AWS Activate vs OVHcloud Startup Program (2026): Which Is Better for Startups?

Both are cloud credits for startups. Here is how AWS Activate and OVHcloud Startup Program 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 ↗

OVHcloud Startup Program

Up to $12,000 (Start) or $120,000 (Scale) in OVHcloud public cloud credits for 12 months, plus free engineer time.

7.0 /10

Pricing: Up to $120k in credits & perks

Pros

No partner code needed
Free one-to-one engineer hours
Can be combined with other cloud programs

Cons

Credits only cover public cloud products
Tier is decided by OVHcloud, not by you

Visit OVHcloud Startup Program ↗

AWS Activate vs OVHcloud Startup Program at a glance

	AWS Activate	OVHcloud Startup Program
Editor score	9.0 / 10	7.0 / 10
Pricing model	Free	Free
What you get	Up to $200k in credits & perks	Up to $120k 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.	Technical startup with at least a proof of concept or MVP; not an NGO, agency, e-commerce site or crypto miner; not already a member. Tier set by OVHcloud based on stage and cloud spend.
Partner code needed	Yes	No
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
Who it is for	Any stage, Pre-seed, Seed stage, Series A+, Bootstrapped, VC-backed only, AI startups, SaaS	Pre-seed, Seed stage, Series A+, Bootstrapped, VC-backed only, SaaS
Reader upvotes	0	0
Best for	aws, cloud credits, activate	ovhcloud, public cloud, cloud credits

Our pick

AWS Activate edges it with a score of 9.0 versus 7.0. 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 OVHcloud Startup Program instead if you need: no partner code needed, free one-to-one engineer hours. Many startups can claim both: see credits by value.