AI Perks curates and provides access to exclusive discounts, credits, and deals on AI tools, cloud services, and APIs to help startups and developers save money.
What are the best student software discounts in 2026?
The largest student offer is $1,080 in Figma credits. Seven catalogue perks cover design, code, notes and AI. Each card shows who qualifies and how to claim.
This hub groups the options by use: design, code, notes and AI, then software your school may already provide. Each section opens with a headline value, so you can see where the money is before you read the detail. AI Perks tracks more student offers than fit on one page, so treat this list as a map, not the full inventory.
The pattern is simple. One roundup says the professional tools you would pay $50-250 per year for are often free with a school email address. The catch is that terms differ by vendor, which is why the sections below flag renewals, limits and offers that are already over.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
Which student perks carry the most catalogue value?
Seven student and education perks are in the catalogue today, ranked here by amount. Open the card for each one to see the eligibility rules and the claim steps.
| Company | Free credits | How to get |
|---|---|---|
| Figma (education) | $1,080 | Get this perk |
| Google Gemini (students) | $240 | Get this perk |
| JetBrains (students) | $199 | Get this perk |
| Canva (education) | $144 | Get this perk |
| GitHub (students) | Up to $120 | Get this perk |
| Notion (education) | $120 | Get this perk |
| Microsoft Azure (students) | $100 | Get this perk |
Total catalogue value: up to $2,003 ($1,080 + $240 + $199 + $144 + $120 + $120 + $100).
For related lists, see Edu Email Discounts: Free AI and Dev Tools for Students and AI Student Discount 2026: Every Verified Offer Listed.
What design and creative tools are free for students?
$1,080 in Figma credits is the biggest design value in the catalogue. Separately, Figma and FigJam are listed as free for 2 years, renewable while you stay enrolled. The card shows who qualifies and how to claim.
Next is $144 in Canva credits. Check its card before you plan around it, because education offers at Canva depend on who you are.
Webflow offers students a free CMS site plan, which suits portfolio sites. Adobe is the one paid pick in the design roundups, so budget for it:
| Adobe Creative Cloud student plan | Price per month |
|---|---|
| Year one | $19.99 |
| After year one | $39.99 |
| Regular price | $69.99 |
The student plan covers 20+ apps, including Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere. Plan for 12 months at $19.99 followed by 12 months at $39.99, and compare that running cost with the free design tools above before you commit.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
What coding and developer tools are free for students?
Up to $120 in GitHub credits opens the developer side. GitHub's student bundle includes GitHub Pro, Copilot Student, all JetBrains IDEs, a $100 Azure credit, a Heroku credit ($13/month for 24 months), 1Password free for a year and a free .me domain from Namecheap. The card shows who qualifies and how to claim.
The Heroku credit runs for a full 24 months, so it is worth setting up early in your course. One student-deal directory lists the bundle as over 200 developer tools with a combined value above $200,000. That is the directory's own figure, so read it as a ceiling rather than what one student will use.
$199 in JetBrains credits covers the IDEs. Licenses are valid for 1 year and must be renewed annually, and use is non-commercial only. After graduation you get 40% off a personal subscription.
$100 in Microsoft Azure credits is the cloud credit for hosting projects and testing deployments. For more on this group, see Free AI Credits for Students 2026: Every Program Compared.
Which notes, writing and AI tools are free for students?
$120 in Notion credits matches the value of Notion's Plus plan. That plan normally costs $10/month, so $10 x 12 = $120 a year. The education plan stays free after graduation as long as the account uses the school email. The card shows who qualifies and how to claim.
$240 in Google Gemini credits is the biggest AI value after Figma. One listing also shows 2 months of ChatGPT Plus free for some college students, verified through SheerID.
Smaller deals fill the gaps:
- iLovePDF: a free 1-year Premium plan for .edu email holders.
- Kickresume: 180 days of free Premium for verified .edu holders.
- Malwarebytes: 50% off Premium for verified students.
- Typeform: 40% off a monthly plan for one year, or 50% off a yearly plan, with a .edu email.
- Airtable: its student paths work as an extended free trial with all Pro features.
- OriginLab: a free 6-month license, limited to a handful of countries.
For AI by study task, see Free AI for Students 2026: Best Tools by Study Task.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
What software might your school already give you?
