The question: Can I generate AI images and videos without paying for a subscription?
AI images and videos without a subscription
In this article
Yes. In Aura Studio the tool is free and you pay only for what you generate: 1 credit = €0.05, top-ups from €2, and the credits you buy never expire. An image with GPT Image 2.5 Flare costs 5 credits (€0.25) and a 5-second clip with Kling 3.0, 24 credits (€1.20). There are monthly plans, but they are optional. Prices as of 26 October 2026.
The usual story: a monthly fee to make six images in March and none in April. April's credits expire; the fee does not.
How credits work
Top up whatever you like between €2 and €500, in whole euros. Each euro is 20 credits, with a little extra from €20:
- €10 → 200 credits (40 images or 8 video clips)
- €20 → 420 credits
- €50 → 1,100 credits
Images and clips are counted with GPT Image 2.5 Flare and Kling 3.0, the defaults. Prices are at the standard rate and taxes depend on your country.
What each piece costs
Every piece shows its price before you run it, on the button itself. A few references:
- A sketch with Nano Banana: 3 credits (€0.15).
- An image with GPT Image 2.5 Flare: 5 credits (€0.25).
- A clip with Kling 3.0 Turbo: 20 credits (€1).
- A clip with Seedance 2.5: 92 credits (€4.60).
- Enhancing an image: 3 credits. Removing the background: 2 credits. Getting one piece in every banner size: free.
The full lists, with what each model is for, are in which image model to use and which video model to use.
What you do not pay for
- The tool. Not the chat with Aura to think the piece through, not the editors, not the Library.
- Placing your logo. Compositing it onto an image is free.
- What fails. If a model fails, the credits are refunded.
- What you did not ask for. Ask for one image and you get one. And above a certain amount, Aura shows you the price and waits for your yes before spending.
When a subscription pays off
Do the maths with what you really generate in a normal month, not your best one:
credits per month × €0.05 versus the fee.
With Aura Studio's plans, the smallest, Lite, costs €8 a month with 200 credits (€0.04 per credit) and pays off above 160 credits. Creador costs €15 a month and comes with 450 credits: each credit works out at €0.033. It starts paying off when you spend more than 300 credits a month, and it covers about 90 images with GPT Image 2.5 Flare. Pro costs €39 with 1,300 credits (€0.03 per credit) and pays off above 780 credits.
Below those numbers, topping up as you go is cheaper. And plan credits only roll over for a month; what you buy outright never expires.
Many AI image and video tools are sold only as a monthly subscription with credits that expire at the end of the month. Nothing wrong with that if you generate every week. If you generate in bursts, the same sum above tells you what suits you.
What to check before paying for any tool
- Do the credits expire? If they do, the real price per piece is higher than the advertised one.
- Are failures charged? A rejected clip that gets billed is a clip paid for twice.
- Do you see the price before running it? If you only see it afterwards, you are not in control of the spend.
- Does the price change with resolution? In video, almost always. Check the price at the resolution you will use.
Aether Labs publishes comparisons of what it costs to bring AI into a company, with the same criteria.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an AI tool for images and videos that is not a subscription?
Yes. Aura Studio is pay-as-you-go: top-ups from €2, 1 credit = €0.05, and purchased credits never expire.
How much does an AI-generated image cost?
In Aura Studio, between €0.15 and €0.25 depending on the model.
How much does an AI-generated video cost?
A short clip costs between €1 and €4.60 with the usual models; with Kling 3.0 it is €1.20.
Do credits expire?
The ones you buy outright do not. Monthly plan credits roll over for one month.
Can I cancel a plan whenever I want?
Yes, a plan can be cancelled whenever you like. Anything you bought outright stays.