How to get free AWS credits in 2026: every route, who applies and how much.

IWhat free AWS credits can a startup get in 2026?

From $100 in Free Tier credits to $200,000 and more. Which routes fit depends on two things: who backs you, and what you are building on AWS.

The table shows who files each one, and the difference matters. You apply for the AWS Free Tier and for every AWS Activate tier yourself. MAP, POC and IW funding work the other way: only an AWS partner can request them, for a project it works on with you.

Amounts and rules come from AWS's own pages, checked on October 10, 2026. The partner range comes from CloudRoute's partner records, because AWS does not publish startup amounts for partner funding.

IIHow do you get the AWS Free Tier credits?

Open a new AWS account. AWS gives new customers up to $200 in credits.

AWS's Free Tier page says new accounts get $100 in credits at sign-up and can earn up to $100 more by completing activities in the Explore AWS widget. That holds whether you pick the Free plan or the Paid plan.

The Free plan covers select services only and lasts up to 6 months, or until your credits run out. When it ends, AWS suspends the account unless you upgrade. If you move to the Paid plan, your remaining Free Tier credits carry over.

One catch for startups: AWS says Free plan accounts are not eligible for Activate credits (AWS Startups FAQ). Move the account to the Paid plan before you apply for Activate.

AWS's Free Tier FAQ gives two expiry rules for these credits, 6 months and 12 months. Check the real date in your Billing console.

IIIHow do you apply for AWS Activate Founders?

You apply yourself, with no investor or partner. It gives $1,000 to start, up to $5,000.

AWS's credits page says you start with $1,000, and select startups may qualify for up to $5,000.

• Check eligibility. Pre-Series B, founded in the last 10 years, a working website or public profile, new to Activate credits, and an AWS account on the Paid plan.
• Create an AWS Builder ID with your professional email.
• Complete your AWS Activate profile: product, funding stage and company details.
• Link your AWS account and submit. Each startup needs its own AWS account.

AWS says you hear back within 5 to 10 business days. Approved credits appear in your Billing console within 3 to 4 hours of approval. Apply for one offer at a time: if two applications are open, AWS rejects the one with the smaller amount.

IVHow do you get up to $200,000 with Activate Portfolio?

You need an Org ID or an email invite from an AWS Activate Provider: a VC firm, angel investor, accelerator or incubator that works with AWS Activate. You still apply yourself.

AWS Activate Portfolio is up to $200,000 on AWS's credits page. Raised from $100,000 to up to $200,000 in June 2026. Many guides still give the old figure, so check the date on anything you read.

The provider's offer sets your amount. The AWS FAQ gives $5,000, $25,000 and $100,000 as examples of offers one provider can hold, and the maximum is $200,000.

Apply within 12 months of your latest funding round. The AWS FAQ says review usually takes 7 to 10 business days, and that applications from an email invite go faster.

Whether your investor is a provider, how invites work, and how to apply again with a second Org ID: see our guide to AWS Activate Providers and Org IDs.

VCan you get $100K in AWS credits?

Yes, by two routes. Neither has a public "$100K form", and nobody can promise you the figure. AWS decides.

Route 1: an Activate Provider's offer. If your VC, angel or accelerator is an Activate Provider with a $100,000 offer, you can apply for it yourself with its Org ID or invite. Activate Portfolio goes up to $200,000.

Route 2: partner-filed funding. If you are migrating to AWS, testing something or launching new work on AWS, a vetted AWS partner can file MAP, POC or IW funding for that project. For startups it is usually $50K to $150K, so $100K sits in the middle. Depends on the workload; AWS approves.

For a startup without a VC, route 2 is usually the realistic path to $100K. Without a provider, Activate Founders tops out at $5,000.

Be careful with anyone who promises a fixed amount or asks you to pay for credits. AWS's promotional credit terms say credits may not be purchased for cash and that AWS does not sell them.

VIHow does an AWS partner get you MAP, POC or IW funding?

You work with a vetted AWS consulting partner on a real project. The partner checks whether the project qualifies and files the funding request with AWS. AWS decides.

For startups, each route is usually $50K to $150K. Depends on the workload; AWS approves. Partner funding programs reach about $1M, but that tier is for enterprises such as banks, hospitals and municipalities, not startups.

For a startup without a VC this is usually the larger route, because it is tied to the work, not to who invested in you. The partner does or guides the project the funding is for.

VIICan you get AWS credits without any help?

Yes, for most routes. Here is what you can do alone, and the one thing you cannot.

• Free Tier and Activate: Open an account, then apply on the AWS Startups site. For Portfolio, ask your provider for an email invite.
• AWS Credits for AI Startups: Invite only. Talk with your AWS account manager. There is no open application. More in our guide to AWS credits for AI and ML startups.
• AWS's own migration planner: AWS Startups has a free tool that plans moves from Google Cloud, OpenAI, Gemini and some app builders. The plan shows your credit eligibility, and AWS says the amount shown is not guaranteed.

What you cannot do alone is file MAP, POC or IW funding. Partner funding is an AWS Partner benefit, so a partner has to request it. You can choose a partner yourself in AWS Partner Solutions Finder, or ask CloudRoute to match you with one vetted partner, free. Our guide on how to find an AWS partner covers both.

VIIIWhich other AWS credit programs should you know?

A few programs serve narrower groups. Check that you fit before you spend time on them.

Credits from other clouds and AI companies (Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Cloudflare, Anthropic and more) are in our directory of cloud credits for startups, each with its official link and the date we checked it.

IXWhat do AWS credits pay for, and what not?

Most AWS usage, but not everything.

Activate credits apply automatically to eligible AWS services. The AWS Startups FAQ says they also cover third-party models on Amazon Bedrock, such as models from Anthropic, Meta and Mistral AI.

They do not cover AWS Marketplace (apart from those Bedrock models), AWS Professional Services, training and certification, Route 53 domain registration, crypto mining or past bills. AWS promotional credits do not pay Savings Plans or Reserved Instance upfront fees.

AWS says Activate credits usually expire within 1 to 2 years, depending on the package. You cannot sell or transfer them (AWS Promotional Credit Terms).

XWhat mistakes cost founders AWS credits?

Most lost credits come from small process errors. These come from AWS's own FAQ and guides.

• Applying from a Free plan account: Free plan accounts cannot get Activate credits. Move to the Paid plan first.
• Two applications at once: AWS rejects the one with the smaller amount.
• Reusing an Org ID: Each Org ID works once. For more credits you need a new Org ID or a larger offer from a provider.
• The wrong email on an invite: Apply with the exact email address the invite went to.
• Missing the funding window: Portfolio applicants must apply within 12 months of their latest funding.