AWS Activate vs Cloudflare for Startups (2026): Which Is Better for Startups?

Both are cloud credits for startups. Here is how AWS Activate and Cloudflare for Startups compare on what a startup gets, who qualifies and how to apply, and which one we would pick.

AWS Activate

Up to $5,000 in AWS credits if you are self-funded, or up to $200,000 with an Activate Provider Org ID.

9.0 /10

Pricing: Up to $200k in credits & perks

Pros

Open to self-funded founders as well as funded startups
Up to $200,000 with an Activate Provider Org ID
Covers the broadest cloud catalogue

Cons

The big tier needs a code from a provider investor or accelerator
Founders tier starts at $1,000; more is at AWS discretion

Visit AWS Activate ↗

Cloudflare for Startups

$10,000 in Cloudflare credits if bootstrapped, $100,000 or $350,000 if funded by an affiliated partner.

8.0 /10

Pricing: Up to $350k in credits & perks

Pros

$10,000 tier open to bootstrapped founders
Covers Workers, R2, D1 and Workers AI
Quick review, usually within 48 hours

Cons

$100,000 and $350,000 tiers need an affiliated partner
Several products and AI Gateway are not covered

Visit Cloudflare for Startups ↗

AWS Activate vs Cloudflare for Startups at a glance

	AWS Activate	Cloudflare for Startups
Editor score	9.0 / 10	8.0 / 10
Pricing model	Free	Free
What you get	Up to $200k in credits & perks	Up to $350k in credits & perks
Who qualifies	Pre-Series B, founded within the last 10 years, AWS account on a paid tier plan, new to Activate Credits (or asking for more than before). Portfolio tier needs an Activate Provider Org ID.	Incorporated within 10 years, funded up to Series B with funding in the last 12 months (Tier 3: bootstrapped, under $1M raised), live website, public social presence, first-time applicant. Tiers 1-2 need an affiliated partner.
Partner code needed	Yes	Yes
Steps it helps with	claim startup credits, host and deploy, build your mvp, choose your ai coding stack	claim startup credits, host and deploy, build your mvp, build a landing page
Who it is for	Any stage, Pre-seed, Seed stage, Series A+, Bootstrapped, VC-backed only, AI startups, SaaS	Any stage, Bootstrapped, Pre-seed, Seed stage, Series A+, VC-backed only, AI startups, SaaS
Reader upvotes	0	0
Best for	aws, cloud credits, activate	cloudflare, workers, r2

Our pick

AWS Activate edges it with a score of 9.0 versus 8.0. AWS Activate is the better fit if you value: open to self-funded founders as well as funded startups, up to $200,000 with an activate provider org id. Choose Cloudflare for Startups instead if you need: $10,000 tier open to bootstrapped founders, covers workers, r2, d1 and workers ai. Many startups can claim both: see credits by value.