Free Startup Credits (Complete List) — 2026
Startup programs offered by cloud providers, AI companies, and SaaS vendors let early-stage teams access hundreds of thousands of dollars in credits, discounts, and free tiers without equity or commitment.
This page lists 39 verified deals across 7 categories, each with direct application links and eligibility notes.
All entries are checked for active status before inclusion, and deals marked as expired are removed from the list.
Last updated:
Cloud Credits
The largest credits come from cloud providers. AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure all run structured startup programs with multi-stage credit tiers.
MongoDB
$500Easy eligibilityFree MongoDB Atlas Credits for Startups
Get free credits for MongoDB Atlas, Technical advice, Co-marketing and more
AWS
$850KEasy eligibilityAWS Free Tier & AI Partner Credits
AWS gives startups 12 months of free cloud services including EC2, S3, and Lambda, plus up to $850K in AI partner credits from OpenAI, Hugging Face, and more. No upfront costs.
Heroku
Varies by usageMedium eligibilityFree Platform Credits and Services
Get access to Heroku’s fully managed platform to build, deploy, and run apps with free credits—no infrastructure management required.
DigitalOcean
$100,000Medium eligibilityFree Cloud Credits and Support
DigitalOcean Hatch gives early-stage startups up to $100,000 in free cloud credits for Droplets, Kubernetes, managed databases, and more. Simpler than AWS or GCP, with transparent pricing and 12 months of runway.
Google Cloud
Up to $350,000Moderate eligibilityGoogle for Startups Cloud Program — Credits, Vertex AI & Gemini APIs
Google for Startups Cloud Program gives Seed to Series A companies up to $200,000 in Google Cloud credits, or up to $350,000 for AI-first startups. Credits work across Compute Engine, Cloud Run, GKE, BigQuery, Vertex AI, and Gemini APIs, and are valid for 12 months from acceptance.
Microsoft
Up to $150,000Moderate eligibilityFree Azure Cloud Credits and AI Tools
Microsoft for Startups (Founders Hub) gives early-stage companies up to $150,000 in free Azure credits, access to OpenAI models, and technical mentoring. The program is open to startups with under $10M in funding and takes 3–5 business days to approve.
Vercel
Up to $850,000Moderate eligibilityFree Hosting & AI Credits for Startups
Join Vercel's AI Accelerator to receive up to $850,000 in free hosting and AI partner credits. Perfect for AI startups looking to build and scale their apps.
Cloudflare
$250,000Moderate eligibilityFree Enterprise-Grade Security, CDN & Edge Compute
Cloudflare gives eligible startups up to $250,000 in credits for CDN, DDoS protection, Zero Trust security, R2 storage, and Workers AI serverless compute. Credits are valid for 12 months.
AI Credits & Tools
AI-focused programs from foundation model companies offer API credits that let startups prototype and launch AI products without upfront cost.
OpenAI
$3,000Moderate eligibilityAccess GPT-4 and ChatGPT via Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub
Leverage OpenAI's GPT-4, ChatGPT, and Codex on Azure with up to $3,000 in credits through Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub.
Anthropic
$25,000Moderate eligibilityFree Claude AI Credits and Venture Support
Access $25,000 in free credits for Claude AI models plus venture support from Menlo Ventures to scale your AI startup.
MistralAI
$500Easy eligibilityFree API Credits for Developers & Startups
Get $500 in free credits to explore MistralAI’s state-of-the-art open-weight language models and APIs, perfect for startups building with cutting-edge generative AI.
ElevenLabs
33M CharactersModerate eligibilityFree AI Voice & Dubbing Credits for Startups
Unlock 12 months of free access to the ElevenLabs Scale tier, including 33 million characters for generative voice AI, text-to-speech, and low-latency voice agents.
Databases
Database providers offer startup programs that remove the cost barrier for teams that need managed cloud databases from day one.
Supabase
Up to 50K MAUsN/A eligibilityFree Postgres Database & Auth for Startups
Supabase offers a fully managed Postgres database, auth, and edge functions — free for up to 50,000 monthly active users.
Pinecone
$5,000Moderate eligibilityFree Managed Vector Database Credits
Pinecone gives AI startups $5,000 in free credits for its fully managed vector database. Build RAG pipelines, semantic search, and recommendation systems with sub-100ms queries and zero infrastructure ops.
Developer Tools
Source control, CI/CD, security scanning, and dev environments — the backbone of modern engineering teams, often free for early-stage startups.
GitHub
20 Seats for 1 YearMedium eligibilityFree GitHub Enterprise for Startups
Get up to 20 seats of GitHub Enterprise free for one year to help your startup build, collaborate, and scale securely.
