Understanding Credit Usage
How credits are calculated in Qolaba's Video Generation workspace, what factors affect cost and how to optimize credit usage across your workflow.
Every video generation in Qolaba consumes credits. The total cost of a generation is not fixed — it varies based on the model you select, the quality and duration you configure, whether audio is included, and how many outputs you produce in a single run. Understanding how these factors interact helps you generate efficiently and avoid unnecessary credit consumption.
What Affects Credit Cost
Credit cost per video is determined by four factors. Each one independently influences the per-video cost — and they compound when combined:
Model Each model has a different base credit cost per generation. Premium models with higher realism, longer duration support, or advanced capabilities cost more per video than faster, lighter models.
Resolution Higher resolution increases the per-video cost:
720p — lowest cost
1080p — standard cost
4K — highest cost
Duration Longer videos consume more credits:
Shorter durations (1–4 seconds) — lower cost
Longer durations (6–8 seconds) — higher cost
Audio Applicable to Seedance and Seedance 2.5 only. Generating video with audio costs slightly more than generating silent video.
How Total Credits Are Calculated
All per-video factors combine into a single per-video cost, which is then multiplied by the number of generations you have configured:
Total credits = credits per video × number of generations
The credits per video reflects your combined choice of model, resolution, duration, and audio setting. The number of generations then multiplies that figure to produce the total cost for the run.
Example:
Model
Veo 3.1
Resolution
1080p
Duration
8 seconds
Audio
Off
Credits per video
800
Number of generations
3
Total credits
2,400
Change any one setting — reduce duration to 4 seconds, drop resolution to 720p, or reduce generations to 1 — and the total cost decreases accordingly.
Reviewing Cost Before You Generate
Before committing to a generation, the total credit cost for your current configuration is displayed on the Generate button. Review this before clicking — if the cost is higher than expected, adjust your settings and the cost updates immediately to reflect the change.
This is particularly important when:
Running a batch of multiple generations
Generating at 4K for the first time with a new prompt
Switching to a higher-cost model mid-workflow
Get into the habit of checking the cost on the Generate button before every run — especially when changing model, resolution, or generation count.
Optimizing Credit Usage
Test at Low Cost First
The most effective way to manage credit usage is to validate your prompt, model, and reference inputs before generating at high quality or in batch.
Recommended draft configuration:
Duration: 4 seconds
Resolution: 720p
Generations: 1
Audio: Off
This produces a meaningful output at the lowest possible cost. Motion quality, prompt adherence, composition, and visual style are all evaluable at this setting — there is no need to generate at 1080p or 4K until the direction is confirmed.
Draft vs. Final Generation Strategy
Treat every generation workflow as two stages:
Stage 1 — Draft Run at 720p, 4 seconds, single generation. Evaluate the output. Refine your prompt, keywords, or reference media if needed. Repeat until the direction is confirmed.
Stage 2 — Final Once satisfied with the draft output, upgrade to your target resolution and duration and generate the final version. If multiple variations are needed for client comparison or selection, increase the generation count at this stage only.
This two-stage approach consistently produces better outputs at lower total credit cost than attempting to generate final-quality outputs from the start.
Additional Credit-Saving Practices
Use A/B generation strategically — Setting generations to 2 on a confirmed prompt is more credit-efficient than running two separate single generations
Match resolution to delivery format — Don't generate at 4K for content that will be delivered at 1080p or lower
Use shorter durations for concept validation — A 4-second draft is sufficient to evaluate motion, composition, and style before committing to an 8-second final
Disable audio during drafts — If using Seedance, turn audio off during testing and enable it only for final generations
Choose cost-efficient models for iteration — Use faster, lighter models like Veo 3.1 Fast or Kling 3 for prompt testing, and reserve premium models for final outputs
Credit Usage by Configuration
The table below shows how different configurations affect relative credit cost — from lowest to highest:
720p + 4s + 1 generation
Lowest
720p + 8s + 1 generation
Low
1080p + 4s + 1 generation
Low–Moderate
1080p + 8s + 1 generation
Moderate
1080p + 8s + 2 generations
Moderate–High
4K + 8s + 1 generation
High
4K + 8s + 3 generations
Highest
Exact credit costs vary by model. The table above reflects relative cost relationships across settings — not absolute credit values. See Video Models → for per-model credit cost indicators.
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