Find every dollar
of credits you're
actually owed.
A handwritten directory of 93 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 83+ 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 big programs, explained in full.
What each one really costs, who qualifies, the catch, and how it compares to the alternatives, for the programs founders search for by name.
Stripe Atlas
Stripe Atlas incorporates a US company (Delaware C-corp or LLC) online for a one-time $500, covering the state filing, EIN, share issuance, and first-year registered agent (about $100 per year after). It is open to founders anywhere, forms the company in one to two business days, and bundles legal templates, 83(b) help, and partner perks. You do not have to use Stripe payments to use it.
Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub
Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub gives startups Azure credits that scale from about $1,000 up to $150,000, unlocked progressively, plus GitHub Enterprise, Microsoft 365, and Azure OpenAI access. The self-serve entry tier gives up to roughly $5,000 with just business verification and no investor requirement; the top tiers usually need an Investor Network referral. It takes no equity.
HubSpot for Startups
HubSpot for Startups discounts the CRM and marketing suite by up to 90% off year one, 50% off year two, and 25% off year three onward for startups that raised and are affiliated with an approved partner. Startups affiliated only through an entrepreneurial organization typically get 30% to 50% off year one. It is for new HubSpot customers, usually pre-seed to Series A and under about $20M raised.
AWS Activate credits
AWS Activate gives startups cloud credits plus support. The self-serve Founders tier grants roughly $1,000 to $5,000 with no affiliation needed; the Portfolio tier grants up to $100,000 but requires a confidential Organization ID from an AWS Activate provider (a VC, accelerator, or incubator). Credits typically last up to two years and cover 200-plus AWS services including Bedrock for AI. It takes no equity.
Google for Startups Cloud Program
The Google for Startups Cloud Program has a Start tier worth up to $2,000 (early-stage, not yet equity-funded) and a Scale tier worth up to $200,000 over two years (VC-backed). AI-first startups can reach up to $350,000 total: roughly 100% coverage up to $250,000 in year one plus 20% up to $100,000 in year two. Credits cover Google Cloud, Firebase, and Gemini, and the program takes no equity.
Notion for Startups
Notion for Startups gives new, non-paying startups free credit toward the Business plan including Notion AI: up to six months free through a Notion partner, about three months without a partner, and roughly one month for small or unverifiable teams. It is for companies under 100 employees, one redemption per company, and does not stack with other Notion promotions.
OpenAI startup credits
OpenAI API credits for startups are generally accessed through partners rather than a standalone self-serve program: opening a Ramp account can unlock about $2,500, and VC or accelerator partners can grant more (commonly up to around $5,000), typically valid for 12 months. Larger amounts come through accelerators or Azure OpenAI credits funded by a Microsoft for Startups Azure grant.
Anthropic startup credits
Anthropic's startup program gives Claude API credits, commonly $1,000 to $5,000 at the standard tier and up to $100,000 at the top tier for equity-funded startups. Credits are valid about 12 months and are non-dilutive (no equity taken). Eligibility usually requires being founded within about four years, equity-funded, and new to Anthropic credits. Confirm current terms, since AI programs change fast.
Deel for startups
Deel for startups commonly includes the first five contractor or employee seats free for life, roughly 30% off contractor management and 20% off EOR employees for 12 months, and a credit around $500 (with about $1,500 available through Carta). Deel runs global payroll, contractor management, and employer-of-record hiring in 150-plus countries, so a small team can pay people anywhere compliantly.
Carta for startups
Carta Launch is free for early startups with a small cap table, commonly up to about 25 stakeholders and around $1 million raised, covering electronic share issuance, a 409A-ready cap table, and equity management. Past those limits it converts to a paid plan (or roughly 20% off through startup channels). It is the standard tool for keeping a clean, investor-ready cap table from incorporation.
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.
Text-to-speech, transcription, and realtime voice agents.
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.