Snyk
Unlimited Open Source ProjectsOpen to All eligibilityFree Security Scanning for Code, Dependencies, and Containers
Snyk offers a free developer plan that provides automated security scanning for open source dependencies, container images, and infrastructure as code (IaC). Perfect for startups building their first product.
PostHog
1M events/monthEasy eligibilityFree Forever Product Analytics for Startups
Get up to 1 million free events per month with PostHog's comprehensive product analytics suite, including feature flags, session recordings, A/B testing, and user insights for data-driven startup growth.
Replit
FreeEasy eligibilityFree Access to Replit Starter Plan
Code, collaborate, and deploy applications instantly in your browser with the free tier of Replit, the online IDE for startups and developers.
Cursor
FreeEasy eligibilityFree Access to Cursor IDE
Start coding faster with the free tier of Cursor IDE, the AI-first code editor. Ideal for individual developers and early-stage startup experimentation.
Glitch
FreeEasy eligibilityFree Access to Glitch Platform
Instantly code, collaborate, and deploy web apps with the free tier of Glitch, the friendly community for building on the web.
CodeSandbox
FreeEasy eligibilityFree Plan for Startups
CodeSandbox is a browser-based IDE that lets startups build, prototype, and share web apps instantly—no local setup needed. The free plan includes unlimited sandboxes, real-time collaboration, and monthly VM credits for cloud dev environments.
Gitpod
FreeEasy eligibility50 Free Hours Per Month on Gitpod
Spin up ready-to-code development environments instantly from any Git repository with Gitpod's Free tier.
Auth0
$20,000Moderate eligibility1 Year Free of Enterprise-Grade Authentication
Auth0 (by Okta) is a hosted identity and authentication platform. Eligible startups get one year of free access to implement SSO, MFA, passwordless login, and enterprise authentication — without building it from scratch.
Bubble
Credits for eligible startupsModerate eligibilityNo-Code App Building Credits for Startups
Bubble is a no-code platform that lets startups build and launch full web applications without writing code. Through its startup program, eligible companies receive credits toward Bubble plans, reducing the cost of building, hosting, and scaling no-code apps.
Sentry
Credits for eligible startupsModerate eligibilityError Monitoring & Performance Credits for Startups
Sentry is an application monitoring platform used by engineering teams to track errors, crashes, and performance issues in production. Through its startup program, eligible early-stage companies receive credits toward Sentry's paid plans, covering error tracking, performance monitoring, session replay, and release health across web, mobile, and backend applications.
Productivity & Collaboration
Project management, wikis, and team chat tools typically offer generous startup plans. A well-organised team ships faster.
Notion
Up to $12,000Medium eligibilityNotion for Startups — Up to 6 Months Free of Business Plan with Notion AI
Notion for Startups gives eligible early-stage teams up to 6 months free on the Notion Business plan, including Notion AI. The plan covers docs, wikis, projects, and databases for the whole team in a single workspace.
Slack
VariesFlexible eligibilityPremium Collaboration Tool for Startups
Slack helps startups enhance team communication, streamline workflows, and integrate with essential tools like Google Workspace and GitHub.
Airtable
Up to $2000Easy eligibilityDiscounted Plans and Free Templates
Get up to $2000 in Airtable credits, access over 50 templates, and simplify your startup workflows with no-code project management and automation.
Asana
Up to 45%Easy eligibilityDiscounted Project Management Tools
Get access to Asana’s powerful project management tools at a discounted rate to help your startup stay organized, collaborate efficiently, and hit your goals faster.
ClickUp
87% Off87% Off ClickUp Unlimited Plan for Startups
Streamline project management and boost team productivity with 87% off ClickUp Unlimited Plan for early-stage startups.
Linear
FreeEasy eligibilityLinear Free Plan — Issue Tracking, Cycles & Projects for Unlimited Members
Linear is a fast, keyboard-first issue tracker built for engineering and product teams. The free plan is permanently free, supports unlimited members, up to 2 teams, up to 250 active issues, and includes Cycles (sprints), Projects, custom Views, GitHub and Slack integrations, API access, and webhooks.
Atlassian
Free for eligible startupsModerate eligibilityFree Jira, Confluence, Loom & More for Startups
Atlassian for Startups gives eligible early-stage companies free access to Atlassian Cloud products including Jira Software, Confluence, Jira Product Discovery, Loom, and Atlassian Analytics. The program is designed for VC-backed startups or those in recognized accelerators, typically with fewer than 50 employees.
Miro
Credits for eligible startupsModerate eligibilityVisual Collaboration & Whiteboarding Credits for Startups
Miro is a visual collaboration platform used for whiteboarding, brainstorming, wireframing, and team workshops. Through its startup program, eligible early-stage companies receive credits toward Miro paid plans, giving teams access to unlimited boards, advanced facilitation tools, and integrations with tools like Jira, Slack, and Figma.
