Over $1M in Free Credits for Founders (Every Link Verified)
50+ startup programs that actually work in 2026. I used many of these to build Trial and Error. Here’s what I wish I knew earlier.
When I started Trial and Error (and Renovate AI) in 2022, I stumbled onto a few of these programs by accident. Cloudflare, OpenAI, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, DigitalOcean, PostHog.
Looking back? I left money on the table.
If I had this list when I started, I would have saved thousands. So I’m sharing what I’ve collected over 4 years of building—every link verified, with my honest takes on what’s worth your time.
Important: I got all of these without VC funding. We were fully bootstrapped. Most of these programs don’t require investors—just a real business.
Why this matters for H1B founders: Every dollar saved on infrastructure = more runway to prove your business model. More time = more revenue milestones = stronger case for your visa.
☁️ CLOUD & INFRASTRUCTURE
The big ones. This is where most of your early spend goes.
AWS Activate — $1K-$100K
Industry standard. Apply through partners for higher tiers.
Google Cloud for Startups — $2K-$350K
AI startups get the $350K tier.
Microsoft for Startups — $1K-$150K
Easy to get started with $1K, verify startup for $5K.
DigitalOcean Hatch — Up to $100K
⭐ I use this. Simple, developer-friendly. Great for getting started without AWS complexity. Use my referral for extra $200 credits.
Cloudflare for Startups — $5K-$250K
⭐ I use this. Best CDN/security. Use code “BOOTSTRAPPED” if self-funded.
📊 DATABASE & BACKEND
MongoDB for Startups — Up to $5K
Supabase — $300 via AWS Activate
🔧 DEVELOPER TOOLS
GitHub for Startups — 20 seats Enterprise free (1 yr)
Worth it if you have a team.
Atlassian for Startups — Premium free (1 yr, 50 users)
Jira, Confluence, Loom included.
Linear for Startups — 6 months free
My favorite project management tool. Clean, fast.
Notion for Startups — 3-6 months free
Use partner code for 6 months.
Retool for Startups — Up to $60K (1 year free)
Internal tools builder. Huge savings.
📈 ANALYTICS & PRODUCT
PostHog for Startups — $50K for 1 year
⭐ I use this. Open source, self-hostable, feature flags + analytics + session replay. Best value.
Twilio Segment Startup — Up to $50K (2 years)
CDP if you need data routing.
Mixpanel for Startups — Free Growth plan
Via partners
Amplitude for Startups — Free Growth plan
Via partners
🤖 AI & ML
OpenAI for Startups — Up to $2,500
⭐ I use this. Essential if building with LLMs.
OpenAI Researcher Access — Up to $1K
Reviewed quarterly (Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec).
Note: OpenAI is no longer included in Microsoft for Startups. Apply directly.
💰 FINTECH & BANKING
Mercury — $250 credit + perks
⭐ I use this. Great startup bank. $250 with $10K deposit. Use my referral
Brex for Startups — $350K+ in partner perks
Good if you have VC funding.
Ramp — Partner discounts + credits
⭐ I use this. Best expense management. 1.5% cashback, no personal guarantee. Use my referral
Stripe Atlas — $100K+ in partner perks
⭐ I recommend this for incorporation. After you incorporate, check the Perks tab—$5K AWS, up to $100K GCP, $3K waived Stripe fees.
Gusto — Payroll & HR
⭐ I use this. Simple payroll for founders. Use my referral
📣 MARKETING & SALES
Attio — Modern CRM
⭐ I use this. Like Linear but for CRM. AI-native, clean, fast. Use my referral
HubSpot for Startups — 30-90% off
🚫 I don’t use this. Bloated, overcomplicated. If you want CRM, use Attio instead. But if you need enterprise CRM, the discount is real.
HubSpot tiers (if you must):
Seed stage (<$2M funding): 90% off Year 1
Series A (>$2M): 50% off Year 1
Accelerator members: 30% off Year 1
Intercom for Startups — 90% discount
Via partners. Good customer support tool.
🔗 THE META-PLAY: My Stack
Here’s what I run Trial and Error on: Stripe Atlas, Mercury, Ramp, Gusto, DigitalOcean, Cloudflare, OpenAI, PostHog, Linear, Attio.
If you want help setting it up, that’s what we do in Launch Club.
Real math (no VCs required): A founder in Launch Club got ~$20K in Year 1 credits while fully bootstrapped—AWS Activate, Microsoft for Startups, DigitalOcean Hatch, plus free Notion, Linear, and GitHub.
⚠️ WATCH OUT FOR
Eligibility requirements vary:
Most require <$5M raised, <2 years old
Some require VC backing or accelerator affiliation (but most don’t)
Some only work for new customers (not existing accounts)
Credits expire:
AWS: Usually 1-2 years
Azure: 90-180 days
Most others: 12 months
Use business email:
Gmail or generic providers like iCloud or Yahoo = instant rejection at some programs. Use your company domain.
Lock-in risk:
Yes, some of these can lock you in. But honestly? That’s a problem you want to have. It means you’re generating revenue and have scale. Worry about migration when you’re successful enough for it to matter.
🎯 FOR H1B FOUNDERS
If you’re on H1B thinking about starting:
These credits extend runway - More time to prove your business model
Track record matters - Revenue milestones help H1B/O-1/EB-1A cases
Legitimate business expenses - Credits = real operations = real case
No VC required - I got all of these while bootstrapped
The goal: Build enough momentum that your immigration case becomes obvious.
Bookmark this. Come back when you’re ready.
Which programs have you used?
PS: When I started in 2022, I found maybe 3-4 of these by accident. You now have 50+. Use them.