Where to get AI credits

Compare programs, check the requirements and apply on the provider's site.

More filters

Programs found: 24

ProgramAmountMain conditionHow hard to get
Claude for StartupsAnthropic · Direct API
Amount not publishedAPI credits

For startups with institutional investment

On the Claude API directly
How hard to getHighNeeds fund investment, company under 4 years old, applications are reviewed
Terms
Google Startup PerksGoogle Cloud · Cloud platform
$10 000For partner models in Model Garden

Only for Google for Startups Scale or Scale AI members

On partner models in Model Garden, including Claude
How hard to getHighFirst join Scale, then ask a Google Cloud representative
Terms
AWS ActivateAWS · Cloud platform
Amount not publishedCloud credits

For startups that fit an Activate package

In AWS, including Amazon Bedrock models
How hard to getMediumRegular application; some packages need an Activate Provider partner
Terms
Codex for StudentsOpenAI · Subscription
$100Credits for Codex

For university students in the US and Canada

In Codex, for 12 months after grant
How hard to getLowJust verify your student status in ChatGPT
Terms
Google for Startups Cloud Program: AIGoogle Cloud · Cloud platform
Up to $350,000Over 2 years: up to $250,000 in year one, up to $100,000 in year two

For AI startups with seed funding or a Series A

In Google Cloud, including Gemini and Gemma; third-party models are not covered
How hard to getHighNeeds institutional funding, company under 5 years old, Google decides
Terms
Microsoft for StartupsMicrosoft · Cloud platform
Up to $150,000Azure credits grow as the company grows

For startups with their own software, before Series C

On eligible Azure services; check in the Azure portal which AI models are included
How hard to getMediumRegular application, a decision usually within three business days
Terms
Claude for Open SourceAnthropic · Subscription
Max 20xClaude Max 20x subscription free for 6 months

For open source maintainers and active contributors

Claude Max 20x subscription for 6 months
How hard to getMediumAn application with a project that meets one of the criteria
Terms
Codex for Open SourceOpenAI · Subscription
ChatGPT ProFree for 6 months, plus API credits from the Codex Open Source Fund

For maintainers of widely used public projects

ChatGPT Pro with Codex for 6 months and API credits from the fund
How hard to getMediumAn application with a project; Codex Security access is reviewed separately
Terms
Google AI Pro for studentsGoogle · Subscription
1 year of AI ProInstead of $19.99 a month

For US college students aged 18+

Google AI Pro subscription for 1 year
How hard to getLowJust verify your student status
Terms
GitHub Copilot StudentGitHub · Subscription
FreeWhile your status is verified

For verified students, teachers and maintainers

GitHub Copilot Student in your editor and on GitHub
How hard to getLowJust verify your status in GitHub Education
Terms
AI for ScienceAnthropic · Direct API
Amount not publishedAPI credits

For researchers, especially in biology and life sciences

On the Claude API directly
How hard to getHighNeeds a research institution; experts review applications
Terms
Cohere Labs Catalyst GrantsCohere · Direct API
Amount not publishedAPI credits

For research and public-benefit projects

On Cohere models through the Cohere API
How hard to getHighNeeds a public-benefit or open science project
Terms
Google Cloud Free TrialGoogle Cloud · Cloud platform
$300For 90 days

For new Google Cloud customers

On Google Cloud services, including Vertex AI; not on the Gemini API in AI Studio or partner models
How hard to getLowSign up with a card, no application or review
Terms
AWS Free TierAWS · Cloud platform
Up to $200$100 at sign-up and up to $100 more for trying services, including Amazon Bedrock

For new AWS customers

On AWS services, including Amazon Bedrock
How hard to getLowCreate a new account, no application
Terms
Azure free accountMicrosoft · Cloud platform
$200For 30 days, plus free monthly amounts of 20+ services for 12 months

For new Azure customers

On Azure services within 30 days
How hard to getLowSign up with a card, no application
Terms
Gemini API Free tierGoogle · Direct API
Amount not publishedFree

