How to Get Bing Ads Credit [Step-by-Step Guide]

A client of mine once spent two weeks comparing Bing Ads credit offers. A bank card perk, a hosting bundle, a sign-up email, an agency code. By the time she picked one, her new account was past its redemption window. She got nothing. Not because she was careless, but because she had too many options and no order to work through them.

There’s a name for that. In the famous jam study, Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper found shoppers were far more likely to buy when offered 6 flavors than 24. More choice, less action. Learning how to get Bing Ads credit has the same trap: plenty of routes, one code per account, and a clock running from the day you sign up.

The prize is worth the effort. Bing powered 8.73% of US searches in June 2026, according to StatCounter, roughly one in eleven. Many of those searchers never see your Google ads.

So in this guide, we’ll compare every route to Bing Ads credit side by side, walk through a six-step setup in the right order, and give you a 30-day plan to make sure the credit is spent on learning, not lost to a deadline.

Every Way to Get Bing Ads Credit, Compared

Bing Ads, now called Microsoft Advertising, gives promotional credit to new advertisers through several channels. They all end the same way: a code redeemed in your account and a credit added after a qualifying spend. What differs is the amount, the effort and how certain you can be.

We’d rank them in that order for most new advertisers. The partner route is the fastest and usually the largest, and you don’t depend on an email arriving in time.

Before You Start: The Eligibility Check

Run through this before you touch any route. It takes two minutes and saves weeks.

• Has this business ever had an active Microsoft Advertising account? If yes, a new-customer credit likely won’t apply.
• Do you have a payment method ready? Microsoft requires one on file before the code is redeemed.
• Do you have a live website or landing page? You’ll need one to create ads at all.
• Can you launch within a few days of opening the account? Most codes must be redeemed within 30 days of account creation.
• Is your business in a market Microsoft serves? Offers differ by country, and some are paid in local currency.

Five yeses and you’re ready. If any answer is no, fix it first. We’d rather you wait a week than open an account you can’t use.

How to Get Bing Ads Credit in 6 Steps

The order matters more than any single step. Follow it as written.

Step 1: Prepare your first campaign offline

Write your keywords, ads and budget before you sign up. If you already run Google Ads, pick the campaigns you’ll import. This is what protects you from the credit clock later.

Step 2: Get your code

Go to Couponer, choose Microsoft Ads and follow the prompts. If you have a code from another source, compare its value first. You can only redeem one.

Step 3: Create your Microsoft Advertising account

Sign up with a business email, then add your business name, website and time zone. Our walkthrough on creating a Microsoft Ads Manager account shows each screen.

Step 4: Add your payment method

Go to Billing & Payments and save a card or other payment method. Do this before you enter any code.

Step 5: Redeem the code

Select Tools, then Billing & Payments, then Billing summary. In Payment methods, select View promotional offers, then Add promotional code, and save. Microsoft’s help article on promotional offers has the same flow.

Step 6: Launch and meet the qualifying spend

Publish the campaign you prepared in Step 1. Once you reach the qualifying spend, the credit is applied automatically.

Your First 30 Days With the Credit

The credit usually lasts around 90 days after it’s awarded. Use the first 30 to build a foundation you can scale.

• Week 1: Launch with your proven keywords and install the UET tag for conversion tracking.
• Week 2: Review search terms, add negative keywords and pause anything with spend and no conversions.
• Week 3: Test a second ad variation and adjust bids by device and location.
• Week 4: Compare cost per conversion against your Google benchmark and decide where to scale.

By day 30, you’ll know whether Bing deserves real budget, with most of the credit still in the account to act on it.

Mistakes That Cost New Advertisers Their Credit

We’ve audited plenty of new Microsoft accounts. The same five mistakes come up again and again.

Redeeming a smaller code first

You only get one promotional offer per new account. If you redeem a $100 bundle code, you can’t swap it for a larger one later.

Opening the account too early

The 30-day redemption window starts when the account is created. Open it when you’re ready to launch, not when you first get curious.

Skipping the payment method

No payment method, no credit. It’s the most common reason a valid code gets rejected.

Launching without tracking

Without conversion tracking, you’ll spend the credit and learn nothing. Install the UET tag before your first click.

Getting disapproved in week one

Ads rejected by policy review can’t spend, and the credit clock keeps running. Our Microsoft Ads policy checklist covers the triggers we see most.

Summary

To get Bing Ads credit, pick the highest-value route, prepare your campaign before you sign up, add a payment method, and redeem within 30 days. Then spend the credit on a focused test with tracking in place. If you want to go further, our original guide to Microsoft Ads coupons adds screenshots for every redemption screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bing Ads credit available outside the United States?

Yes, Microsoft Advertising offers new-customer credit in many markets, but the amount and terms vary by country. Some offers are paid in local currency, such as pounds in the UK. Business partner bundles are often US-only, while partner apps like Couponer show the offer available for your location when you generate a code.

How do I know if my Bing Ads credit was applied?

Check the promotional offers view in your Microsoft Advertising account. Go to Tools, then Billing & Payments, and open View promotional offers. It shows the offer amount, how much qualifying spend remains, and the expiry date. Once you meet the spend, the credit appears in your account balance automatically.

Do I need a website to get Bing Ads credit?

In practice, yes. You can create a Microsoft Advertising account without one, but every ad needs a final URL, and you need ads running to meet the qualifying spend. A simple landing page is enough, as long as it matches your ads and passes Microsoft’s editorial review.