Marketing & Sales
CRM, outbound automation, and customer support platforms offer deep discounts that help early teams punch above their weight.
HubSpot
Up to 90%Moderate eligibilityDiscounted CRM & Marketing Tools
HubSpot for Startups gives early-stage companies up to 90% off HubSpot's CRM, Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, and Service Hub in the first year. The program is open to startups at Series A or earlier that aren't existing HubSpot customers.
Intercom
Up to 90%Easy eligibility90% Off Intercom’s Advanced Plan for Startups
Intercom is a customer messaging platform used for live chat, support, and onboarding. Through its Early Stage Program, eligible startups get 90% off the Advanced Plan in year one, 50% off in year two, and 20% off in year three — plus over $100K in partner perks.
Mailchimp
Up to 500 contactsEasy eligibilityFree Email Marketing Plan for Up to 500 Contacts
Mailchimp's free plan lets startups send up to 1,000 emails per month to 500 contacts at zero cost. Includes email templates, landing pages, signup forms, and basic reporting — no credit card required.
Clay
$229Easy eligibility3,000 Free Credits for B2B Outbound Automation
Automate your B2B sales outreach and data enrichment. Apply the Clay promo code via XRaise to unlock 3,000 free credits for your outbound campaigns.
Zendesk
6 Months FreeEasy eligibilityZendesk for Startups — 6 Months Free of the Professional Suite (with AI Agents & Copilot)
Zendesk for Startups gives eligible early-stage teams 6 months free on the Zendesk Professional Suite, including AI Agents and Copilot. It covers ticketing, messaging, help center, voice, automations, and reporting — the same customer support stack used by larger teams.
Design
Web design and no-code tools lower the bar for launching polished products without a dedicated design team.
How we select deals
- Verified application link. Every deal links to the vendor's official startup program page. We do not link to third-party referral pages.
- Startup eligibility confirmed. Deals must be explicitly open to early-stage startups, not just any business. We note the eligibility level (Easy, Moderate, etc.) on each card.
- Meaningful value. We prioritise programs that offer substantive credits or discounts — not just a free trial that any user can access.
- Regularly updated. Each deal shows a "last verified" date. We review the list at least monthly and remove deals that have ended.
Frequently asked questions
- How do startups get free cloud credits?
- Most major cloud providers — AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure — run dedicated startup programs. Founders apply directly on the provider's website, typically by verifying that their company is early-stage (pre-Series B or earlier) and has not previously participated. Credits are usually delivered to a cloud billing account within a few business days.
- Which cloud provider gives the most startup credits?
- Credit amounts vary by program tier and the startup's stage. AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure all advertise large headline figures (often six figures), but the practical amount depends on which tier your startup qualifies for. It is worth applying to all three, as they are not mutually exclusive.
- Do I need VC funding to get startup credits?
- Not always. Many programs are open to pre-seed or bootstrapped startups. Some providers ask that you be backed by a recognised accelerator, incubator, or VC fund, while others only require that you are building a product and have a live website. Check each program's eligibility page for the exact criteria.
- Are startup credits available to companies outside the US?
- Yes. All the major cloud, AI, and SaaS programs listed here are available globally. Eligibility requirements are the same regardless of geography. Some accelerator-gated programs may have regional restrictions, but the direct-apply programs are open worldwide.
- What is the fastest way to apply for multiple startup deals?
- Start with programs that have instant or same-day approval — AWS Free Tier activates immediately on signup, for example. For programs that require an application, prepare a short description of your startup, a link to your website, and your funding stage in advance. Having these ready lets you move through multiple applications in an afternoon.
- Do startup credits expire?
- Most credits have an expiry — typically 12 months from the date they are granted, though some programs offer "free forever" tiers up to certain usage limits. Check the expiry terms before you apply, and activate credits only when your team is ready to use them.
- Can a startup apply for credits from competing providers at the same time?
- Yes. Cloud providers do not require exclusivity, and there is no rule against holding credits with AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure simultaneously. Many startups run their infrastructure on one primary provider and use credits from others for experimentation, AI tooling, or redundancy.
- What happens when startup credits run out?
- When credits are exhausted you transition to standard pay-as-you-go billing. Providers typically send email notifications before your balance is depleted. Building cost awareness early — with budget alerts and rightsizing — helps avoid surprise invoices after the credit period ends.
Related guide
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LLM APIs, vector databases, AI coding tools, and monitoring.
Related guide
Startup Cloud Credits — Comparison Table →
AWS, GCP, Azure, DigitalOcean, and Vercel startup programs compared.
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