Cloud Credits for Startups: AWS, Google Cloud and Azure Programs

Short answer: what cloud credits are

Cloud credits are a promotional balance the provider adds to a startup's account. While credits remain, bills for eligible services are paid from them instead of your card.

Each of the three largest clouds runs its own program:

• AWS Activate from Amazon Web Services;
• Google for Startups Cloud Program from Google Cloud;
• Microsoft for Startups, which includes Azure credits.

Terms, amounts and tiers change regularly, so always check the official program page before applying.

How the programs usually work

The general logic is similar everywhere:

• Several tiers. An entry tier is open to companies applying on their own. Higher tiers are for startups referred by a partner: an accelerator, venture fund or incubator.
• Expiry. Credits expire after a set period even if you have not used them.
• Extra perks. Besides money, programs often include training, technical support, architect consultations and partner discounts.
• Special tracks. Some programs offer extended terms for specific areas, such as AI startups.

Typical requirements and how to apply

What providers usually check:

1. Company age: the programs target young companies.
2. Stage and funding: higher tiers need a partner referral or confirmed investment.
3. No previous credits of the same tier for that company.
4. Signs of a real business: a working website, company email on your own domain, a company profile.

Application steps:

1. Register the cloud account to the company, not to an employee's personal email.
2. Prepare your website, a product description and founder contacts.
3. If you are in an accelerator or have an investor, ask them for a partner code or referral.
4. Fill in the application on the program page and wait for a decision.
5. Once approved, check in billing which services the credits apply to and when they expire.

What credits usually do not cover

The exact list depends on the program, but common exclusions are:

• third-party products from the marketplace;
• upfront payments for reserved capacity and long-term discount plans;
• paid support plans, sometimes only partly covered;
• domain registration and some specific services;
• taxes, depending on the country and terms.

Anything not covered is charged to the linked card, so you need a card on file even with a large credit balance.

How to avoid the trap when credits run out

The main risk is getting used to "free" infrastructure and then receiving a first real bill the business cannot afford.

• Track the real cost from day one. In billing, look not only at remaining credits but at what you would pay without them.
• Set budgets and alerts. All three providers let you define a budget and get notified as you approach it.
• Do not overprovision "for growth". Large instances, GPUs and multi-zone clusters are easy to launch while credits pay and painful to pay for later.
• Watch the hidden line items. Outbound traffic, NAT gateways, logging, snapshots and idle IP addresses often make up a noticeable share of the bill.
• Tag resources by project and environment so you can see what costs what.
• Stay portable. Containers, standard databases and infrastructure as code make it easier to move to another provider or to a VPS if prices stop working for you.
• Clean up experiments. Test environments forgotten after a hackathon quietly burn credits.

Common mistakes

• Applying for the entry tier without asking whether your accelerator can unlock a higher one.
• Registering the account to a personal email and later struggling to transfer ownership.
• Choosing an expensive managed service only because it is "free" right now.
• Missing the credit expiry date.