For developers and small projects

In the Gemini API and Google AI Studio
How hard to getLowJust get a key in Google AI Studio
Terms
Azure for StudentsMicrosoft · Cloud platform
$100For 12 months, renewable every year while you study

For full-time university students

On Azure services, including Azure OpenAI
How hard to getLowVerify with your school email, no card
Terms
Google Cloud for EducationGoogle Cloud · Cloud platform
Up to $50 per studentAnd up to $100 per teacher

For students, through a teacher

On Google Cloud for coursework
How hard to getMediumA teacher applies for the course
Terms
AWS Cloud Credit for ResearchAWS · Cloud platform
Up to $5,000 for studentsNo cap for faculty and staff

For researchers and graduate students

On AWS services for the project
How hard to getHighAn application describing a finite project, from an institution email
Terms
Google Cloud research creditsGoogle Cloud · Cloud platform
Up to $5,000Per application

For academic researchers

On Google Cloud for the research
How hard to getHighAn application describing the research
Terms
Up to $1,000API credits for 12 months

For researchers of AI safety and impact

On the OpenAI API, any public model
How hard to getHighAn application with a project, decisions once a quarter
Terms
Cloudflare for StartupsCloudflare · Cloud platform
Up to $350,000$10,000 if bootstrapped, $100,000 with under $5M raised, $350,000 if funded by a Cloudflare partner

For startups under 10 years old

On the Cloudflare developer platform, up to $50,000 on Workers AI
How hard to getMediumAn application; the amount depends on funding
Terms
NVIDIA InceptionNVIDIA · Cloud platform
Amount not publishedCloud credits

For AI startups at any stage

Credits from NVIDIA partner clouds
How hard to getMediumA free application, no deadlines or cohorts
Terms
ElevenLabs GrantsElevenLabs · Direct API
33M charactersFor 12 months, over 680 hours of agents

For startups under 25 people building with voice AI

On the ElevenLabs platform: voice agents, text to speech and speech to text
How hard to getMediumAn application from a business email, a business model is needed
Terms
Claude for StartupsAnthropic · Direct API
Amount not publishedAPI credits

For startups with institutional investment

How hard to getHighNeeds fund investment, company under 4 years old, applications are reviewed
  • Startups
  • Apply on the Anthropic site
Google Startup PerksGoogle Cloud · Cloud platform
$10 000For partner models in Model Garden

Only for Google for Startups Scale or Scale AI members

How hard to getHighFirst join Scale, then ask a Google Cloud representative
  • Startups
  • Through a Google Cloud representative
AWS ActivateAWS · Cloud platform
Amount not publishedCloud credits

For startups that fit an Activate package

How hard to getMediumRegular application; some packages need an Activate Provider partner
  • Startups, Developers
  • Apply on the AWS site
Codex for StudentsOpenAI · Subscription
$100Credits for Codex

For university students in the US and Canada

How hard to getLowJust verify your student status in ChatGPT
  • Students
  • US and Canada
  • Status verification in ChatGPT
Google for Startups Cloud Program: AIGoogle Cloud · Cloud platform
Up to $350,000Over 2 years: up to $250,000 in year one, up to $100,000 in year two

For AI startups with seed funding or a Series A

How hard to getHighNeeds institutional funding, company under 5 years old, Google decides
  • Startups
  • Apply on the Google Cloud site
Microsoft for StartupsMicrosoft · Cloud platform
Up to $150,000Azure credits grow as the company grows

For startups with their own software, before Series C

How hard to getMediumRegular application, a decision usually within three business days
  • Startups
  • Apply on the Microsoft for Startups site
Claude for Open SourceAnthropic · Subscription
Max 20xClaude Max 20x subscription free for 6 months

For open source maintainers and active contributors

How hard to getMediumAn application with a project that meets one of the criteria
  • Open source, Developers
  • Apply on the Claude site
Codex for Open SourceOpenAI · Subscription
ChatGPT ProFree for 6 months, plus API credits from the Codex Open Source Fund

