Buy verified OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, AWS, Azure & GCP credits at discounted prices.
Y Combinator Startups Get $350K+ in Combined Credits
Joining Y Combinator unlocks one of the most valuable credit stacks in the startup ecosystem. Across AWS, OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Cloud, and dozens of other partners, the total combined value for a YC company exceeds $350,000 in free credits.
The problem? Most YC startups can't realistically use all of it. Credits expire, products pivot, and surplus credits go to waste. Here's the full YC stack breakdown - and what to do with the credits you can't burn.
Buy verified OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, AWS, Azure & GCP credits at discounted prices.
The Full YC Credit Stack
| Category | Provider | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AI APIs | OpenAI | Up to $100,000 |
| AI APIs | Anthropic Claude | Up to $25,000 |
| AI APIs | Google Gemini | Up to $25,000 |
| Cloud | AWS | Up to $100,000 |
| Cloud | Microsoft Azure | Up to $25,000 |
| Cloud | Google Cloud | Up to $100,000 |
| Coding | Cursor | Team credits |
| Infra | Vercel | Pro credits |
| Database | Supabase | Pro credits |
| Database | Neon | Pro credits |
| Resend | Pro credits | |
| Auth | Clerk | Pro credits |
| Misc | 100+ other partners | Varies |
Total potential: $350,000+ for a startup that maximizes every program.
Buy verified OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, AWS, Azure & GCP credits at discounted prices.
The Reality - Most YC Startups Can't Use It All
Here's what nobody tells you about the YC credit stack:
- Credits expire after 12-24 months - typically before you've scaled into needing them
- Product pivots strand credits - if your AI feature gets cut, those credits become useless
- Provider switches happen - many startups move from AWS to other clouds, leaving credits behind
- Over-allocation is common - YC partners often give the maximum without checking your actual burn
The result: most YC startups end up with $50K-$200K in unused credits by the time they expire.
What to Do With the Surplus
You have two real options:
Option 1: Burn them faster
- Migrate workloads onto credit providers - move from outside services to YC stack providers
- Pre-pay for committed services - reserve capacity using credits before expiration
- Run heavy ML training jobs - use OpenAI/Anthropic credits for batch processing tasks
- Build internal tools - use AWS/GCP credits for non-production experimentation
Option 2: Sell unused credits via AI Credits
If burning credits faster isn't realistic, AI Credits operates a verified marketplace where YC startups can recover the value of unused credits:
Typical recovery: 50-70% of face value for credits with 6+ months remaining.
Example math for a typical YC startup:
- $50,000 unused OpenAI credits → $25,000-$35,000 recovered
- $30,000 unused AWS credits → $15,000-$21,000 recovered
- $20,000 unused Anthropic credits → $10,000-$14,000 recovered
- Total recovered: $50,000-$70,000 in cash
That's a meaningful runway extension for a YC startup that would otherwise watch the credits expire.
How the YC Credit Stack Actually Works
The credits are unlocked progressively:
- Pre-batch - some partners give you credits the moment you're accepted
- Day 1 of batch - access to most YC partner credits
- During batch - additional credits as you hit milestones
- Post-Demo Day - a few partners unlock credits after Demo Day
- Year 1-2 - some credits stay accessible for up to 24 months post-batch
Most YC founders don't realize how time-bound the credits are until they start expiring.
The AI Credits Stack - Worth the Most
For AI startups, the AI-related credits are by far the most valuable:
| Provider | Credits | Real Value at Retail |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | $100,000 | $100,000 in API usage |
| Anthropic | $25,000 | $25,000 in API usage |
| AWS Bedrock | $100,000 | $100,000 in Claude/Llama usage |
| Google Vertex AI | $100,000 | $100,000 in Gemini usage |
| Azure OpenAI | $25,000 | $25,000 in GPT usage |
Total AI API value: $350,000 - more than enough to run a Series A-ready AI product.
Sell Surplus or Buy More - Both Through AI Credits
AI Credits supports YC startups in two directions:
If you have surplus
Sell unused YC credits at 50-70% of face value before they expire. Recover real cash for runway.
If you need more
Buy discounted credits at up to 60% off retail. Extend your AI capabilities beyond what YC provides.
Both directions use the same verified marketplace with escrow protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much in credits do YC startups get?
YC startups can access up to $350,000+ in combined credits across AWS, OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Cloud, Azure, and 100+ other partners. The exact amount depends on which programs you qualify for and apply to.
Do YC credits expire?
Yes. Most YC partner credits expire 12-24 months after issuance. If you have unused credits approaching expiration, sell them through AI Credits to recover value.
Can I sell unused YC credits?
Yes. AI Credits operates a verified marketplace where YC startups can sell unused credits from any major provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS, Azure, GCP) at 50-70% of face value.
Which YC credits are worth the most?
The AI API credits (OpenAI $100K, Anthropic $25K) and cloud credits (AWS $100K, GCP $100K) are typically the highest value. Combined, they exceed $300K for AI-focused YC startups.
Can non-YC startups buy YC-tier credits at a discount?
Yes. AI Credits sells discounted credits to any company - you don't need to be in YC. Get up to 60% off retail on OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS, and more.
What happens to unused credits after they expire?
They go to zero. No extensions, no refunds, no transfers. The only way to recover value is to sell them before expiration through a marketplace like AI Credits.
Don't Let YC Credits Expire to Zero
Every YC startup ends up with surplus credits. The smart ones recover that value before it disappears.
Get a quote at aicredits.co ->
YC startup with surplus credits? Recover their value at aicredits.co.