Guide
How much does an AI video cost?
Start with how the pictures are made. A video assembled from your footage has a different generation cost from one that creates every scene. Count those visual generations first, then add the other steps of the workflow.
By LoopBatch · Checked 7 October 2026
- What you will have
- A component estimate you can compare with a complete workflow quote.
- What you need
- A target length, a visual source and estimates for the other steps.
- How long it takes
- A few minutes to compare scenarios; a real run is a separate step.
Before you start
- Decide whether the video uses existing footage, generated images or generated clips.
- Gather estimates for writing, voice and rendering. A generation price alone is not the finished video price.
Count the parts of the video
Separate visual generation, writing, narration and rendering. If you already own usable footage, its AI generation charge is zero in this calculator. Licensing and editing may still cost money.
Our planning model gives each new visual five seconds on screen. Thirty seconds needs six generations; thirty-one needs seven. Your actual edit can reuse images or change shot length, so adjust the plan when you know the shot list.
Compare a 30-second scenario
| Visual source | One generation | One 30-second video | 30 videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI images · Seedream 4.0 | 3.6 credits | 21.6 credits | 648 credits |
| AI images · Nano Banana 2 | 9.6 credits | 57.6 credits | 1,728 credits |
| AI video · MiniMax H3 Max | 96 credits | 576 credits | 17,280 credits |
Generation examples checked 6 October 2026. Rates include the published markup. One credit represents one US cent of metered spend. Dollar equivalents describe credit value, not a subscription invoice. Writing, narration, rendering, review, unused generations and retries need their own allowance.
Add an allowance for the other steps
Suppose the other steps are estimated at 2 credits per video. Six standard images plus that allowance come to 23.6 credits. Two credits is an illustrative input, not a measured voice or rendering price.
Compare this forecast with the estimate displayed for your actual workflow before starting. Our measured stock-footage runs answer a different question: what those particular completed runs used.
The steps
Choose a source in the calculator, then enter your intended video length.
Enter the number of videos you plan to make. Check the resulting generation count.
Add your combined other-step estimate. Compare the complete workflow estimate before a paid run.
Check the result
- The scene count matches the editing assumption you intend to use.
- Your estimate includes the other steps and any extra generation attempts you expect.
- You compared creation credits with the plan price and included balance separately.
If something goes wrong
- If the forecast looks unusually small, check whether you selected existing footage and left other steps at zero.
- If a real run costs more, compare its selected models, step estimates and repeated attempts with your assumptions.
Sources and assumptions
These sources were checked on the dates shown. Product limits and planning advice are identified separately from platform requirements.
- LoopBatch generation examples and credit assumptions, read 6 October 2026
- LoopBatch calculator: five-second scene assumption, read 7 October 2026
Common questions
Does a credit estimate include the subscription?
No. Subscription fees and included credits are on the pricing page. This guide estimates metered creation components.
Is this a price guarantee?
No. The workflow's selected models, settings and execution determine actual usage. Review its full estimate before creating.
Related pages
Put the plan into practice
Build a workflow you can run again.
Describe your content, review the estimate and approve the finished post before it goes out.