The Best Startup Perks and Cloud Credits for Indian Founders (2026)
Free cloud credits, discounted tools and startup programs can save an early-stage team lakhs a year. Here are the perks worth claiming, and how to qualify.
Every rupee you do not spend on infrastructure and tools is a rupee of runway. Most early-stage founders leave a surprising amount on the table because they never claim the perks they already qualify for. Here is the shortlist that actually moves your burn, and how to unlock each one.
Cloud credits are the biggest single saver
If you run anything on the cloud, this is where the real money is. The headline programs:
- •AWS Activate: up to $100,000 in credits for eligible startups.
- •Google for Startups Cloud Program: up to $200,000 in Google Cloud and Firebase credits over two years.
- •Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub: up to $150,000 in Azure credits, plus Azure OpenAI access, and no funding required to start.
- •Neon and Supabase: Postgres credits (up to $100k and up to $3k respectively) if you build on managed Postgres.
The top credit tiers usually need you to be affiliated with a partnered accelerator, incubator or VC. If you are not, start with Microsoft Founders Hub and the free tiers, which have no such gate.
Tools that give startups a free year
- •Notion for Startups: up to $6,000 in credits with unlimited AI.
- •HubSpot for Startups: up to 90% off in year one.
- •Chargebee: subscription billing free until you hit $1M in cumulative revenue.
- •Customer.io: a full year of the customer-engagement platform free.
- •Zendesk and New Relic: free support and observability for eligible startups.
India-first perks worth a look
A few programs are especially useful if you are building in India:
- •Razorpay Rize: payments, current-account banking and a partner-perk stack for Indian founders.
- •Zoho for Startups and Freshworks for Startups: wallet credits across two India-built business suites.
- •Chargebee: Indian-origin subscription billing, free until $1M revenue.
How to actually qualify
- 1.Get DPIIT recognition and, if you can, an accelerator or VC affiliation. Both unlock higher tiers.
- 2.Apply early, before you have scaled spend. Most programs require you to be a new customer.
- 3.Use one company email across applications so credits and eligibility line up.
- 4.Track expiry dates. Credits lapse, and a $100k grant you forgot to use is worth nothing.
Runway keeps a curated list of these perks in one place inside the app, so you can see what you qualify for and claim it without hunting across twenty websites.
Frequently asked
How much can startup perks actually save?
A pre-seed team using cloud credits, free billing and discounted SaaS commonly saves several lakhs in the first year or two. Cloud credits alone (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure) can run into tens of thousands of dollars.
Do you need to be funded to get startup credits?
Not always. Some programs (Microsoft for Startups, most free tiers) are open to any startup, while the largest cloud and tooling credits usually require affiliation with a partnered accelerator, incubator or VC.