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Modal Startup Credits

Free serverless GPU credits for new-to-Modal startups backed by partner VCs or with $1M+ raised; custom tier for Series B+.

Partially verifiedLast verified Nov 3, 2026Official source

Worth

Free Modal credits, tiered by stage (amount set on approval)

Modal's startup page does not state tier amounts. A Modal case study reports a $25K award to one startup; treat as an example, not a published tier.

Quick facts

Value
Free Modal credits, tiered by stage (amount set on approval)
Type
Credits
Duration
Not stated
Stages
Seed, Series A, Series B+
Regions
Global
Max funding raised
Not stated
Max company age
Not stated
Last verified
Nov 3, 2026 · Partially verified

Ways to get it

  1. Via Modal VC partner network

    Via VC or accelerator partner

    Seed to Series A tier credits

    • Raised any amount of VC funding from a fund in Modal's partner network
    • New to Modal

    Modal's page refers to an FAQ for the partner list; the list is not published in search excerpts.

    Open program page

  2. Apply directly

    Apply directly

    Seed to Series A tier credits

    • Raised more than $1M from any fund
    • New to Modal

    Route for startups whose investor is not a Modal partner.

    Open program page

  3. Via AWS Activate

    Via cloud provider program

    Additional Modal credits for Activate members

    • Eligible AWS Activate member

    AWS/GCP/Azure credits themselves cannot be spent on Modal; this is an extra Modal grant.

    Open program page

Eligibility

Requirements

  • New to Modal (no prior credits in the tier)
  • VC funding from a Modal partner fund, or more than $1M raised from any fund (Seed to Series A tier)
  • More than $30M raised or beyond Series B for the custom Scaling tier

Not eligible

  • Companies that already received credits in the same tier
  • Cloud-provider credits (AWS, GCP, Azure) cannot be applied to Modal usage

How to apply

  1. 1

    Create a Modal account at modal.com/signup if you do not have one.

  2. 2

    Open modal.com/startups and submit the application for your tier with funding details and investor names.

  3. 3

    Mention AWS Activate membership if applicable to unlock the additional credit allowance.

  4. 4

    Credits are applied to your workspace after approval; they are a one-time grant per tier.

Gotchas

  • One-time grant per tier: no reapplying once credits in that tier have been received.
  • No published dollar amounts; the award is set during approval.
  • Only new-to-Modal customers qualify.
  • AWS, GCP and Azure credits do not work on Modal, even though Activate membership can unlock extra Modal credits.

About the Modal program

Modal's startup program (modal.com/startups) grants free compute credits to companies that are new to Modal. The Seed to Series A tier qualifies if you have raised any amount of VC funding from Modal's VC partner network, or more than $1M from any fund. A Scaling / Series B+ tier is described as custom for rapidly growing AI-native companies that have raised more than $30 million or are beyond Series B and meet the partner-network criteria.

Modal does not publish per-tier dollar amounts on the program page; awards are tailored to the tier and approval process. Modal's own case study of sync. reports a $25K award after finding the program through Founders Inc and Y Combinator, which illustrates scale but is not a stated tier value. Credits are a one-time grant and you cannot reapply once you have received credits in a given tier.

Startups in AWS Activate may unlock additional Modal credits, but Modal states that credits from AWS, GCP or Azure themselves cannot be applied to Modal usage. The $30/month Starter plan credit and the academic program (up to $10k) are separate from the startup grant.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Modal give startups?

Modal does not publish tier amounts; it describes them as free credits for rising startups with a custom Series B+ tier. One Modal case study reports a $25K grant, but your award is set on approval.

My VC is not a Modal partner. Can I still apply?

Yes, if you have raised more than $1M from any fund you meet the Seed to Series A tier criteria.

Can I use my AWS Activate credits on Modal?

No. Cloud-provider credits cannot be applied to Modal, but eligible AWS Activate startups may unlock additional Modal credits through the program.

Compare

Verification. Checked by our automated checker on Nov 3, 2026 against https://modal.com/startups. Status: partially verified.

Fetched directly on 2026-11-03. Page confirms: new-to-Modal customers only; credits are a one-time grant per tier; Seed to Series A tier requires VC funding from Modal's partner network or more than $1m from any fund; Scaling/Series B+ tier is custom for companies with more than $30m raised or post-Series B whose VC is a partner; 'thousands of free GPU credits'. No dollar amounts per tier are stated, so usd_max is null. FAQ answers (credit duration, partner list) are rendered client-side and were not readable; AWS Activate note is from Modal's own GPU credit programs guide.