Find every dollar
of credits you're
actually owed.
A handwritten directory of 69 cloud, AI, and SaaS programs , with the eligibility rules, processing times, and rejection reasons that listicles leave out.
Every major program. Every honest catch. No affiliate ranking.
AWS Activate, Google for Startups, Microsoft Founders Hub, Anthropic, OpenAI, Stripe Atlas, Brex, Ramp, Notion, HubSpot, and 59+ more, filtered by what you actually qualify for, with tier guidance and an ordered playbook instead of a wall of links.
Tell us about your startup.
Five questions. Instant, honest matches, not sorted by affiliate payout.
Your top matches
See full results →The programs nearly every founder applies to.
AWS Activate
Amazon's flagship program offering up to $100K AWS credits (or $300K for frontier AI) to pre–Series B startups.
Google for Startups Cloud Program
Up to $200K GCP credits (or $350K for AI-first startups) over 2 years with dedicated Startup Success Manager.
Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub
The easiest-to-qualify major cloud program, up to $150K Azure credits (investor-referred), no VC required for entry tiers.
Stripe Atlas
$500 to incorporate a Delaware C-Corp + $2,500 Stripe credits + $50K+ in partner discounts unlocked after signup.
Brex
Startup-first corporate charge card with a Marketplace that rivals AWS Activate, $350K+ in partner discounts.
Notion for Startups
Up to 6 months of Business Plan + Notion AI free for up to 100 employees, $12K value via partner referral.
The order that works.
Curated sequences for specific founder archetypes. Some programs unlock better terms on others, sequence matters.
Bootstrapped AI Product Playbook
Solo or small team, no VC, AI-first product. Target: $15K–$50K in immediate credits.
Seed-Funded B2B SaaS Playbook
Recognized VC, B2B focus. Target: $500K+ in effective value.
AI-First Seed (Series A-track) Playbook
Compute-heavy AI startup. Target: $1M+ in cloud + AI credits.
International (Non-US) Founder Playbook
Building a US entity from abroad.
Compliance-First (Enterprise Sales Track) Playbook
Preparing for enterprise customers.
The programs founders forget to apply to.
Auth, databases, dev tools, AI infra, HR, grouped by the job they do.
Ship SSO, SCIM, and passwordless without burning weeks on auth.
Meetings, lifecycle emails, support, the customer-facing stack.
Postgres, MySQL, serverless, with branching and migration credits.
Ship the product: code, docs, issues, experiments.
Product analytics + session replay + error tracking, at startup pricing.
LLM inference, vector search, fine-tuning, production-grade.
Design tools, CMS, and forms for the marketing site and the product.
SOC 2, ISO, HIPAA, discount paths for when enterprise asks.
Global payroll, EOR, contractor management, without enterprise pricing.
Frequently asked.
Are startup credit programs really free?
Yes. The major programs listed here (AWS Activate, Google for Startups Cloud, Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, Notion, HubSpot, etc.) are free to apply to. None of them take equity. You may need to provide a payment method that activates only after credits are exhausted or expire, always check individual terms before applying.
Do I need a VC to get the big cloud credits?
No. The easiest paths for bootstrapped founders are Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub (up to $5K with just business verification), AWS Activate Founders tier ($1,000), Google for Startups Cloud Start Tier ($2,000), and Cloudflare for Startups (up to $5K via the BOOTSTRAPPED code). VC or accelerator referrals unlock larger tiers ($100K–$350K) but are not required for a meaningful base.
In what order should I apply to these programs?
Order matters. A good default for bootstrapped founders: (1) incorporate via Stripe Atlas, (2) join NVIDIA Inception if AI-focused, (3) apply for Microsoft Founders Hub, (4) AWS Activate Founders, (5) Google for Startups Cloud Start, (6) open Mercury or Brex, (7) then layer on Notion, MongoDB, GitHub, and others. See the Playbooks page for sequences optimized by archetype.
How long do credits last?
Typically 12 months from activation, though this varies. AWS Activate credits can last 1–2 years. Microsoft Founders Hub distributes over up to 4 years as you hit milestones. Google Cloud Scale tier runs 2 years. Each program detail page shows the exact validity.
Can I re-apply if I got a smaller tier before?
Usually yes. AWS Activate, for example, lets you re-apply for a higher Portfolio tier after you burn through the Founders tier, as long as you now qualify. But most programs only pay out one-time per company, GitHub for Startups in particular has a strict "one redemption ever" rule.
What email should I use when applying?
Always use a professional domain email (name@yourcompany.com), not Gmail or Outlook. Programs verify you as a real company through your website and matching email domain. A Gmail address is one of the most common rejection reasons across AWS, Google Cloud, and Notion.