Startup Credits

The short version: if you don't have a VC or accelerator behind you, the biggest credit programs you can apply for yourself right now are PostHog ($50K for 12 months), Cloudflare ($10K for bootstrapped startups or those that have raised under $1M), ElevenLabs (33M characters over 12 months, which ElevenLabs values at $5,500+) and AWS Activate Founders (up to $5K).

Google Cloud's Start tier gives you $2K. Microsoft starts you on $200 of Azure credit, with more after approval. Notion, MongoDB, DigitalOcean, Intercom and NVIDIA round it out with free months, discounts or credits of varying size.

The six-figure numbers you see everywhere?

Those almost always need a referral from an investor or accelerator.

Every program below was checked on its official page on 24 October 2026. Each one has its own check date, and we update this page when programs change.

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Here's the thing with credits.

They're free money for your infrastructure, but each program has its own fine print, its own tiers and its own definition of "startup".

So I wanted one page that tells you, in plain English, what you can actually get without anyone vouching for you.

No paid placement.

No partner codes.

None of the links below earn Workstak anything.

At A Glance

The Programs

PostHog for Startups: $50K

Checked 24 Oct 2026 · posthog.com/startups

The biggest open program on this page.

• What you get: $50,000 in PostHog credits for 12 months, $12,000 in partner benefits, and merch.
• Who qualifies: Your company is under 2 years old and has raised under $5M. You signed up to PostHog on or after 1 Jan 2023, from an account on your company email domain. Gmail and Outlook addresses aren't accepted.
• How to apply: Sign up to a paid plan (you're only charged for usage), then fill in the startup form.
• Watch out: From 14 Sep 2026, credits don't cover PostHog's AI tools (PostHog Desktop, the Slack app, Replay Vision, PostHog AI and Inbox). YC companies have a separate deal, and the two don't stack.

Cloudflare for Startups: $10K

Checked 24 Oct 2026 · cloudflare.com/forstartups

• What you get: $10K in credits for one year, plus community access and developer docs.
• Who qualifies: The $10K tier is for bootstrapped or self-funded startups, or those that have raised under $1M. Cloudflare says "no minimum funding required".
• The general checklist also asks for: founded in the last 10 years, building a tech product, a live website, an active LinkedIn, X or GitHub presence, a business email on your domain, and first-time applicants only.
• How to apply: Apply on the official page. Cloudflare says review usually takes up to 48 hours.
• Watch out: No extensions, and credits can't be transferred. Consultancies, agencies, personal blogs, MSPs, resellers and educational institutions aren't eligible. Cloudflare's checklist also lists "Funded up to Series B / Funded within the last 12 months", which sits awkwardly next to the bootstrapped tier (see the FAQ).

ElevenLabs Grants: 33M characters

Checked 24 Oct 2026 · elevenlabs.io/startup-grants

If you're building with voice, this is the one.

• What you get: 12 months of access with 33,000,000 characters. ElevenLabs puts that at "over 680 hours of Agents usage" and "$5,500+ in value".
• Who qualifies:
  • Startups with fewer than 25 employees.
  • A business or monetization strategy.
  • A valid business email.
  • Building something for the long term, not a one-off project.
  • Not an agency, consultancy or SMB.
  • Not building for children aged 18 or under.
  • Not an existing enterprise customer.
• How to apply: Fill in the application on the official page. Applications are rolling, and ElevenLabs says it replies within a week.
• Watch out: One application per company, and you can't resell characters.

AWS Activate Founders: up to $5K

Checked 24 Oct 2026 · aws.amazon.com/startups/credits

• What you get: You start with $1,000 in Activate Credits. "Select participants" can get up to $5,000.
• Who qualifies: Bootstrapped or self-funded startups that are pre-Series B, founded in the last 10 years, with an AWS account on a paid-tier plan. You also have to be new to Activate Credits, or asking for more than you got before.
• How to apply:
  1. Create an AWS Builder ID with your professional email.
  2. Pick Activate Founders.
  3. Tell AWS about your startup.
  4. Link your AWS account and submit. AWS says you'll hear back in 5–10 business days.
• Also worth knowing: AWS lists Kiro Startup Credits as a separate offer for eligible startups without current Activate Credits.

