator Plan, offering a 50% discount on a comprehensive CPQ and billing pla
Capture The Bug Startup Program
Get $1,000 in penetration testing credits for early-stage teams building digital products with manual, real-time security testing
Cerebras Free LLM Credits
Get started with Cerebras' AI models using 1 million free inference tokens every day and instant access to their API without a waitlist.
Cerebras Startup Deal
Get up to $22,500 worth of inference on Cerebras Cloud plus priority support and co-marketing opportunities.
Chargebee Startup Program: Billing Foundations
Eligible startups can save over $4,000 across two years with tiered discounts on Chargebee's Performance Plan and get white-glove onboarding support.
CircleCI Open Source Program
Build open source projects for free with CircleCI's robust CI/CD platform, offering generous monthly credits and enterprise-grade features.
Civo Free Trial $250
Get $250 free Civo credit for 1 month to explore managed Kubernetes, cloud services, and more. Enjoy blazing fast cluster deployment, expert mentorship, and fre
Clay Free Plan
Get 100 monthly credits (1,200 annually) for data enrichment with unlimited users, data exports, and access to 50+ data providers
ClickUp for Startups
Kickstart your startup's productivity journey with ClickUp for Startups. Qualifying companies receive $3,000 in ClickUp credits along with an upgraded Enterpris
Cloudflare R2 Storage Free Tier
Cloudflare R2 Storage offers a permanently free allowance of S3-compatible object storage, operations, and zero-egress data transfer so teams can test and launc
Cloudways Startup Program
Empowering startups with managed hosting discounts, exclusive growth tools, and personalized mentorship for sustained business success.
Sunrise Startup Program
Cloudzy's Sunrise startup program empowers early-stage startups with up to $8,000 in cloud VPS credits in the first year, a 30% rebate on VPS purchases in the s
CockroachDB Cloud Free Trial
New organizations receive $400 in free credits to trial CockroachDB Cloud, available across all cluster plans.
Coda Startup Program
Get a 6-month free Team plan on Coda and experience a scalable, all-in-one workspace that powers your startup with unlimited AI capabilities and premium feature
Commented Startup Program
Get up to 75% discount on Commented Business Plan for a full year - a collaborative platform for team commenting, feedback, and productivity enhancement
ComplyCube Startup Program
ComplyCube's Startup Program offers early-stage and growing businesses free KYC API, AML tools, identity verification checks, and other resources to streamline
How to stack startup credits in 2026
- 01
Apply to cloud credits first — highest dollar value
Cloud credits have the highest dollar value ($100K–$350K) and compound longest. Apply to AWS Activate Founders ($1K, instant, no VC) and GCP startup credits on day one. Then add Microsoft Founders Hub, IBM Cloud, Oracle, and Cloudflare (BOOTSTRAPPED code) for bootstrapped teams. - 02
Unlock AI credits through your accelerator for maximum amounts
Anthropic ($25K–$100K) and OpenAI ($2.5K–$100K) credits scale with your accelerator or VC affiliation. Apply through your program benefits dashboard for the top tier. Without a partner, apply directly for the base tier — both accept direct applications. - 03
GitHub for Startups — most founders never apply
GitHub for Startups offers $10K in platform credits plus up to $40K in non-dilutive cash. Direct application — under 5 years old and under $1M raised. Apply immediately at github.com/solutions/startups. Most qualifying founders have never heard of this program. - 04
Check the bootstrapped track before assuming you need a VC
Over $230K in cloud credits is accessible without any investor affiliation: IBM Cloud ($120K), Vultr ($100K), Cloudflare (code BOOTSTRAPPED, up to $250K), Oracle ($10K), and AWS Activate Founders ($1K instant). Plus $125K+ in AI credits with direct apply. - 05
Model credit expiry before activating
Credits with 12-month validity (Oracle, GCP, IBM) should not be activated until you have real infrastructure usage. AWS Activate credits are valid 24 months — the safest to activate early. Activate close to your launch date to maximise value. - 06
Stack programs — they are not exclusive
There is no rule against holding credits from multiple providers simultaneously. Most funded startups run AWS + GCP + Azure + Anthropic + OpenAI + Datadog credits at the same time. Apply to all programs you qualify for — the applications are independent.
Startup credits — frequently asked questions
What are startup credits? +
Startup credits are free cloud, AI, and SaaS access programs offered by software companies to early-stage startups. They typically provide $1K–$350K in credits toward cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure), AI APIs (Anthropic, OpenAI), and SaaS tools (HubSpot, Intercom, Mixpanel). The goal is to lower your infrastructure costs during development and early revenue stages.
How much can a startup get in total credits in 2026? +
A startup that qualifies for all major programs can access over $1M in total credits across cloud, AI, and SaaS. Realistically, most funded startups access $200K–$500K. Bootstrapped startups without VC affiliation can access $230K+ in cloud credits and $125K+ in AI credits through direct-apply programs.
Do I need to be VC-backed to get startup credits? +
No. Many high-value programs accept direct applications with no investor or accelerator affiliation: IBM Cloud for Startups ($120K), Cloudflare for Startups (BOOTSTRAPPED code, up to $250K), Oracle for Startups ($10K), Vultr ($100K), AWS Activate Founders ($1K instant), Anthropic for Startups ($25K), Together AI ($50K), PostHog ($50K), and GitHub for Startups ($50K + $40K cash).
Which startup credit programs are easiest to get? +
AWS Activate Founders approves automatically the same day with no partner required. NVIDIA Inception is free with instant access. Twilio for Startups ($5K) approves same-day with direct application. IBM Cloud, Oracle, and Anthropic direct-apply tiers typically approve in 3–10 business days.
Can I stack startup credits from multiple providers? +
Yes — startup credit programs are independent and non-exclusive. There is no rule preventing you from holding credits from AWS, GCP, Azure, IBM, Anthropic, OpenAI, and Mixpanel simultaneously. Most funded startups do exactly this. Apply to every program you qualify for.
How do I apply for startup credits? +
Each program has its own application. For instant programs: apply directly at the provider website (AWS, Twilio, NVIDIA). For partner-gated programs: log into your accelerator or VC benefits portal (Y Combinator Bookface, a16z portfolio hub, etc.) and access the credit links there. For direct-apply programs: apply at the provider website with your company details.