Restricted to startup (Microsoft for Startups) applicants — not generally available. Microsoft for Startups has no ongoing free tier; what it offers is a credit grant that runs out. Azure credits for software startups, up to $150,000, are unlocked over time as a startup verifies… Catalogue date October 2026.
eligibility_restricted Restricted to startup (Microsoft for Startups) applicants — not generally available. How we use this.
Software product or service owned by the company
Privately held and for-profit
Pre-seed through Series B funding
No more than $350,000 in lifetime free Azure credits
Limits, pricing history. Catalogue date October 2026. Last updated 2026-11-09.
Restricted to startup (Microsoft for Startups) applicants — not generally available. Microsoft for Startups has no ongoing free tier; what it offers is a credit grant that runs out: Azure credits for software startups, up to $150,000, are unlocked over time as a startup verifies its progress and uses… Microsoft for Startups has a stable pricing history.
The day we last read the vendor's page. Our last read of it, on 2026-11-09, found the terms we published that day.
Free Tier Details
Azure credits for software startups, up to $150,000, are unlocked over time as a startup verifies its progress and uses more Azure. Startups backed by a partner in Microsoft's Investor Network (a VC, accelerator, incubator or university) may unlock up to $200,000, and sooner. No investor is needed to join. Investor Network-backed startups may also get GitHub Enterprise (up to 20 users), Microsoft 365 Business Premium (up to 50 seats), Dynamics 365, Power Platform and LinkedIn Premium, and Azure Standard Support.
We read that on 2026-11-09 from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/startups, and our check recorded: the page names Microsoft for Startups as "microsoft for startups" and states "$150,000". A source check reads the cited page for the service's name and a price; the limits above are from our own record.
From microsoft.com/en-us/startups, read 2026-11-09:
Access up to $150K USD in Startup credits to build, test, and scale on Azure with AI‑ready cloud infrastructure.
Data correction - Microsoft for Startups' homepage already offered up to $150,000 in Azure credits in the Internet Archive's copy of 2025-07-31, so the record dated 2026-09-02, "The program now offers up to $150,000 in credits", described nothing new that day. What changed is that the homepage stopped splitting the offer by Investor Network membership between its copies of 2026-03-29 and 2026-04-04, so the record is dated 2026-04-04 and describes that. Source ↗
Before: Dated 2026-09-02: "The program now offers up to $150,000 in credits."
After: Dated 2026-04-04 from the archived copies of 2026-03-29 and 2026-04-04
Retracted — this record was our error (2026-09-28). Retracted 2026-09-28: nothing changed. microsoft.com/startups already said "up to $150,000 in Azure credits, available to startups with pre-seed to Series A funding" in the Internet Archive's capture of 2025-07-31. Source ↗
Microsoft for Startups' homepage replaced its two credit offers with one. The Internet Archive's copy of microsoft.com/en-us/startups from 2026-03-29 offers up to $150,000 in Azure credits to startups associated with Microsoft's Investor Network and up to $5,000 through an Azure free trial to the rest; its copy of 2026-04-04 offers up to $150,000 in credits with no split. Source ↗
Before: Up to $150,000 in Azure credits for startups associated with the Microsoft for Startups Investor Network, pre-seed to Series A. Up to $5,000 in Azure credits with an Azure startup free trial for startups not associated with it, no investor funding required.
After: Access cutting-edge AI models, developer tools, and up to $150,000 in credits
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Restricted to startup (Microsoft for Startups) applicants — not generally available. No. What Microsoft for Startups offers is a credit grant that runs out: Azure credits for software startups, up to $150,000, are unlocked over time as a startup verifies its progress and uses more Azure. Startups backed by a partner in Microsoft's Investor Network (a VC, ... Eligibility: Software product or service owned by the company; Privately held and for-profit; Pre-seed through Series B funding; No more than $350,000 in lifetime free Azure credits.
Is Microsoft for Startups's free offer good for production?
Restricted to startup (Microsoft for Startups) applicants — not generally available. Not for long. It is a credit grant that runs out, so plan for paid usage before you depend on it.
What changed in Microsoft for Startups's pricing?
Microsoft for Startups has had 1 recorded pricing change. Most recently: Microsoft for Startups' homepage replaced its two credit offers with one. The Internet Archive's copy of microsoft.com/en-us/startups from 2026-03-29 offers up to $150,000 in Azure credits to startups associated with Microsoft's Investor Network and up to $5,000 through an Azure free trial to the rest; its copy of 2026-04-04 offers up to $150,000 in credits with no split. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/startups (effective between 2026-03-29 and 2026-04-04).
What category is Microsoft for Startups in?
Microsoft for Startups is categorized under Startup Perks on AgentDeals.