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Image Studio Cost Guide

Image Studio uses a credit-based system for all operations. This guide explains the cost structure, estimation, and optimization strategies.

Credit System Overview

How Credits Work

  • Credits: Virtual currency for Image Studio operations
  • Subscription Tiers: Different credit allocations per plan
  • Operation Costs: Each operation consumes credits
  • Pre-Flight Validation: See costs before executing
  • Transparent Pricing: Clear cost display for all operations

Credit Allocation

Credits are allocated based on your subscription tier: - Free Tier: Limited credits for testing - Basic Tier: Standard credit allocation - Pro Tier: Higher credit allocation - Enterprise Tier: Unlimited or very high allocation

Operation Costs

Create Studio Costs

By Provider

Stability AI: - Ultra: 8 credits (highest quality) - Core: 3 credits (standard quality) - SD3.5: Varies (artistic content)

WaveSpeed: - Ideogram V3: 5-6 credits (photorealistic) - Qwen: 1-2 credits (fast generation)

HuggingFace: - FLUX: Free tier available, then varies

Gemini: - Imagen: Free tier available, then varies

By Quality Level

  • Draft: 1-2 credits (fast, low cost)
  • Standard: 3-5 credits (balanced)
  • Premium: 6-8 credits (highest quality)

Additional Costs

  • Variations: Each variation adds to base cost
  • Batch Generation: Cost = base cost × number of variations
  • Dimensions: Larger images may cost slightly more

Edit Studio Costs

By Operation

  • Remove Background: 2-3 credits
  • Inpaint: 3-4 credits
  • Outpaint: 4-5 credits
  • Search & Replace: 4-5 credits
  • Search & Recolor: 4-5 credits
  • Replace Background & Relight: 5-6 credits
  • General Edit: 3-5 credits

Cost Factors

  • Operation Complexity: More complex operations cost more
  • Image Size: Larger images may cost slightly more
  • Provider: Different providers have different costs

Upscale Studio Costs

By Mode

  • Fast (4x): 2 credits (~1 second)
  • Conservative 4K: 6 credits (preserve style)
  • Creative 4K: 6 credits (enhance style)

Cost Factors

  • Mode Selection: Different modes have different costs
  • Image Size: Larger source images may cost slightly more
  • Quality Preset: Presets don't affect cost

Social Optimizer Costs

  • Included: Part of standard Image Studio features
  • No Additional Cost: Platform optimization is included
  • Efficient: Batch processing is cost-effective

Asset Library Costs

  • Free: No cost for asset management
  • Storage: Included in subscription
  • Operations: Only generation/editing operations cost credits

Cost Estimation

Pre-Flight Validation

Before any operation, Image Studio shows: - Estimated Cost: Credits required - Subscription Check: Validates your tier - Credit Balance: Shows available credits - Cost Breakdown: Detailed cost information

Estimation Accuracy

  • Create Studio: Very accurate (known provider costs)
  • Edit Studio: Accurate (operation-based costs)
  • Upscale Studio: Accurate (mode-based costs)
  • Batch Operations: Cost = base × quantity

Viewing Estimates

  1. Before Generation: Cost shown in Create Studio
  2. Before Editing: Cost shown in Edit Studio
  3. Before Upscaling: Cost shown in Upscale Studio
  4. Operation Button: Shows cost estimate

Cost Optimization Strategies

For Create Studio

  1. Use Draft for Testing: Test concepts with low-cost Draft quality
  2. Batch Efficiently: Generate multiple variations in one request
  3. Choose Appropriate Quality: Don't use Premium for quick previews
  4. Use Templates: Templates optimize for cost-effectiveness
  5. Provider Selection: Use cost-effective providers when appropriate

For Edit Studio

  1. Edit Strategically: Only edit when necessary
  2. Combine Operations: Plan edits to minimize operations
  3. Use Masks Efficiently: Precise masks reduce need for re-editing
  4. Test First: Use low-cost operations for testing

For Upscale Studio

  1. Upscale Selectively: Only upscale best images
  2. Use Fast Mode: Fast mode for quick previews
  3. Choose Mode Wisely: Don't use Creative if Conservative is sufficient
  4. Batch Upscaling: Process multiple images efficiently

General Strategies

  1. Plan Ahead: Estimate costs before starting
  2. Iterate Efficiently: Test with low-cost options first
  3. Reuse Assets: Don't regenerate similar content
  4. Monitor Usage: Track costs in Asset Library
  5. Optimize Workflows: Use efficient workflow patterns

Cost Examples

Example 1: Social Media Campaign

Scenario: Create 5 images for Instagram, edit 3, optimize for 3 platforms

Costs: - Create 5 images (Standard): 5 × 4 = 20 credits - Edit 3 images (Remove Background): 3 × 3 = 9 credits - Social Optimizer: 0 credits (included) - Total: 29 credits

Scenario: Create featured image, upscale, optimize for social

Costs: - Create 1 image (Premium): 6 credits - Upscale (Conservative): 6 credits - Social Optimizer: 0 credits (included) - Total: 12 credits

Example 3: Product Photography

Scenario: Create product image, remove background, create 3 color variations

Costs: - Create 1 image (Premium): 6 credits - Remove Background: 3 credits - Search & Recolor (3 variations): 3 × 4 = 12 credits - Total: 21 credits

Example 4: Content Library

Scenario: Generate 20 images (Draft), edit 10 favorites, upscale 5 best

Costs: - Create 20 images (Draft): 20 × 2 = 40 credits - Edit 10 images (various): 10 × 4 = 40 credits - Upscale 5 images (Fast): 5 × 2 = 10 credits - Total: 90 credits

Subscription Tiers

Free Tier

  • Credits: Limited allocation
  • Best For: Testing, learning, low-volume
  • Limitations: Rate limits, basic features

Basic Tier

  • Credits: Standard allocation
  • Best For: Regular use, standard content
  • Features: Full access to all modules

Pro Tier

  • Credits: Higher allocation
  • Best For: Professional use, high-volume
  • Features: Premium quality, priority processing

Enterprise Tier

  • Credits: Unlimited or very high
  • Best For: Enterprise, agencies, high-volume
  • Features: All features, priority support

Cost Monitoring

Asset Library Tracking

  • Cost Display: See cost for each asset
  • Usage Tracking: Monitor total costs
  • Performance Analysis: Track cost per asset type
  • Optimization Insights: Identify cost-saving opportunities

Best Practices

  1. Regular Review: Check costs regularly
  2. Identify Patterns: Find cost-saving patterns
  3. Optimize Workflows: Adjust workflows based on costs
  4. Plan Budget: Allocate credits for campaigns

Cost Optimization Tips

Quick Wins

  1. Use Draft Quality: For testing and iterations
  2. Batch Operations: Process multiple items together
  3. Reuse Assets: Don't regenerate similar content
  4. Choose Providers Wisely: Use cost-effective providers
  5. Edit Strategically: Only edit when necessary

Advanced Strategies

  1. Workflow Optimization: Use efficient workflow patterns
  2. Quality Matching: Match quality to use case
  3. Provider Selection: Choose providers based on cost/quality
  4. Template Usage: Use templates for optimization
  5. Asset Reuse: Build library for future use

Troubleshooting Costs

Common Issues

High Costs: - Review quality levels used - Check number of variations - Consider using Draft for testing - Optimize workflows

Unexpected Costs: - Check operation costs before executing - Review batch operation costs - Verify subscription tier - Check credit balance

Cost Estimation Issues: - Verify operation selection - Check provider costs - Review quality level - Confirm batch quantities

Next Steps

For technical details, see the Implementation Overview. For API usage, see the API Reference.