School licences stack with catalogue perks such as $100 in Microsoft Azure credits. Check your IT page first, because campus deals cost nothing extra. Each perk card shows who qualifies and how to claim.
Maricopa colleges are a good example of what a campus page can include:
- Enrolled students can install Office on up to five computers and five mobile devices, including an iPad.
- A campus-wide license covers MATLAB, Simulink and over 100 toolboxes for students and faculty.
- An OnTheHub store sells discounted software from a range of vendors.
Elsewhere, students at eligible schools can get Office 365 A1 free. Autodesk says AutoCAD and other Autodesk software is free to eligible students as a one-year, single-user license for educational use. Autodesk also runs free plans for educators at qualified institutions and for school IT administrators.
Augustana bills a discounted Creative Cloud license to the student account, but it does not state the price. Ask your IT office for the figure before you accept.
Which student deals should you skip or double-check?
Not every listed deal is live, and $240 in Google Gemini credits is the kind of value worth confirming on its card first. Several deals in public lists are over or were never confirmed.
- Microsoft 365 Premium: a 12-month free promotion ran through February 2026 and is now over.
- Make: it did not offer a student discount as of September 2026.
- Design deal lists: StudentStack confirmed only 2 of its 9 design deals on the company's own page. The rest are marked not yet verified.
- Adobe: it is the one paid pick, as shown in the pricing table above.
Student Discount Hub lists 300+ hand-reviewed student deals, which shows how long these lists run. A long list is not the same as a verified one, so check each offer on its own card.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
How do you claim student software discounts step by step?
Start with the catalogue, then move to your school's own page. The order below puts the largest values first.
- Get credits via AI Perks. Browse the student and education perk cards at getaiperks.com and shortlist the ones that match your courses.
- Open the biggest card first. Start with $1,080 in Figma credits if you design, or $199 in JetBrains credits if you code. The card shows who qualifies and how to claim.
- Match perks to use. Take one tool per job: design, code, notes, AI. This avoids paying for overlap.
- Check your school's software page. Look for Office, MATLAB, Autodesk or discounted licences before you pay for anything.
- Note the renewal dates. JetBrains licenses must be renewed every year, and Figma access is renewable while you stay enrolled. Put both dates in your calendar so nothing lapses mid-semester.
- Keep your school email active. Notion's education plan stays free after graduation only while the account uses the school email, so do not drop that address.
FAQ
Which student software discount is worth the most?
$1,080 in Figma credits is the largest student perk in the catalogue. Google Gemini follows at $240, then JetBrains at $199 and Canva at $144. Open each card to see who qualifies and how to claim before you plan around it.
Are student software discounts really free?
Most listed perks are free or credit-based, but not all of them. Adobe's student plan is paid at $19.99 per month in year one and $39.99 after. Several other deals are percentage discounts, such as Malwarebytes at 50% off. Check the card for the exact terms on getaiperks.com.
Do student licences expire?
Yes, many do. JetBrains licenses are valid for 1 year and must be renewed annually. Figma and FigJam are listed as free for 2 years, renewable while you stay enrolled. Notion's education plan stays free after graduation if the account uses the school email. See each perk's card at getaiperks.com.
What developer tools can students get for free?
Up to $120 in GitHub credits leads the developer side. The bundle includes GitHub Pro, Copilot Student, all JetBrains IDEs, a $100 Azure credit, a Heroku credit and 1Password free for a year. Open the card to see who qualifies and how to claim.
Can I use student licences for paid work?
Not with JetBrains: student use is non-commercial only. After graduation you get 40% off a personal subscription. Autodesk's free student license is also a one-year, single-user license for educational use. Read the terms on each card before you use a tool on client projects.
Where can I see every student perk in one place?
The AI Perks catalogue lists student and education perks next to every other free credit offer, with amounts and a card for each one. Start at getaiperks.com, shortlist the perks that match your courses, then open the cards to claim them.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
Ready to claim your student software perks?
Seven student and education perks, from $100 up to $1,080 each, are waiting in the catalogue. Open the cards, match them to your courses and claim the biggest ones first.
Get free AI credits at getaiperks.com →
Browse every student and education perk, with amounts and claim details, at getaiperks.com.
