Free tier vs startup credits: what's actually different
Three different things get called “free cloud”, and mixing them up can cost you eligibility for the largest of them.
The three things
| Free tier | Free trial credits | Startup credits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A permanent allowance of small service quantities | A one-off credit grant for new accounts | A programme grant for qualifying startups |
| Typical size | Always-free usage limits per service | A few hundred dollars, time-limited | $1,000 – $350,000 |
| Who gets it | Anyone | Any new account | Startups meeting eligibility criteria |
| Application needed | No | No | Yes |
| Expires | No — ongoing allowance | Yes, typically 90 days | Yes, typically 1–2 years |
| Good for | Learning, tiny side projects | Evaluating the platform | Actually running a startup |
Free tier
Both providers publish their always-free limits — the AWS Free Tier and Google Cloud free tier. Both keep a permanently free allowance on many services — a small amount of object storage, a limited number of function invocations, a micro instance in some cases. It never expires, but it is sized for learning, not for a product with users. You will exceed it the moment you have real traffic.
Free trial credits
New accounts get a one-off credit grant with a short clock on it, meant for evaluating the platform. It is genuinely useful for a proof of concept and genuinely insufficient for anything beyond that.
Startup credits
This is the one that matters. AWS Activate runs from $1,000 to $200,000+; the Google for Startups Cloud Program runs from $2,000 to $350,000. Both require an application and both screen on company age, funding stage and prior claims — not revenue.
The order of magnitude is the point. A free trial buys you a fortnight of evaluation. A startup grant can buy you a year of runway.
"Without a credit card"
A common search, and the honest answer is that you generally cannot avoid it. Both providers require a payment method on file to verify the account, and AWS Activate specifically requires an AWS account on a paid tier plan before you apply.
The card is a verification and overage mechanism, not a charge. But you should treat it as live: if credits run out or expire, usage bills to that card at standard rates. Set a budget alert the day you add it — see checking your balance and setting alerts.
Which should you be on?
- Learning the platform? Free tier. Do not spend an application on it.
- Evaluating whether to migrate? Free trial credits.
- Building a company? Apply for startup credits now. There is no advantage to waiting, and Google's coverage-based tiers only apply to spend that happens after you are accepted.
Start with the eligibility criteria, then the step-by-step guides for AWS Activate or Google Cloud.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the AWS free tier and Activate credits?
Can I get free Google Cloud credits without a credit card?
Does using the free trial affect startup credit eligibility?
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Keep reading
How to apply for AWS Activate credits in 2026
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