Startup credits, and the gates on them
Worth six figures combined, and almost all of it gated. Every line states what you have to be before you can claim it, and the self-serve tier if there is one.
- Programmes
- 14
- Last verified
- 22 July 2026
The programmes
14 listedOrdered by how much a founder can realistically get, not by how big the headline number is.
AWS Activate
Up to $200,000 in credits if you are funded and affiliated with an Activate Provider. Bootstrapped founders get $1,000 to $5,000 self-serve.
Google for Startups Cloud Program
$2,000 self-serve before you raise, up to $200,000 over two years once equity-funded, and up to $350,000 for AI startups.
Microsoft for Startups
$1,000 of Azure self-serve, plus $4,000 more after business verification. The six-figure credits now need a referral code from their investor network.
Cloudflare for Startups
$10,000 in credits with no minimum funding at all, rising to $350,000 for funded startups with a partner.
GitHub for Startups
$10,000 in platform credits including Copilot, for partner-affiliated startups up to Series B.
Notion for Startups
Up to six months of the Business plan with Notion AI, capped at $12,000 in value. Partner-affiliated startups get the full six months.
HubSpot for Startups
Up to 90% off the first year for startups from pre-seed to Series A, stepping down in later years. Worth modelling the year-three price before you commit.
Intercom Early Stage
93% off the first year, with their Fin AI agent included, for startups under $10m raised with fewer than 15 people.
Zendesk for Startups
Up to two years of the Professional Suite free for new customers up to Series B.
Claude for Startups
Free API credits and priority rate limits for venture-backed startups, plus a founder community open to everyone.
OpenAI for Startups
API credits through their partner VCs only, with free events and resources for everyone else.
DigitalOcean for Startups
Twelve months of credits for startups that have raised $10m or less, sized case by case.
Stripe Atlas and Mercury
Not free, but the standard pairing for UK founders selling into the US. $500 incorporates a Delaware company with $2,500 in Stripe credits and partner deals, then Mercury adds free US business banking with a perks marketplace.
Google for Startups Accelerator
Equity-free cohort programmes with Google mentoring, including a UK AI edition. Competitive application rather than a claimable perk.
The graveyard
1 deadStill listed in round-up articles, no longer real.
Twilio and Segment startup credits
Twilio's own page says they no longer offer startup credits, and the Segment programme is gone.
Questions people ask
What is the catch with the big startup credits?
The headline numbers are mostly for funded startups, often gated behind a partner VC or accelerator. The self-serve amounts for bootstrapped founders are much smaller, and each line on this page states the gate rather than quoting the biggest number.
Can I get any of these before I raise?
Yes, but far less. Cloudflare gives $10,000 with no minimum funding at all, AWS gives $1,000 to $5,000 self-serve, Google gives $2,000 and Microsoft gives $1,000 plus $4,000 after verification. Those are the realistic numbers for a bootstrapped founder.
How often is this page checked?
Every link was opened and checked against the official page on 22 July 2026, and the page is re-verified periodically. Programmes change their gates quietly and often, so check the provider's own page before you build a plan around a number.
Credits are a cost saving, not a strategy. They are worth claiming once you have decided what you are building and who for.