DevOps

    Top Cloud Providers Offering Free Credits for Startups


    Introduction

    Empower your startup with world-class infrastructure for free!

    These cloud providers offer generous credit programs, expert support and startup perks to help you build, launch and scale without breaking the bank.

    1. Amazon Web Services (AWS Activate)

    Free Credits: $1,000 to $100,000+

    Top Benefits:

    • Access to 200+ cloud services (EC2, S3, Bedrock, Lambda)
    • Free 1-year AWS Business Support
    • 80+ partner tools (Notion, GitHub, Freshworks, Segment, etc.)

    Unique Perk: Two tracks Founders (no funding required) and Portfolio (for VC/incubator-backed startups)

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    2. Google Cloud Platform (GCP for Startups)

    Free Credits: Up to $200,000 over 2 years

    Top Benefits:

    • Access to Vertex AI, BigQuery, Firebase, Maps API, and more
    • Technical support + architecture guidance
    • Partner perks like Stripe, Notion, Miro, HubSpot

    Unique Perk: Tiered credits via Start and Scale tracks based on funding & maturity.

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    3. Microsoft Azure (Founders Hub)

    Free Credits: Up to $150,000

    Top Benefits:

    • Access to Azure AI, ML, OpenAI APIs, DevOps & App Services
    • Free GitHub Enterprise, Visual Studio, and Power BI
    • Personalized technical mentorship & GTM support

    Unique Perk: No funding required apply even with just an idea or MVP

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    4. DigitalOcean Hatch for Startups

    Free Credits: Up to $100,000

    Top Benefits:

    • Simple cloud infrastructure (Droplets, App Platform, Managed DBs)
    • Developer-friendly interface with Kubernetes & CI/CD support
    • Partner tools from Stripe, GitHub, Intercom and more

    Unique Perk: Lightweight cloud platform ideal for indie hackers, SaaS, and early stage MVPs

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    5. Oracle Cloud for Startups

    Credits: Up to $10,000 - $50,000+ in free cloud credits

    Benefits:

    • Access to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)
    • 1:1 mentorship from Oracle engineers
    • GTM opportunities with Oracle Sales & Marketing

    Unique Perk: No VC or incubator requirement

    🔗 https://www.oracle.com/startup/ 

    6. IBM Startup Program

    Credits: Up to $120,000 in IBM Cloud credits

    Benefits:

    • Free access to IBM Watson AI, Blockchain, Data & DevOps tools
    • Technical mentorship
    • Co-marketing & global exposure

    Eligibility: Startups under 5 years old with < $1M in revenue

    🔗 https://developer.ibm.com/startups/ 

    7. Alibaba Cloud Startup Program

    Credits: Up to $3,000 - $50,000 in credits (varies by region/partner)

    Benefits:

    • Access to Elastic Compute, Object Storage, AI services
    • Local support across Asia Pacific
    • Tech enablement sessions

    Ideal For: Startups focused on APAC/China markets

    🔗 https://www.alibabacloud.com/startups 

    8. Scaleway Startup Program (Europe-Focused)

    Credits: Up to €36,000 in credits over 12 months

    Benefits:

    • Cloud-native infra (K8s, GPU, Instances, Block Storage)
    • EU-based hosting and GDPR compliance
    • Startup ecosystem partnerships

    Ideal For: EU based startups or privacy-conscious products

    🔗 https://www.scaleway.com/en/startup-program/ 

    9. Render Startup Program

    Credits: Up to $3,000 in platform credits

    Benefits:

    • PaaS style deployment (like Heroku)
    • Supports web services, static sites, databases, cron jobs
    • Simple to use for early stage tech teams

    Eligibility: Early-stage startups and open source projects

    🔗 https://render.com/startups 

    10. Vultr for Startups (New)

    Credits: Up to $1,000 - $10,000 based on stage

    Benefits:

    • Developer-friendly cloud infrastructure
    • Worldwide data center locations
    • Simple UI for MVPs, AI tools and dev testing

    Great For: Bootstrapped startups and indie hackers

    🔗 https://www.vultr.com/partners/startups/ 

    11. Linode Startup Program (Now Akamai Cloud)

    Credits: Custom depending on pitch and need

    Benefits:

    • Linux-first VPS infrastructure
    • Lower cost vs AWS/GCP
    • Good for early MVP testing and indie devs

    Apply via: Partner channels or pitch request

    🔗 https://www.linode.com/partners/startups/ 

    Pro Tips

    • Most programs prioritize companies under 5 - 6 years of age with < $10M in funding or revenue
    • Prepare a landing page, pitch deck and professional email
    • Incubator or VC affiliation can unlock higher tiers of credits

    Supercharge your startup with DevOps that delivers. Reach out to our experts now.

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