Most advertisers misread Bing Ads credits. They treat them like a gift card. They’re not. They’re matched spend with two deadlines, and the second one is the one that quietly eats the money.<\/p>\n
Start with the audience. Bing handled 4.68% of all searches worldwide and 8.73% in the US in June 2026, per StatCounter<\/a>. Small share, big absolute number, and a lot less competition per auction than Google. That’s why Microsoft pays new advertisers to try it.<\/p>\n The failure point isn’t eligibility. It’s timing. Kahneman and Tversky named it the planning fallacy: we underestimate how long tasks take, even when we’ve been wrong before. Advertisers claim the credit, then spend three weeks building campaigns, writing ads and fixing tracking. The credit clock doesn’t wait.<\/p>\n Here’s what this article covers: what Bing Ads credits are, the exact math, the two deadlines, the billing setting that matters, the myths that cost money, and how to get more than the public offer.<\/p>\n Bing Ads credits are promotional funds Microsoft adds to a new Microsoft Advertising account after the advertiser spends a qualifying amount. Bing Ads became Microsoft Advertising in 2019. The credits, the platform and the rules are the same under both names.<\/p>\n Three facts define them:<\/p>\n That’s the mechanism. Everything else is detail, and the detail is where people lose money.<\/p>\n A common public offer is “spend $250, get $500”. Microsoft’s own offer terms<\/a> describe exactly that structure for new customers. Partner offers can be larger: through Adcore’s Couponer app, eligible new accounts can receive up to $1,000.<\/p>\n Amounts vary by country and period, so check the terms on your own code. The structure rarely changes.<\/p>\n Read that table again with a performance lens. On a $250 test, you’re not saving money. You’re buying 3x to 5x more data. More clicks, more conversions, a faster read on whether Bing deserves budget. That’s the real value.<\/p>\n If you’re comparing it against Google, run the same campaigns on both. Microsoft can import your Google Ads campaigns directly, which makes a clean side-by-side test easy.<\/p>\n Every Bing Ads credit runs on two separate clocks. Miss either and the credit is gone.<\/p>\n Microsoft’s terms require the code to be redeemed within 30 days of creating the new account. Open the account, add the code the same day. Don’t let a free code sit in your inbox.<\/p>\n Once the credit is awarded, it typically expires about 90 days later. Unused credit isn’t carried over, restored or refunded. This clock starts at award, not when you notice it.<\/p>\n The planning fallacy hits deadline 2. A team claims the credit in week one, launches in week four, and has eight weeks of runway instead of thirteen. Build campaigns first. Redeem second.<\/p>\n Two setup details decide whether your spend counts.<\/p>\n Microsoft requires a payment method on the account before the code is redeemed and before the account goes live. No card, no credit. This is the single most common failure we see.<\/p>\n Microsoft Advertising accounts run as prepay or postpay. On prepay, the qualifying spend comes out of funds you’ve loaded. On postpay, your card is charged as you hit billing thresholds. Both count. The problem is advertisers not knowing which one they’re on, then misreading whether spend has registered. Check it under Billing & Payments before launch.<\/p>\n Qualifying spend must happen on Microsoft Advertising campaigns. Spend on Google Ads or Meta doesn’t count, even if it shows up in the same reporting tool.<\/p>\n Our deeper breakdown of Microsoft Ads credits for new users<\/a> walks through each billing setting screen by screen.<\/p>\n False. The offers target new customers that have never had an active Microsoft Advertising account. A dormant account with old spend disqualifies you. Opening a duplicate to get around it risks suspension.<\/p>\n False. It’s one promotional offer per new customer, and offers can’t be combined. Pick the highest-value code before you redeem, because you only get one.<\/p>\n False. Expired credit is gone. Neither the qualifying spend nor the credit is refundable.<\/p>\n False. You still bid in the same auction at the same prices. Credits increase your budget, not your efficiency. Efficiency comes from targeting, bidding and creative. If you’re scaling past the test, our guide to Microsoft Ads Performance Max<\/a> is the next read.<\/p>\nWhat Are Bing Ads Credits?<\/h2>\n
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The Math: What a Credit Is Actually Worth<\/h2>\n
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\n \nOffer<\/th>\n You spend<\/th>\n Credit added<\/th>\n Total ad budget<\/th>\n Effective multiplier<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n Typical public offer<\/td>\n $250<\/td>\n $500<\/td>\n $750<\/td>\n 3x<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Partner offer via Couponer (up to)<\/td>\n $250<\/td>\n $1,000<\/td>\n $1,250<\/td>\n 5x<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n The Two Deadlines That Decide Everything<\/h2>\n
Deadline 1: redeem within 30 days of account creation<\/h3>\n
Deadline 2: use the credit before it expires<\/h3>\n
Billing Setup and Qualifying Spend<\/h2>\n
Payment method before redemption<\/h3>\n
Know your billing type<\/h3>\n
Only Microsoft spend counts<\/h3>\n
Four Myths That Cost Advertisers Their Credit<\/h2>\n
Myth 1: “Any account can get credits”<\/h3>\n
Myth 2: “I can stack two codes”<\/h3>\n
Myth 3: “Unused credit rolls over”<\/h3>\n
Myth 4: “Credits lower my CPC”<\/h3>\n