How to get OpenAI and Anthropic API credits

What you need before you start

• A developer account on each platform: an OpenAI Platform account and a Claude Console account. Credits are applied to an organization inside these accounts, so create the organization you actually plan to build in.
• A company email address and a working website if you plan to apply as a startup. Personal Gmail addresses and placeholder sites are a common reason for rejection.
• A short, specific description of what you are building and which models you will call. Reviewers want to see a real use case, not 'exploring AI'.
• A list of your investors, accelerators and the tools you already pay for. Many credit routes depend on who backs you or which partner products you use.

Route 1: Startup programs and VC partners

Anthropic's Claude for Startups program is aimed at early-stage founders building on Claude. Its official page says founders backed by a VC in Anthropic's partner network may qualify for up to $100,000 in additional API credits, claimed through that VC. Treat that as an advertised maximum, not a typical grant. At the time of writing the page says the current cohort is full and points to a newsletter that announces when the next application window opens.

OpenAI's startup credits have historically gone through investor and accelerator partners rather than a public form, and the terms change often. Check OpenAI's own startup pages and ask your investors directly.

1. Ask each of your investors and accelerators whether they have an OpenAI or Anthropic credit partnership. Use those words; the perk is often buried in a portfolio perks portal.
2. If they do, get the referral link or code from the fund itself. Do not use links shared on forums, since they are usually tied to one fund's portfolio.
3. Apply using the same organization and email domain you build with. Credits are applied to an organization, and moving them later is rarely possible.
4. If you are not backed by a partner VC, subscribe to the Claude Startup newsletter on Anthropic's startup page so you hear when applications reopen.
5. Once approved, open the billing or credits page in the console and confirm the grant amount and its expiry date.

Anthropic's page says Claude for Startups credits work only on the first-party Claude API in the Claude Console, not through AWS, Google Cloud or Azure. If you call Claude through a cloud marketplace, those credits will not apply.

Route 2: Hackathons with sponsor credits

Hackathons are the fastest route for individuals and small teams. Many events list API credits as a participation perk or prize, and some are run by the model providers themselves. Amounts vary by event and are only what the organizer advertises.

1. Browse current hackathons on PerkRadar's deals directory and filter by the Event access type, or check Devpost, lablab.ai and MLH directly.
2. Read the event's rules or resources page for the exact perk: whether credits go to every registrant, only to selected participants, or only to winners.
3. Register with the same email you use on the OpenAI or Claude platform, so any credit or invitation lands on the right account.
4. Watch the event's announcements, Discord or email for the credit form or code. These often go out at kickoff and close within days.
5. Redeem immediately and note the expiry date. Hackathon credits commonly expire weeks or months after the event.

Route 3: Partner perks and research programs

Some company finance and banking platforms bundle AI credits into their perks catalogs, and both providers have programs aimed at researchers and specific use cases. These are worth checking even if you are not a funded startup.

1. Log in to any business tools you already use, such as your corporate card or banking provider, and look for a perks or rewards section. Search it for OpenAI and Anthropic.
2. If you do academic or scientific work, look for research credit programs on each provider's site. Anthropic runs a research credits program for scientific work; the amount is not published.
3. Check OpenAI's platform settings for data-sharing offers. PerkRadar lists an OpenAI program that advertises up to 1M plus 10M free tokens per day for organizations that share traffic with OpenAI; read the terms carefully, since you are agreeing to let OpenAI use that data.
4. Apply only to programs you clearly qualify for. A rejected application can make a later one harder.

Make the credits last

1. Set a monthly usage limit in each console so a bug or loop cannot burn the whole grant in a day.
2. Use smaller, cheaper models for development and testing, and switch to larger ones only where quality matters.
3. Use prompt caching and batch processing where the platform offers them; both reduce cost per request.
4. Put the credit expiry date in your calendar with a reminder two weeks before, and decide then whether to add a payment method.

No program guarantees approval. Apply to several routes in parallel and treat any single grant as a bonus, not a budget.