CircleCI offers up to $20,000 in free compute credits for qualifying startups

CircleCI has launched a startup program that offers up to $20,000 in free compute credits to qualifying early‑stage companies. The offer does not require a credit card, removing a common barrier to trial services. Interested teams can begin the process by clicking the “Apply now” button on CircleCI’s website.

Once approved, a startup receives a monthly allocation of 30,000 free credits that can be spent on compute, users, and premium features. Those credits translate to up to 6,000 build minutes when using a small Docker resource class. The free tier also includes up to five active users, allowing several developers to push code without extra cost. Concurrency is set at 30x, enabling many jobs to run in parallel.

CircleCI describes credits as the currency that powers the platform, with usage deducted in real time. Credits cover monthly active users, compute time, and add‑on features, and are purchased up‑front but can also be granted for free through programs like this. Additional users beyond the five‑user limit cost $15 per month, and extra credit blocks are sold at $15 for every additional 25,000 credits.

The program supports a wide range of resource classes, including Docker, Windows, Linux, Arm, macOS, and GPU runners. GPU options such as the Small Nvidia Tesla P4 GPU are listed among the available environments.

By providing free credits and a no‑card sign‑up, the program lets startups run CI pipelines at no cost, accelerating development cycles. Startups can apply for the credits through CircleCI’s online application page.