Google for Startups Cloud Program (Start): $2K

Checked 24 Oct 2026 · cloud.google.com/startup

• What you get: $2K in Google Cloud credits.
• Who qualifies: Founded in the past 2 years, with a working MVP, a clear business model and plans to seek venture funding soon.
• Not eligible: dev shops, consultancies, agencies and personal blogs.
• How to apply: Apply on the official page with your 18-character Cloud billing account ID, a business email matching your website domain, and a live website.
• Watch out: Google says it screens for AI-generated websites and may reject an application with a lot of AI-generated content. Credits can't be shared, split or resold. If you're turned down, Google may point you to its $300 Free Trial instead. Decisions take 5–7 days.

Microsoft for Startups: $200 to start

Checked 24 Oct 2026 · Microsoft Learn application guide

This one has changed, so read the fine print.

• What you get: Without an investor referral code, you get $200 in Azure starter credits once you've set up your account. With a code from an investor in Microsoft's Investor Network, you start with $1,000. Either way, Microsoft says you may unlock "additional Startup credits (up to $150,000)" based on business verification, service adoption, usage and eligibility.
• Who qualifies: Pre-seed to Series B, B2B, building software, AI or tech. You need to be working toward or at MVP, privately held (not a subsidiary), and based in a region where the program operates.
• How to apply: Click "Get started now" and sign in with a personal Microsoft account. Work and company-domain emails aren't accepted. Without a code, choose "Continue without a code", verify with LinkedIn, then set up Azure with a payment card. Microsoft says it reviews applications within three business days.
• Watch out: You can't have had an Azure account before.

Notion for Startups: 3 months free

Checked 24 Oct 2026 · notion.com/startups

• What you get: 3 months free on the Business plan with Notion AI included.
• Who qualifies: A non-paying Notion customer with fewer than 100 employees, a valid business website and a company domain email. You also can't have had a previous Notion promotion.
• How to apply: Fill in the application on the official page.
• Watch out:
  • Notion offers 1 month instead to companies under 10 employees, SMBs, service businesses, or incomplete applications.
  • The 6-month tier needs one of Notion's startup partners.

MongoDB for Startups: credits (amount not published)

Checked 24 Oct 2026 · mongodb.com/startups

• What you get: Atlas credits and Voyage AI tokens, plus technical help. Bootstrapped startups get "baseline credits", and funded tiers get more. MongoDB doesn't publish the amounts.
• Who qualifies: Under 7 years old, Series A or earlier, focused on a single software product or service, and not previously accepted. You also need an active company website and LinkedIn profile. Dev shops and agencies aren't eligible.
• How to apply: If you're not with a VC, accelerator or incubator, apply directly on the page.
• Watch out: Credits run for 12 months. Extensions are case-by-case, by emailing startups@mongodb.com.

DigitalOcean Startups: 12 months of credits (amount varies)

Checked 24 Oct 2026 · digitalocean.com/hatch

• What you get: 12 months of DigitalOcean credits, up to $10,000 in usage a month. DigitalOcean doesn't state the total and says amounts are set through its partners. You also get 15 months of free Standard-tier support.
• Who qualifies: Raised $10M or less, with a company website and a matching company email. DigitalOcean prioritizes AI-native startups, and service businesses aren't eligible.
• How to apply: Create a DigitalOcean team account with your company email and a credit card. Then apply and choose "Other" when asked for an affiliated partner.
• Watch out:
  • Core credits don't cover GPU products, dedicated or serverless inference, third-party AI models, Paperspace or Cloudways (as of 13 May 2026). GPU credits are a separate application for select startups.
  • Credits can't be transferred, there are no extensions, and it's only for startups that haven't had DigitalOcean credits before.

Intercom Early Stage: a discount, not credits

Checked 24 Oct 2026 · intercom.com/early-stage

• What you get:
  • 93% off in year 1, 50% off in year 2 and 25% off in year 3.
  • A free year of Fin AI Agent: 300 outcomes and 15 qualifications a month in year 1.
  • The Helpdesk from $65 a month.
• Who qualifies: Up to $10M in funding, fewer than 15 employees, and not currently an Intercom customer.
• How to apply: Apply on the official page.
• Watch out:
  • Phone, SMS and WhatsApp are charged at list price. The plan includes 6 Advanced seats.

NVIDIA Inception: membership, with partner credits

Checked 24 Oct 2026 · nvidia.com/en-us/startups

• What you get: A free program with no fees and no equity. It includes "free cloud credits from NVIDIA and partners". NVIDIA doesn't give an amount.
• Who qualifies: Incorporated, less than 10 years old, a working website, a clear use case for NVIDIA tech, and run by at least one founder. Consultancies and outsourced dev firms, crypto-related companies, cloud providers, resellers and public companies don't qualify. You don't need revenue.
• How to apply: Apply on the page. There are no deadlines or cohorts, and you'll need a pitch deck.

