Credits 101

How StudioSprite credits work

Two separate buckets — image credits for generating sprites, AI text credits for the writing tools. No surprise meters, no per-token pricing. Here's the whole system on one page.

Image credits

For sprite generation

Power every visual generation: pixel art sprites, HD-2D renders, variants, evolutions, poses, palettes. Pixel art costs 2–5 credits; HD-2D costs 5–15.

  • ✅ Granted monthly on every paid plan
  • ✅ Top-up packs available (100 / 500 / 2k / 10k)
  • ✅ Top-ups never expire
  • ✅ Earn more by selling on the marketplace (80% back)

AI text credits

For writing tools

Power the 14 AI writing tools: NPC dialogue, quests, lore, item flavor, Steam descriptions, patch notes. Each tool run costs 1 credit.

  • ✅ 50 free / month on the Free plan
  • ✅ 1,000 / month on Pro · Unlimited on Studio
  • ✅ Top-up packs available (100 / 500 / 2k)
  • ✅ Top-ups never expire

The two buckets are completely separate — buying one doesn't fill the other.

Monthly grants vs top-ups

Every account has two pools of each credit type. They behave differently — here's the rules.

Monthly plan credits

  • Granted each billing cycle. Pro & Studio get their image + text allowance refreshed automatically.
  • Reset, not stack. Unused monthly credits do not roll into the next month.
  • Used first. When you generate, we spend monthly credits before touching your top-ups.

Top-up packs

  • Never expire. Top-ups sit in your balance until you spend them — even if you cancel or downgrade.
  • Stack on top. They add to your monthly grant rather than replacing it.
  • Available to every plan. Free, Pro, and Studio can all top up — for both image and text buckets.

Spending order

  1. 1Monthly plan credits (reset each cycle)
  2. 2Top-up packs you've purchased (never expire)
  3. 3Marketplace earnings — image credits earned from sprite sales (never expire)

You always see one combined number in your dashboard, but the engine drains the cheapest bucket first so your never-expire credits stay safe as long as possible.

What each action costs

Pixel art (image credits)
  • 5 — new project / master sprite
  • 3 — variant
  • 4 — evolution
  • 2 — pose, expression, palette, accessory, direction
  • 1 — enhance prompt
HD-2D Pro+
  • 15 — new project / master sprite
  • 12 — variant / evolution
  • 8 — pose
  • 6 — expression, palette, accessory
  • 5 — direction tweak
AI writing tools (text credits)

1 credit per tool run, regardless of tool — NPC bio, quest hook, item description, Steam blurb, lore snippet, etc.

Always free

Editing, animating, exporting, downloading from your library, locking Sprite DNA, browsing the gallery, and using the calculators — all free.

Common questions

Do unused monthly credits roll over?

No — monthly plan credits reset at the start of each billing cycle. Top-up packs and marketplace earnings never expire, so they carry over indefinitely.

Can I top up text credits?

Yes. Text credits are a separate bucket from image credits, but both can be topped up. Packs are 100 / 500 / 2,000 text credits and never expire.

Why are image and text credits separate?

They run on completely different models with very different cost profiles. Splitting them lets us keep the writing tools cheap (1 credit per run) without forcing image-heavy users to subsidize them.

What happens to my top-ups if I cancel?

They stay in your account. You can keep using purchased credits after a downgrade or cancellation — they never expire.

What if I run out mid-generation?

You'll see a 'Buy credits' dialog right where you hit the wall — no need to leave the page. Pick a pack, complete checkout inline, and the engine resumes.

Do you offer refunds?

Unused top-up packs can be refunded within 14 days of purchase if you haven't spent more than 10 credits from that pack. Monthly subscriptions are non-refundable but you can cancel anytime; you keep access through the end of the cycle.

How do I check my balance?

Your dashboard shows your current image-credit balance up top. Your account page also lists lifetime purchased credits, and the AI writing tools show your text-credit balance in their header.

Can I earn credits without buying them?

Yes — sell sprites in the marketplace. You receive 80% of the sale price back as image credits, which never expire.

No hidden meters. No per-token math.

Credits cover all model costs — we don't charge extra for high-traffic days, premium models, or longer prompts. What you see in the table above is what you pay.

See plans