EmberCloud gives startups and indie hackers $100 in free model credits
$100 in API credits after approval, for open models like GLM, Kimi and DeepSeek
EmberCloud gives startups and indie projects $100 in API credits for open models such as GLM, Kimi, MiniMax and DeepSeek. Once approved, add $5 to verify your company and start using the credits.
- Eligible plans
- EmberCloud API (all models)
- Eligibility
- Startups and indie projects. EmberCloud reviews every application; approved applicants add $5 to verify their company before the credits activate.
The briefing
EmberCloud is an inference cloud for open-source models with an OpenAI-compatible API, so switching usually means changing the base URL and API key. Its startup program gives early teams and indie hackers free credits to get going.
What you get
- $100 in EmberCloud API credits, usable across every model on the platform.
- Models include GLM-5.3, GLM-5.3 Flash, Kimi K3, MiniMax M3, DeepSeek V4 Pro and Qwen3 Coder Next, billed per token with no cold starts.
Who can apply
Startups and indie projects. EmberCloud reviews applications within a few business days. No card is needed to apply; once approved, you add $5 to verify your company and the credits go live.
How to apply
- Fill out the form on the EmberCloud for Startups page with details about your startup or project and how you plan to use EmberCloud.
- After approval, sign in and add $5 to verify your company.
- Create an API key and point the OpenAI SDK at
https://api.embercloud.ai/v1.
Models and pricing are on the EmberCloud website.
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