Understanding AI Credits

Updated 5 days ago · 3 min read

AI credits are the currency that powers all AI-driven features in Foto Master Cloud. Every time an AI feature processes a photo -- whether it's background removal, style transfer, face enhancement, or any other AI transformation -- it consumes a certain number of credits. This article explains how credits work, what they cost, and how to keep track of your usage.

What Are AI Credits?

AI credits are a universal unit of measurement for AI processing on the Foto Master Cloud platform. Rather than charging per feature or per photo individually, credits provide a simple, flexible system that lets you use any combination of AI features across all your events.

Each AI feature has a defined credit cost per use. For example, a simple background removal may cost fewer credits than a complex AI style transfer. The exact cost for each feature is displayed in the feature settings and in your usage reports.

How Credits Work

When a photo is processed using an AI feature, credits are deducted from your account balance automatically:

A guest takes a photo at your booth.
The workflow triggers one or more AI features (e.g., background removal, AI enhancement).
Each AI feature deducts its specified number of credits from your balance.
The processed photo is delivered to the guest and uploaded to your gallery.

If your credit balance reaches zero, AI features will pause until you add more credits. Non-AI features (sharing, galleries, analytics) continue to work normally.

Credit Pricing by Plan

One of the key benefits of subscribing to a Basic or Pro plan is reduced credit pricing. The cost per credit varies depending on your subscription tier:

PAYG (Pay As You Go) -- The highest per-credit price. Best for operators who use AI features occasionally and prefer no monthly commitment.
Basic -- Reduced credit pricing compared to PAYG. A good balance for operators running regular events.
Pro -- The lowest per-credit price. Designed for high-volume operators who rely heavily on AI features.

Tip: If you're using AI features frequently, upgrading from PAYG to Basic or Pro can result in significant savings. The lower credit rates often offset the subscription cost. See Managing Your Cloud Plan for upgrade details.

Checking Your Credit Balance

You can check your AI credit balance in several places:

Dashboard -- Your credit balance is displayed in the account summary bar at the top of the Cloud dashboard.
Settings > Billing & Plan -- The billing page shows your current balance alongside your plan details.
Analytics > Credit Usage -- The analytics section provides a detailed breakdown of credit consumption over time.

Credit Retention and Policies

Credits do not expire while your account is active. They remain on your account even if you change plans.
Credits are retained when upgrading, downgrading (including to PAYG), or cancelling.
Credits are non-refundable and have no cash value, per the Foto Master Terms of Service and Refund Policy.
Credits are permanently deleted if your account is deleted. Consider downgrading to PAYG instead of deleting your account to preserve your credits.

Tip: If you cancel and later resubscribe, your remaining credits will still be available as long as you didn't delete your account.

Usage Tracking in Analytics

The Analytics section of your dashboard provides detailed insight into how your AI credits are being used:

Usage by feature -- See which AI features are consuming the most credits.
Usage by event -- Break down credit consumption on a per-event basis to understand the cost of each job.
Usage over time -- Track daily, weekly, and monthly trends to forecast future credit needs.
Usage by request or feature -- Review which AI operations consumed credits and where usage is concentrated.

Tip: Regularly reviewing your credit usage in Analytics helps you identify opportunities to optimize your workflows and budget more effectively for upcoming events.

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