OpenRouter gives startups up to $5,000 in model credits and a year without platform fees

OpenRouter runs a startup program. Approved teams get up to $5,000 in universal inference credits to use across 500+ frontier and open models, with no platform fees for 12 months.

What you get

• Up to $5,000 in universal inference credits that work on every model. Most credits expire 6 months after issuance, and you'll get an email before they do.
• 12 months of waived platform fees and BYOK fees, so you pay only for the tokens you use.
• The amount depends on the partner channel. The Mercury business account channel, for example, gives $1,000 in credits with the same 12-month fee waiver.

Who can apply

• Pre-Series B, venture-scalable startups building an AI-native product full-time, not as a side project.
• A referral key from an approved OpenRouter partner is required. The partner list isn't public; if you work with a VC or accelerator, look for the OpenRouter Startup Program in their perks portal.
• A public company website and an application from a professional email on your company domain. Generic addresses like admin@ or support@ aren't accepted.
• Less than $500 in lifetime OpenRouter spend. Each applicant can receive credits once, even with multiple partner affiliations.

How to apply

1. With a partner referral key, apply on the OpenRouter Startup Program page. Mercury customers can start from the Mercury perk page.
2. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Approved credits and fee waivers are applied automatically to the OpenRouter account tied to the applicant email.

After the credits run out or expire, standard pricing applies and free models stay available. Questions go to [email protected].