Monthly Azure credit for Visual Studio Professional subscribers

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As a Visual Studio Professional, you’ve got the power of the cloud at your command. Azure’s integrated tools, pre-built templates, and managed services make it easier to build and manage enterprise, mobile, web, and Internet of Things (IoT) apps faster, using skills you already have and technologies you already know.

Activate your USD$50 monthly credit today!

No credit card required

When you first set up your monthly Azure credit, you are not required to provide a credit card. Even if you choose to store a credit card in your account, you automatically start with a USD$0 spending limit—so there is no risk of any charges, until you’re ready.

Low dev/test rates help you stretch your credit farther

Use the Microsoft software included with your Visual Studio subscription on Azure Virtual Machines for dev/test at no extra charge—you’ll just pay the Linux rate for VMs you run, even VMs with SQL Server, SharePoint Server, or other software that is normally billed at a higher rate. Upload custom virtual machine images yourself or use one of our pre-configured images from the Azure Gallery.

In addition to the low dev/test rates on VMs, you also get low rates on Cloud Services, HDInsight, and Web Apps.

Access to Windows 10

When you set up your monthly Azure credit, you can run Windows 10 images on Azure for dev/test.

What to buy with your monthly credit

Use your monthly credit toward Azure services, including:

• Cloud Services
• Content Delivery Network
• HDInsight
• Media Services
• Mobile Services
• SQL Databases
• Storage
• Virtual Machines
• Web Apps feature of Azure App Service

The following products and services are billed and don’t qualify for the monthly credit:

• Application Insights
• Support plans
• Visual Studio subscriptions
• Visual Studio Team Services

Products that are sold separately from Azure (such as Microsoft Azure Active Directory Premium) or through Azure Marketplace, and third-party branded products, are also billed and don’t qualify for the monthly credit.

Azure for your dev team

While the monthly Azure credit for Visual Studio Professional is great for your personal dev/test workloads, it isn’t optimal for work you’re doing as a team. Thankfully, we’ve created a couple options for you to get lower dev/test rates, access to Windows 10 for dev/test, along with other advantages:

Enterprise Dev/Test: if your organization has an Enterprise Agreement (EA) purchasing contract with Microsoft.

Pay-As-You-Go Dev/Test: if you don’t have an EA.

Offer Details

Dev/Test Rates on select services

All Windows and Windows Server Virtual Machines, Cloud Services, Web Apps, and HDInsight are discounted relative to the published Pay-as-you-go rates. The rate on these services is equal to the rate for a Linux virtual machine of the same size and type. For example:

• A Windows Server/Medium (A2)/Basic Instance virtual machine is billed at the Linux/Medium (A2)/Basic Instance virtual machine rate.
• A Websites/Large (L)/Standard is billed at the Linux/Large (A3)/Standard Instance virtual machine rate.
• A HDInsight Head Node (on an Extra Large A4 instance) is billed at the Linux/Extra Large (A4)/Standard Instance virtual machine rate.

Additional Terms

If you remove the Spending Limit, charges will be incurred at the Pay-As-You-Go pricing. If you maintain the Spending Limit and you use your monthly credit in full or you use any service that is excluded from payment by monthly credit, your subscription will be suspended for the remainder of the billing period.

You will be notified at least 30 days in advance of any increases to the rates.

Any taxes which may result from receiving services at no charge are the sole responsibility of the recipient.

You must maintain an active Visual Studio Professional subscription to enjoy this benefit. This offer is limited to one per subscriber.

You will not facilitate, engage in, or participate in any use of Azure services, for crypto currency mining, denial of service attacks, spamming, or illegal activity, and/or any use that could cause harm to Microsoft or others, and will enforce strong internal controls to prevent the same. Microsoft may from time to time contact you regarding your use of your Azure services and you will upon such request provide reasonable documentation regarding your use. If Microsoft believes for any reason that such Azure services are being used for any prohibited purpose, Microsoft may, in its sole discretion, suspend or terminate your access to the Azure services.

Payment options

Only credit cards will be accepted, unless previously approved for invoice. Please note that we do not accept prepaid and virtual credit cards.

More details on pricing and billing can be found on our pricing page.

Cancellation policy

You may cancel at any time. Payment is required for any outstanding fees incurred.

Offer availability

This offer is available to customers located in the following countries/regions and will be billed in the currency noted: