Developer ToolsCredits

GitHub for Startups

GitHub for Startups gives startups affiliated with a GitHub partner $10,000 in GitHub credits for up to 12 months, usable on GitHub Enterprise and GitHub Copilot.

GitHubUpdated monthly · checked 21 h ago

GitHub for Startups is a developer tools perk from GitHub worth $10,000 in GitHub credits, for startups with a partner referral.

Value
$10K
Who qualifies
Referral required
Benefit type
Credits
Apply at GitHub (opens the program details)

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While you apply

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Applying to GitHub takes a few minutes.

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What you get

Inside GitHub for Startups

$10,000 in GitHub credits for up to 12 months, usable on GitHub Enterprise Cloud licenses and add-ons including GitHub Copilot (licenses, premium models and agentic capabilities) and GitHub Advanced Security. GitHub's earlier startup offer (free Enterprise seats and a discounted second year) has been discontinued. A payment method is required, and GitHub places an authorization charge within a few weeks of onboarding.

Source: The provider's official program page (github.com/enterprise/startups) · as of Nov 11, 2026

Eligibility

Who it's for

Pre-seedSeedSeries AVC / accelerator-backed
Funding / backing
Referral required
Startup stage
Pre-seed, Seed, Series A
Geography
Global
Recurring / expiry
12-month benefit period; Year 2 50% off if partner-qualified.
Other requirements
Affiliated with a GitHub for Startups partner, with outside funding up to Series B (non-equity credits do not count); new to GitHub Enterprise (not on an Enterprise plan in the past six months) and never given GitHub credits or Enterprise licenses before, including through Microsoft. Covers Enterprise Cloud on GitHub.com only.
How to claim

How to apply for GitHub for Startups

What to have ready
  • Confirmation of your accelerator / investor backing (a referral or partner code)
Steps to apply
  1. 1Apply via the GitHub for Startups page.
Good to know: Funding gate is up to Series A, or partner affiliation in lieu of funding.
Apply at GitHub (opens the program details)

Source: The provider's official program page (github.com/enterprise/startups) · as of Nov 11, 2026

Confirmed on : the page still states “$10,000 in GitHub credits”

Value is the headline maximum GitHub advertises. What your company actually receives depends on your eligibility and how you use the program, and terms can change. A comparison, not endorsed by the programs listed. A program labeled Same owner comes from the company that runs StartupPerks. Confirm current terms on the provider's page.
Through your bank or card

Other ways to get a deal on GitHub

Mercury gives its customers a deal on GitHub. It is separate from GitHub for Startups, with its own conditions, and partners usually allow one startup deal per company, so compare who qualifies before you apply.

  • Mercury Perks$10,000 in GitHub creditsFor Mercury business account holders
    • This perk is for funded startups only. You must have raised outside equity funding (up to Series B) from investors. Companies that are bootstrapped, self-funded, grant-funded, etc are not eligible.
    • New to GitHub Enterprise (or have not been on a GitHub Enterprise plan within the past six months)
    • Have not previously received GitHub for Startups credits or GitHub Enterprise licenses
    Compare all 273 Mercury Perks Listed on Mercury

Read from each platform's own perks page on or after October 28, 2026.

No partner or not eligible?

Other ways to get code hosting without paying

GitHub for Startups needs a partner affiliation and outside funding. These offers do not.

  • GitLab for Startupsup to 20 seatsVC / accelerator-backed

    GitLab gives pre-seed and seed startups with up to $5M in external funding a free Ultimate license for a year, up to 20 seats. You apply with a public funding profile or proof of an accelerator.

    Source: GitLab for Startups (about.gitlab.com/solutions/startups)

  • GitHub Free planFree planNo funding needed

    GitHub's Free plan is $0 USD and needs no partner. It includes unlimited private repositories and 2,000 minutes/month of Actions.

    Source: GitHub pricing page (github.com/pricing)

Each value is the one its own program page shows today. The reasons were read on the linked pages on November 4, 2026.

Questions

GitHub for Startups: what founders ask

Each answer restates what GitHub and the pages linked under it say, read on November 4, 2026; every quoted line was still on those pages on November 11, 2026.

