New Azure accounts get $200 in credit for the first 30 days plus a year of limited free services — usable on Azure AI and Azure OpenAI. A card is required.
$200 credit for the first 30 days, plus limited free services for 12 months
Credit card required
Yes
Expiry
No fixed expiry (ongoing)
Eligibility
Eligible new Azure customers. Requires a phone number, a non-prepaid credit or debit card, and a Microsoft or GitHub account.
What you get
$200 of Azure credit to spend in your first 30 days on any service, including Azure AI and Azure OpenAI, plus a limited quantity of popular services free for 12 months. After the credit period you stay on a free account unless you upgrade to pay-as-you-go.
How to claim it
Go to the Azure free account page and sign up
Verify your identity with a phone number and a non-prepaid card
Spend the $200 credit on Azure AI / Azure OpenAI within 30 days
Good to know
The 30-day credit window is per account and starts at signup. The $200 is general-purpose credit applicable to Azure AI usage; specific per-service free quantities for AI services are not enumerated on the primary billing page.
Founders Hub gives eligible startups up to $150,000 in Azure credits (granted progressively) plus $2,500 in OpenAI credits — usable on Azure OpenAI and Azure AI.
Free value
$150,000
Card required
No card
Expiry
No fixed expiry
Who
Startups building a software-based product or service that the company owns, headquartered in a supported region. Open to founders with or without VC backing; higher tiers unlock on verification.