Lists / AI credits
Free AI credits for startups: Anthropic, OpenAI, Azure, Google (Nov 2026)
On 12 Nov 2026, 2 of the 4 AI and cloud credit programs below are open to new applications (Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud), and only 1 needs no investor: Microsoft Azure. Anthropic is closed to new applications, and OpenAI could not be read on 12 Nov 2026.
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Credits by vendor (4)
Each row is taken from the vendor's page, read on 12 Nov 2026 unless the row says otherwise. Open the vendor's page before you apply: amounts and rules change.
| Program | Status | Amount | Who qualifies | How to apply | Checked | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft for Startups (Azure) | OpenOpen: the page says to apply through its website. | Up to $5,000 in Azure credits after business verification; the page says up to $150,000 can unlock over time as usage grows. | Early-stage startups building software products, including AI-powered and cloud-based ones. The page lists no other formal criteria. | Apply on the program's page, then verify the business. | 12 Nov 2026 | The program's page ↗ |
| Google for Startups Cloud Program (AI tier) | OpenOpen: the page has an Apply button for the AI program. | Up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits over 2 years for AI startups (Year 1: up to $250,000; Year 2: 20% up to an additional $100,000). Credits cover Gemini and Gemma; third-party models are billed separately. | VC-funded startups that raised a pre-seed or seed round within the last five years, or a Series A within the last 12 months; founded within the last five years; under $5,000 in prior Google Cloud credits; use or plan to use Gemini in the main product. Eligibility is at Google's discretion. | Apply on the program's page. | 12 Nov 2026 | The program's page ↗ |
| Claude for Startups (Anthropic) | ClosedClosed: the page says the current cohort is full and it is not accepting new applications. | Credits and discounts worth up to $45,000 from companies building with Claude; founders backed by a VC in Anthropic's partner network may get up to $100,000 in additional API credits, claimed through the VC. Credits work on the first-party Claude API only. | Early-stage founders building on Claude. | No open application. The page says the next cohort will be announced through its newsletter. | 12 Nov 2026 | The program's page ↗ |
| OpenAI for Startups | Not confirmedNot confirmed: OpenAI's pages refused an automated read on 12 Nov 2026, so this row repeats the catalog entry checked 27 Sep 2026. | API credits; the amount is not published. | Requires a referral code from a partner VC. | Ask your investor; no direct application is listed. | 27 Sep 2026 | The program's page ↗ |
Questions founders ask
How do I get free AI credits for my startup?
On 12 Nov 2026, 2 of the 4 AI and cloud credit programs below are open to new applications (Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud), and only 1 needs no investor: Microsoft Azure. Anthropic is closed to new applications, and OpenAI could not be read on 12 Nov 2026. Each row below shows the amount the program states, who qualifies, how to apply and the date its page was read (12 Nov 2026).
Can I get Anthropic or Claude credits for a startup?
Closed: the page says the current cohort is full and it is not accepting new applications. Credits and discounts worth up to $45,000 from companies building with Claude; founders backed by a VC in Anthropic's partner network may get up to $100,000 in additional API credits, claimed through the VC. Credits work on the first-party Claude API only. No open application. The page says the next cohort will be announced through its newsletter.
Does OpenAI give free API credits to startups?
API credits; the amount is not published. Requires a referral code from a partner VC. Not confirmed: OpenAI's pages refused an automated read on 12 Nov 2026, so this row repeats the catalog entry checked 27 Sep 2026.
Do I need funding to get Azure or Google Cloud credits?
Microsoft: Early-stage startups building software products, including AI-powered and cloud-based ones. The page lists no other formal criteria. Google Cloud AI tier: VC-funded startups that raised a pre-seed or seed round within the last five years, or a Series A within the last 12 months; founded within the last five years; under $5,000 in prior Google Cloud credits; use or plan to use Gemini in the main product. Eligibility is at Google's discretion.
What this list does not tell you
It does not say whether your company will be accepted: each vendor decides, and the program's page is the rule. A credit is not cash: it pays for that vendor's own cloud or API, and the amounts are the most a program says it can give, not what a given company receives. "Closed" means the page said so on the day it was read; "Not confirmed" means the page could not be read, so the row is older. It is not legal or tax advice, and it does not replace the vendor's own terms.
Left out: Perplexity, Mistral and Cohere (not read on 12 Nov 2026). Credits that come only through a partner investor are listed with that condition, not as open to everyone. Amounts are the most a program says it can give, not what a given company receives.
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