Twilio for Startups
Twilio states plainly that it does not offer additional credits to startups. The old $5,000 Twilio and SendGrid credit program is gone.
This program no longer exists
Twilio's own startups page states that it does not offer additional credits to startups at this time. Every customer receives the same small account-opening credit regardless of stage. The $5,000 Twilio and SendGrid figures circulating on deal sites are from a program that no longer runs. Checked September 13, 2026.
See what to apply to insteadApply to these instead of Twilio
Live startup programs that cover the same job, each checked against the provider's own page.
How they compare
- Customer.io for Startups
- Worth
- Up to 12 months free, up to 30,000 profiles
- Referral
- Not needed
- Review
- 2 to 7 days
- Brevo for Startups
- Worth
- Terms set by partner (not published)
- Referral
- Partner needed
- Review
- 1 to 3 days
Keep the cost down without a program
Vendors often drop startup offers once they move upmarket to enterprise buyers. These still work for an early team.
- Use the small account-opening credit Twilio gives every customer to prototype before you pay.
- Compare per-message pricing against alternatives before you commit to a high-volume messaging plan.
- Use Customer.io or Brevo credits in this directory for email instead of paying for a separate email product.
- Ask Twilio sales for volume pricing once your monthly spend is predictable.
- Check whether your AWS Activate or Google for Startups credits cover a communications provider sold on their marketplace.
About
Twilio no longer runs a startup credits program. Its own startups page states that every Twilio customer gets a small credit when they open an account, and that it does not offer additional credits to startups at this time.
That sentence is unusually explicit, and it settles the question for the whole Twilio platform including SendGrid and Segment. The $5,000 Twilio plus $5,000 SendGrid figures still circulating come from accelerator perk sheets and deal aggregators, not from Twilio.
What remains on the page is a resource library, mentorship content, and a contact form. There is no credit amount, no eligibility criteria, and no application to submit.
Frequently asked about Twilio for Startups
Is Twilio for Startups still available?
Twilio's own startups page states that it does not offer additional credits to startups at this time. Every customer receives the same small account-opening credit regardless of stage. The $5,000 Twilio and SendGrid figures circulating on deal sites are from a program that no longer runs. Checked September 13, 2026.
What should startups use instead of Twilio for Startups?
The closest live options are Customer.io for Startups and Brevo for Startups. Each one is listed with its current terms and application link on this page.
Why is this page still published if the program ended?
Because founders still search for it. Removing the page would send them to third-party sites that are still republishing the old terms as if they were current. Keeping it, with the offer stripped out, is the only way to correct the record at the place people actually look.
How can I tell whether a startup credit program is still live?
Open the provider's own startup or partner page and look for a working application form with stated eligibility and credit amounts. Aggregator sites routinely keep listings up for years after a program ends, so a deal roundup is not evidence that the program exists.