Starting a business is never easy, and one of the biggest challenges is having enough resources to keep the business running while it's still in its early stages. One of the ways to extend your runway and save money is by taking advantage of discounts and credits offered by various tools and products. In this blog post, we will be discussing some of the best tools and products that offer startup discounts and credits to help you save money and extend your runway. From cloud computing to project management, we will be covering a wide range of products that can help you run your startup more efficiently and effectively. So, whether you're just starting out or looking for ways to cut costs, make sure to check out this post for some valuable insights and tips.

Notion

Notion is a productivity and organisation tool that allows users to create and manage notes, tasks, wikis, and databases in a single workspace. It can be used for personal or team use to keep track of projects, meetings, and to-do lists, and also provides a calendar and Gantt chart view. It also has a robust set of features such as a kanban boards, calendars, and even a CRM. It's available on web, desktop, and mobile platforms.

Notion for startups

Startups can get $1000 credit for Notion's Plus plan for free. This means that a 5 person startup can use Notion for free for over 2 years if they claim the full credit. It's a great deal and worth considering if your startup needs a tool like Notion.

You can apply here

Amazon AWS

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a collection of remote computing services (also called web services) that make up a cloud computing platform offered by Amazon.com. These services operate from 12 geographical regions across the world.

Startups use AWS to build, deploy, and scale their applications and services. Some common ways startups use AWS include:

1. Hosting web applications: Startups can use AWS to host their web applications, using services such as Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and Elastic Beanstalk.
2. Storing data: Startups can use AWS to store and manage their data, using services such as Simple Storage Service (S3), Elastic Block Store (EBS), and Relational Database Service (RDS).
3. Processing data: Startups can use AWS to process and analyze large sets of data, using services such as Elastic MapReduce (EMR) and Kinesis.
4. Sending messages: Startups can use AWS to send messages between services and devices, using services such as Simple Notification Service (SNS) and Simple Queue Service (SQS).
5. Managing security: Startups can use AWS to secure their applications and data, using services such as Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Virtual Private Cloud (VPC).

Overall, AWS provides startups with a flexible, cost-effective, and highly-scalable infrastructure to support their growing business needs.

AWS Activate

AWS Activate is a program by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that provides startups with credits, technical and business support, training, and access to the AWS Partner Network to help them build and grow their business on the AWS platform. It's designed to help startups succeed on the AWS platform by providing them with the resources and tools they need to build, deploy, and scale their applications and services.

5 ways to obtain free credits for your startup on AWS:

1. Apply for the AWS Activate Founders program, which provides self-funded and bootstrapped startups with $1000 in credits and additional developer support.
2. Apply for the AWS Activate Portfolio program, which provides startups associated with an incubator, accelerator, or venture-capital firm with up to $100,000 in credits and $10,000 in business support.
3. Utilise the AWS Free Tier, which includes free trials, 12-month free, and forever free options with usage limits.
4. Take advantage of the AWS Proof of Concept Program, which offers $1000 in credits and an architecture review session for organisations.
5. Attend AWS webinars and events to gain access to additional free credits and be part of the community.

You can apply here

Intercom

Intercom is a customer relationship management (CRM) and communication platform that enables businesses to communicate with their customers through various channels, such as in-app messaging, email, and social media. It allows businesses to create more personalised communication with their customers by providing them with the tools to segment their customer base, automatically send targeted messages, and track customer interactions.

Intercom Early Stage Program

The Intercom Early Stage Program is a program that helps early-stage startups grow their business with Intercom by offering discounted prices and resources. Startups can get a bundle of Intercom products at 95% off, paying only $65 a month for up to 12 months. The program is designed for startups that are pre-seed to series A funding.

Just keep in mind that Intercom is quite an expensive product, and after 12 months, you will be rolling onto a pretty large monthly bill. 

You can apply here

MongoDB

MongoDB Atlas is a fully-managed cloud service provided by MongoDB that allows you to run, manage, and scale MongoDB databases on the cloud. It is a database-as-a-service (DBaaS) offering that makes it easy to set up, operate, and scale MongoDB clusters in the cloud. With MongoDB Atlas, you can deploy MongoDB clusters in minutes on various cloud providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Microsoft Azure.

MongoDB Atlas for Startups

To help startups build faster and scale further, MongoDB for Startups offers free MongoDB Atlas credits, one-on-one technical advice, co-marketing opportunities, and access to our partner network. This program is intended for startups at Series A or earlier.

You can apply here

ClickUp

ClickUp is a project management and productivity tool that helps individuals and teams organise, prioritise, and collaborate on their tasks and projects. It offers a wide range of features, such as task lists, calendars, timelines, and Gantt charts, which can be used to manage projects, track progress, and collaborate with team members. It also offers a robust set of features such as goal and task dependencies, resource management, and automated workflows. It also provides a mobile app, which allows you to access your tasks and projects on the go.

ClickUp Startup Program

The ClickUp startup program is designed to help eligible startups fast-track their growth with free access to premium plans and dedicated support. To be eligible, startups must be affiliated with an approved funding partner, have raised a maximum of a Series B round of funding, be incorporated for less than 5 years, and be new to ClickUp or currently on the Free Forever Plan.

You can apply here

AppSumo

AppSumo is a website that offers deals and discounts on a variety of digital products and tools for entrepreneurs, businesses, and marketers. They offer lifetime deals on various software tools such as productivity tools, marketing tools, and business management tools. They feature a wide range of tools from well-established software providers to new and upcoming software companies. AppSumo also provides a community of entrepreneurs and business owners where they can share their experience and reviews about the products and tools featured on the website. AppSumo's goal is to help entrepreneurs and small business owners to find the best tools to grow their business at an affordable price.

Check out AppSumo and see if you can find a sweet deal on a product that meets your needs

Honey

Honey is a browser extension that automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout for online shoppers. When shopping online, Honey will automatically search for coupon codes and discounts for the website you are shopping on, and apply the best one to your purchase. It's available for popular web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. Once you installed the extension, it will automatically search for coupons, deals, and discounts for the website that you are shopping on, and apply the best one to your purchase, it also can show you the price history and notify you if the price drops after you add items to your cart. It's a very useful tool for online shoppers who want to save money on their purchases.

Check out Honey

In conclusion, starting a business is never easy, but with the right tools and resources, it can be a bit less daunting. Taking advantage of the discounts and credits offered by various tools and products can help extend your runway and make your startup more efficient and effective. This article has outlined some of the best deals and discounts currently available, but it's important to note that new deals and discounts are becoming available all the time. Be sure to bookmark this page, as we’ll be adding more great deals to help startups like you save! It's always a good idea to keep an eye out for discounts and credits, as they can make a big difference in the early stages of your startup. Remember to always do your research and compare prices to make sure you're getting the best deal possible.