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

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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