freellmcredits  home

Free Claude (Anthropic) credits

Anthropic's API is effectively prepaid, but there are real free routes to Claude: the Claude for Startups program for funded teams, and cloud trial credits since Claude is hosted on AWS Bedrock and Google Vertex AI.

The short answer

Funded startups can apply to Claude for Startups for free credits. Everyone else can run Claude for free via cloud credits — see how to get free Claude API credits for the Bedrock and Vertex AI routes.

  • Anthropic (Claude) Startup program
    Active

    Claude for Startups

    Anthropic offers venture-backed startups free Claude API credits and priority rate limits through Claude for Startups. The credit amount is not publicly disclosed — you apply to find out.

    Free value
    No fixed amount
    Card required
    No card
    Expiry
    No fixed expiry
    Who
    Your company must have received equity funding from an institutional investor, been founded within the last four years, and not previously received Anthropic startup credits.
    Claim Claude for Startups (opens in a new tab) Details

Frequently asked questions

Does Anthropic give free Claude API credits?
For startups, yes — Claude for Startups offers venture-backed companies free credits and priority rate limits (amount not publicly disclosed). For a general signup credit, Anthropic’s own sources conflict and the Console is effectively prepaid, so we don’t list a figure. The most reliable way to run Claude for free is via cloud credits.
How can I run Claude for free without a startup program?
Claude models are hosted on Amazon Bedrock and Google Vertex AI, so you can run them using the AWS (up to $200) or Google Cloud ($300) free trial credits. See our how-to guide for the steps.
Who qualifies for Claude for Startups?
Companies that have received equity funding from an institutional investor, were founded within the last four years, and have not previously received Anthropic startup credits.