What does GitHub for Startups include?

Eligible startups receive $10,000 in GitHub credits for up to 12 months. The credits are applied to your Enterprise account and pay for Enterprise licenses and eligible add-ons.

The add-ons the page names are GitHub Copilot (licenses, premium models and agentic capabilities) and GitHub Advanced Security, plus other metered offerings. The page also lists 50k included Action minutes with Enterprise, and onboarding with office hours.

For scale, GitHub's pricing page lists Enterprise at $21 USD per user / month.

Source: GitHub for Startups page (github.com/enterprise/startups), GitHub pricing page (github.com/pricing)

Does GitHub for Startups include GitHub Copilot?

Yes, through the credits. GitHub lists Copilot (licenses, premium models and agentic capabilities) among the products the $10,000 can pay for. The startups page describes no separate Copilot offer.

Copilot also has public plans of its own. GitHub's Copilot plans page lists Free at $0 USD with no credit card required, Pro at $10 USD per user / month, Pro+ at $39 USD per user / month and Max at $100 USD per user / month.

On the same page, verified students have access to the Copilot Student plan.

Source: GitHub for Startups page (github.com/enterprise/startups), GitHub Copilot plans page (github.com/features/copilot/plans)

Who is eligible for GitHub for Startups? What are the requirements?

You must be affiliated with a GitHub for Startups partner, have outside funding (up to Series B or earlier) and be new to GitHub Enterprise. You also must not have received GitHub credits or Enterprise licenses before.

Requirements on the page
  • Affiliated with a GitHub for Startups partner
  • Outside funding, up to Series B or earlier (non-equity credits do not count)
  • New to GitHub Enterprise: not on a GitHub Enterprise plan within the past six months
  • No earlier GitHub credits or Enterprise licenses, including through Microsoft
  • An Enterprise Cloud account on GitHub.com (Enterprise Server and data residency are not supported)

Source: GitHub for Startups page (github.com/enterprise/startups)

How do I apply to GitHub for Startups?

Apply through a GitHub for Startups partner, a VC, accelerator or startup support organization. GitHub says you can be up and running in minutes, and the primary email of the applicant gets a reply within 2-3 business days.

GitHub publishes the partner list. It includes accelerators and VCs such as Techstars and Antler. If your investor or accelerator is not on it, GitHub says any investor, incubator or accelerator is eligible to become a partner, and you can share the partner application link with them.

For questions, GitHub asks you to open a support ticket under the category Credit Offers - GitHub for Startups.

Source: GitHub for Startups page (github.com/enterprise/startups), GitHub for Startups partner list (github.com/enterprise/startups/partners)

What are the catches of GitHub for Startups? What happens when the credits run out?

Credits are valid for up to 12 months from approval and end when they are fully used or the 12 months pass, whichever comes first. After that, active products move to standard paid billing on the card on file.

Terms to know before you apply
  • A payment method is required: expect an authorization charge within a few weeks of onboarding, and a failed authorization locks the account
  • Credits apply only to the Enterprise account named in the application and cannot be moved
  • The offer can be redeemed once
  • Downgrading from Enterprise before the credits are used forfeits the rest, and you cannot reapply
  • If you add an Azure subscription, the startup credits are applied first

Source: GitHub for Startups page (github.com/enterprise/startups)

What if my startup is not eligible for GitHub for Startups?

GitHub points startups that do not qualify to a trial of its premium features (Enterprise, Advanced Security and Copilot). It also says its previous startup offer has been discontinued and is no longer available.

GitHub's pricing page offers one trial that covers Enterprise, Copilot and Advanced Security, starting free for 30 days.

Source: GitHub for Startups page (github.com/enterprise/startups), GitHub pricing page (github.com/pricing)

Terms history

GitHub for Startups's terms over time

We have read GitHub's page for it (github.com/enterprise/startups) 3 times since August 29, 2026, most recently on November 4, 2026. No read has found a different figure or a change in whether it takes applications.

Every startup program change we found this quarter
Free app hosting, comparedBefore you apply: what GitHub Pages and other hosts give away freeWhat each host gives you free today, its main limit, what it runs and what the first paid plan costs, read from each host's own page.
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