For maintainers of widely used public projects

How hard to getMediumAn application with a project; Codex Security access is reviewed separately
  • Open source, Developers
  • Apply on the OpenAI developer site
Google AI Pro for studentsGoogle · Subscription
1 year of AI ProInstead of $19.99 a month

For US college students aged 18+

How hard to getLowJust verify your student status
  • Students
  • US
  • Status verification on the Gemini site
GitHub Copilot StudentGitHub · Subscription
FreeWhile your status is verified

For verified students, teachers and maintainers

How hard to getLowJust verify your status in GitHub Education
  • Students, Open source
  • Status verification in GitHub Education
AI for ScienceAnthropic · Direct API
Amount not publishedAPI credits

For researchers, especially in biology and life sciences

How hard to getHighNeeds a research institution; experts review applications
  • Researchers
  • Apply through the Anthropic form
Cohere Labs Catalyst GrantsCohere · Direct API
Amount not publishedAPI credits

For research and public-benefit projects

How hard to getHighNeeds a public-benefit or open science project
  • Researchers
  • Apply on the Cohere Labs site
Google Cloud Free TrialGoogle Cloud · Cloud platform
$300For 90 days

For new Google Cloud customers

How hard to getLowSign up with a card, no application or review
  • Developers, Startups
  • Sign-up on Google Cloud
AWS Free TierAWS · Cloud platform
Up to $200$100 at sign-up and up to $100 more for trying services, including Amazon Bedrock

For new AWS customers

How hard to getLowCreate a new account, no application
  • Developers, Startups
  • Sign-up on AWS
Azure free accountMicrosoft · Cloud platform
$200For 30 days, plus free monthly amounts of 20+ services for 12 months

For new Azure customers

How hard to getLowSign up with a card, no application
  • Developers, Startups
  • Sign-up on Azure
Gemini API Free tierGoogle · Direct API
Amount not publishedFree

For developers and small projects

How hard to getLowJust get a key in Google AI Studio
  • Developers, Students
  • A key in Google AI Studio
Azure for StudentsMicrosoft · Cloud platform
$100For 12 months, renewable every year while you study

For full-time university students

How hard to getLowVerify with your school email, no card
  • Students
  • Sign-up with a school email
Google Cloud for EducationGoogle Cloud · Cloud platform
Up to $50 per studentAnd up to $100 per teacher

For students, through a teacher

How hard to getMediumA teacher applies for the course
  • Students
  • A teacher's application on Google for Education
AWS Cloud Credit for ResearchAWS · Cloud platform
Up to $5,000 for studentsNo cap for faculty and staff

For researchers and graduate students

How hard to getHighAn application describing a finite project, from an institution email
  • Researchers, Students
  • Apply on the AWS site
Google Cloud research creditsGoogle Cloud · Cloud platform
Up to $5,000Per application

For academic researchers

How hard to getHighAn application describing the research
  • Researchers
  • Apply on the Google Cloud site
OpenAI Researcher Access ProgramOpenAI · Direct API
Up to $1,000API credits for 12 months

For researchers of AI safety and impact

How hard to getHighAn application with a project, decisions once a quarter
  • Researchers
  • Apply on the OpenAI program site
Cloudflare for StartupsCloudflare · Cloud platform
Up to $350,000$10,000 if bootstrapped, $100,000 with under $5M raised, $350,000 if funded by a Cloudflare partner

For startups under 10 years old

How hard to getMediumAn application; the amount depends on funding
  • Startups
  • Apply on the Cloudflare site
NVIDIA InceptionNVIDIA · Cloud platform
Amount not publishedCloud credits

For AI startups at any stage

How hard to getMediumA free application, no deadlines or cohorts
  • Startups
  • Apply on the NVIDIA site
ElevenLabs GrantsElevenLabs · Direct API
33M charactersFor 12 months, over 680 hours of agents

For startups under 25 people building with voice AI

How hard to getMediumAn application from a business email, a business model is needed
  • Startups
  • Apply on the ElevenLabs site

Terms collected on 3 October 2026. Current application status is not verified. Credits on different platforms are not one shared balance.