AWS vs Google Cloud vs Azure startup programs: how to choose

What each program advertises

Here is what the programs currently listed on PerkRadar say about themselves. Treat every figure as a ceiling, not a promise. Each provider decides the amount, and the bigger tiers usually depend on things like funding stage or a referral from an approved partner.

• AWS Activate: advertises up to $200,000 in credits. There is also an entry-level AWS offer that starts at $1,000, with selected founders able to get up to $5,000.
• Google Cloud for Startups: advertises up to $200,000 on its main track and up to $350,000 for AI-first startups. Google also lists a smaller $2,000 MVP credit tier for earlier teams.
• Microsoft for Startups: advertises up to $150,000 in Azure credits, unlocked over time rather than all at once.
• Plain free trials also exist for anyone signing up: Google Cloud lists a $300 welcome credit for 90 days, Azure a $200 credit for 30 days, and AWS $100 at signup with a way to earn up to $100 more.

Check the current terms on each provider's page before you apply. Tiers, eligibility rules and expiry periods change, and PerkRadar links straight to the source.

Start with the product, not the number

The biggest mistake founders make is chasing the largest headline figure. Credits run out, usually within a year or two, and then you are paying full price on whatever platform you built on. Moving a production system between clouds is slow and risky, so the choice tends to stick.

Ask yourself which services you actually need. If your app is a standard web backend with a database, all three will do the job well. If you rely on a specific managed service, a specific GPU type or a particular AI model family, that should drive the decision.

Also think about who on your team already knows which cloud. A platform your engineers are fluent in will save you more money in avoided mistakes than a slightly bigger credit grant.

How the programs tend to differ in practice

Without making promises about any single application, a few patterns are worth knowing.

• Staged versus upfront: Microsoft says its credits unlock over time. Other programs may grant a block upfront. Staged credits are less likely to expire unused, but you need to keep meeting the steps.
• Entry tiers versus funded tiers: all three have smaller tiers that are easier to reach and larger tiers that typically need investor backing or partner referral. Read the eligibility section, not just the headline.
• AI focus: Google's highest advertised tier is aimed at AI-first startups. If you are building on AI, check whether the credits cover the model APIs or GPU types you plan to use.
• Expiry: credits almost always have an expiry date. A large grant you cannot spend in time is worth less than a smaller one you use fully.

A sensible order to apply in

1. Sign up for the free trial on the cloud you are most likely to use, and build a small prototype. This tells you whether the platform suits you before you commit.
2. Apply for the entry-level startup tier on that same cloud once you have a working product, a company website and a business email address.
3. If you join an accelerator or raise funding, ask whether your partner can refer you to a higher tier. Many larger grants are only reachable through a partner.
4. Only then consider a second cloud, and only for a workload that genuinely fits it better, such as a specific GPU or AI service.

Applying everywhere at once can leave you with three sets of expiring credits and no time to use them. One well-used grant beats three wasted ones.

What to prepare before you apply

Startup program applications are short, but reviewers look for signs that you are a real company building a real product. A little preparation makes a big difference, whichever cloud you choose.

• A live website on your own domain that explains what you are building.
• An email address on that domain, rather than a free webmail address.
• A clear one-line description of your product and who it is for.
• Basic company details, such as your registered name and country, if you have incorporated.
• If you are applying through a partner, the referral link or code they gave you, used exactly as instructed.
• A cloud account in the company's name, not a personal account you also use for side projects.

Answer every question honestly. If you are pre-revenue or not yet incorporated, say so. Overstating your stage is a common reason applications are declined.

Using more than one program

Nothing stops you from holding credits on more than one cloud, and some teams do this deliberately. For example, they keep their main app on one provider and run AI experiments on another.

Just be honest about the cost. Every extra cloud adds billing accounts, security settings and monitoring to look after. Data moving between clouds can also cost money, and transfer charges are a common surprise. If you split, keep the split simple and write down what lives where.

Also remember that credits usually cover a specific list of services. Third-party marketplace products, premium support plans and some reserved purchases are often excluded. Check the fine print for your grant before you assume something is covered.

Our honest recommendation

Pick the cloud you would happily pay for in two years. Then get the largest credit grant you genuinely qualify for on that cloud, set up budget alerts on day one, and track the expiry date somewhere you will see it.

If you are still unsure, build the same small prototype on two free trials and compare how it felt. An afternoon of testing is cheap compared with a migration later. You can browse every cloud credit program we track on the deals page, and save the ones you claim so you remember their expiry dates.