The Bigger Tiers Need A VC Or Accelerator

This is where the headline numbers live.

If you're raising, ask your investor or accelerator which of these they're a partner on.

• AWS Activate Portfolio: up to $200,000, with an Org ID from an Activate Provider. AI startups ready to scale can get $200,000+, by invitation only. (Checked 24 Oct 2026)
• Google Cloud Scale / Scale AI: $200K–$350K over two years.
  • AI startups: up to $250K in year 1, plus up to $100K more in year 2.
  • You need Pre-Seed to Series A funding raised within the last 3–5 years. (Checked 24 Oct 2026)
• Microsoft for Startups: an Investor Network code gets you $1,000 to start and "up to $150,000" once approved. (Checked 24 Oct 2026)
• Cloudflare: $100K (under $5M raised) or $350K ($5M+ raised), both needing funding from an "affiliated partner". (Checked 24 Oct 2026)
• Notion: 6 months free if you're with one of its startup partners. (Checked 24 Oct 2026)
• OpenAI: API credits come through VC partners with a unique referral code. The page names Thrive Capital, Sequoia, a16z, Kleiner Perkins and Conviction Partners. It doesn't publish an amount. (Checked 24 Oct 2026)
• Anthropic (Claude Startups): closed to new applications. The cohort is full. Startups backed by a VC in Anthropic's partner network "may be eligible to receive up to $100K in additional API credits, claimed through your VC". (Checked 24 Oct 2026)

FAQ

How do I get AWS credits for my startup? If you're self-funded, apply for AWS Activate Founders. You start with $1,000, and select participants can get up to $5,000. You need to be pre-Series B, founded in the last 10 years, with a paid-tier AWS account. Up to $200,000 needs an Org ID from an Activate Provider, such as your accelerator or VC.

Where can I get free AI credits? Without a VC, ElevenLabs Grants is the clearest AI-specific one: 33M characters over 12 months. NVIDIA Inception offers partner cloud credits with no fixed amount. OpenAI's API credits need a VC partner's referral code, and Anthropic's program is closed to new applicants. Watch the AI carve-outs too: PostHog credits no longer cover its AI tools, and DigitalOcean's core credits exclude GPUs and third-party AI models.

What's the biggest program I can get without an investor? PostHog, at $50K for 12 months, if you're under 2 years old and have raised under $5M.

Does Cloudflare's $10K tier need funding? Cloudflare describes the $10K tier as "no minimum funding required" and lists "Bootstrapped or self-funded" and "Under $1M raised" as its criteria. Its general "Do I qualify?" list also says "Funded up to Series B / Funded within the last 12 months". The two don't line up cleanly. I reckon the tier criteria are the ones to go by if you're bootstrapped, but it's worth asking startups@cloudflare.com if you're unsure.

Can I get Google Cloud credits without funding? Yes, the Start tier ($2K), if you were founded in the past 2 years and have a working MVP. The Scale tiers need venture funding.

Did Microsoft's free $150K go away? The application guide we checked says applying without an investor code gets you $200 in starter credits. More credits, up to $150,000, depend on verification, usage and eligibility. An investor code starts you on $1,000.

Can I stack several programs? None of the official pages we checked say anything about stacking across different providers, so read each program's terms. PostHog does say its startup deal and its YC deal don't stack. Several programs ban transferring or reselling credits, including Cloudflare, Google, ElevenLabs and DigitalOcean.

Do agencies or consultancies qualify? Usually not. Cloudflare, Google, ElevenLabs, MongoDB, DigitalOcean and NVIDIA all exclude agencies, consultancies or dev shops in some form. Notion gives them its 1-month offer instead of 3 or 6 months.

Is any of this sponsored? No. Workstak doesn't sell placement, and none of these links earn us anything.

Get New Programs In Your Inbox

These programs move around a lot.

Anthropic closed its cohort. Microsoft's no-code path now starts at $200. PostHog carved AI tools out of its credits. Cloudflare raised its base tier from $5K to $10K.

If you'd like a heads-up when something changes, feel free to subscribe to Alpha Work. It's our weekly newsletter for founders, builders and operators, with 2K+ subscribers.

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Every program re-checked on its official page on 24 October 2026. Amounts in USD. Spotted something out of date? Let us know and we'll fix it.