> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.comicink.ai/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# How credits work

ComicInk runs on a **credit** system. You spend credits when you generate an image — pages, panels, covers, translations, or entity images like characters, assets, worlds, and titles. Everything else — browsing, editing text, publishing, account features — is free.

## The basics

- **Subscribing is optional for existing customers.** If you were already buying credit packs before ComicInk Plus launched, you can keep buying packs and spending credits at your own pace — no subscription required. New accounts get 10 free Sidekick messages, then need a subscription to keep using Sidekick. An optional monthly plan, ComicInk Plus, is also available to anyone who'd rather have credits added automatically each month plus unlimited Sidekick. See [ComicInk Plus subscription](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/comicink-plus-subscription-p0vfrj/).
- **No expiration.** Credits never expire, whether you bought them, subscribed for them, or got them free. They sit in your account until you use them, even if you cancel a subscription.
- **Pay only for what you generate.** Browsing, editing dialogue, publishing — all free. Generating any image, including a character or asset avatar, costs credits.
- **Atomic billing.** Credits are deducted before generation starts, so you never get charged twice for the same generation.

## Where credits come from

- **100 free credits** when you sign up. No card required, never expires.
- **Your first two renders are free.** Every account gets its first two comic renders free, once for the life of the account — so you can see finished artwork before spending anything. A render is your cover or a page, whichever you generate first, so a typical first comic gives you a free cover and a free page 1. It counts a comic's initial generation and a regeneration alike, and it's on top of your 100 free credits. If a free render fails, it isn't counted, so you keep it.
- **Credit packs** you buy: Lite, Starter, Creator, or Video. See [buying credit packs](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/buying-credit-packs-1a4hv98/).
- **Referrals** — invite people; when they sign up, you earn credits. See [referral program](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/account-settings-password-deletion-rirdlw/#referral-program).
- **Refunds** for failed generations are credited back automatically. See [failed generations and refunds](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/failed-generations-and-refunds-6vzv1b/).

**Free credits are one-time, not recurring.** There is no daily login bonus, no daily or weekly free credits, no login streak, and no monthly allowance — signing in every day doesn't add to your balance. The 100 signup credits and the two free renders are granted once per account; after that, credits come from referrals or from [buying a pack](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/buying-credit-packs-1a4hv98/). Nothing tops your balance up on a schedule, and nothing expires either.

## Where credits go

- **50 credits** per page, panel, cover, back cover, or translation.
- **10 credits** per character, asset, world, or title image — every create and every regeneration, no free quota.

For the full list, see [what costs credits, what doesn't](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/what-costs-credits-what-doesnt-r9f0sz/).

## Story Videos cost

Story Video renders are priced per second of finished footage at approximately **152 credits per second** (at 720p). A typical short-to-medium video costs roughly **3,700–12,000 credits** depending on the number of scenes and their length. You'll see the exact cost displayed in-app before you confirm a render — no surprises.

Story Videos is a web-only feature. For a full breakdown see [Story Video credits and costs](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/story-video-credits-and-costs-1lj1797/).

## Checking your balance

Your credit balance is visible:

- **On web**: top of the dashboard sidebar.
- **On iOS**: top of the app's home screen.
- **In the editor**: a credit counter shows the cost of the action you're about to take, and your remaining balance, before you confirm.

## Running out of credits

If your balance runs to zero:

- **You can't start new paid generations** until you top up.
- **Existing pages, characters, and edits are unaffected** — your work is saved and stays accessible.
- **You'll get an email notification** the first time your balance hits zero (one notification only — it doesn't repeat).
- **Topping up takes about a minute** via the credit-pack purchase flow on web (Stripe) or iOS (Apple In-App Purchase).

## Same-account, multi-platform

Credits live in your account, not on a device. Buy a pack on iOS, spend it on web, and the balance follows you. Pricing is identical between platforms.

## Why we count credits instead of just per-generation pricing

Per-generation pricing in dollars would mean a Stripe charge every time you click "generate" — which is slow, expensive in fees, and friction-heavy. Buying a pack of credits lets you experiment freely, regenerate without thinking about it, and only top up when you actually need to.