Microsoft for Startups: up to $150,000 in Azure credits
Microsoft for Startups · API & Cloud Credits ·
FREEup to $150,000 in Azure credits
36 verified credit programs
Free AI Credits 2026
Startup programs worth up to $150,000 in cloud credits, free API tiers with no credit card, student credits and daily free generations. Every offer below links to the provider's official page, and the community votes the best ones hot.
Free AI credits for startups
Cloud and AI programs for founders. Amounts are the most a startup can get; what you receive depends on each program's rules.
FREEup to $50K credits (startups)
Verdict: Great deal
FREEup to $5,000 in credits
FREEup to $5,000 credits (startups)
Verdict: Great deal
FREE$550012 months, 33M characters
Save $5,500
FREEup to 6 months, Notion AI included
FREE$300 credit for new customers
Free API credits and free tiers for developers
Build and test AI apps without paying: free tokens, free daily allowances and sign-up credits, most with no credit card.
Gemini API free tier: Flash models with free input and output tokens
Google Gemini API · API & Cloud Credits ·
FREEfree tier for Flash models
FREEfree tier, no card
Verdict: Great deal
FREE1M free tokens/day
Verdict: Great deal
FREEfree Experiment plan
Verdict: Decent
FREEfree models, 50 requests/day
Verdict: Decent
Cloudflare Workers AI: 10,000 Neurons of inference free every day
Cloudflare Workers AI · API & Cloud Credits ·
FREE10,000 Neurons per day
FREEfree trial key
Verdict: Decent
FREE$200 free credit, no expiry
Verdict: Must-grab
FREE$50 free credit, no card
Verdict: Great deal
FREE$50 free credits (7 days)
Verdict: Meh
FREE$30 free compute/month
Verdict: Great deal
FREEfree tier
Verdict: Decent
FREEfree Starter plan
Verdict: Decent
FREEfree forever tier
Verdict: Decent
FREEfree, 5k traces/month
Verdict: Decent
Free AI credits and plans for students
Student programs that give you credits or a paid AI plan for free while you study.
FREE$100 credit for 12 months
FREE$239.88for 12 months (US students 18+)
Save $239.88Ends Jan 1
FREE$20for 4 months (US students)
Save $80Ends Nov 1Verdict: Must-grab
FREE$20for 12 months (students)
Save $240Verdict: Must-grab
FREE$20for 12 months (students, 18+)
Save $240Verdict: Must-grab
GitHub Copilot free for verified students (Student Developer Pack)
GitHub Copilot · Coding ·
FREE$10/mo — free while you are a student
Save $120/yr
FREEfree for students
Verdict: Must-grab
Free daily credits for AI images and video
Tools that refill your free credits every day or every month, so you can keep creating without a subscription.
FREE120 free credits/day
Verdict: Great deal
FREEfree, 30 credits/day
Verdict: Decent
FREE150 tokens/day
Verdict: Great deal
FREE30 credits/day
Verdict: Decent
FREE100 credits/mo
Verdict: Decent
FREEfree plan
Verdict: Decent
FREE300 daily credits + 1,000 at sign-up
Verdict: Decent
How to get the most out of free AI credits
- Start with the no-card free tiers. Free API tiers let you build a prototype before you apply for bigger startup programs.
- Apply when you can show something. Startup programs approve faster when you have a live website, a demo or a short description of what you are building.
- Note the expiry date. Credits usually run out after a set period. Plan your heaviest usage inside that window.
- Stack programs. Credits from different providers don't exclude each other, so you can combine a cloud program with free API tiers.
- Students: check your school email first. Many student offers verify you with a school address or SheerID. See our AI student discounts guide.
Free AI credits: FAQ
What are free AI credits?
Free AI credits are prepaid usage that an AI company or cloud provider gives you at no cost: dollars to spend on its API or cloud, a daily allowance of generations, or a paid plan you get free for a while. They let startups, developers and students use AI tools without paying up front.
Who can get free AI credits for startups?
Each program sets its own rules. Some are for self-funded founders, others for startups backed by partner investors or accelerators, and most ask for a company website and a short application. The deal page for each program explains who qualifies and links to the official application.
Do free AI credits expire?
Usually, yes. Cloud and startup credits are normally valid for a limited period after they are granted, and daily or monthly allowances reset instead of rolling over. Check the provider's terms before you plan a project around them.
Do I need a credit card to get free AI credits?
Not always. Several free API tiers and sign-up credits on this page need no card (it says so in the deal), while some cloud programs ask for a payment method to prevent abuse even though you won't be charged until you go over the free amount.
Are these free AI credits legit?
Every program here comes from the provider's own website, and every link goes straight to the official page. ScoviAI never asks for your details to unlock a credit, and we don't sell credits or accounts.