Picnie uses a credit-based system to measure how often you use tools, workflows, APIs, and AI utilities. Credits help teams estimate production needs, manage costs, and scale visual creation without unexpected billing issues. This guide explains how credits work, how they are consumed, how to monitor usage, and how credit limits apply to team accounts.
What Are Credits in Picnie
Credits represent the unit of consumption whenever you generate or process a visual asset. Credits are used for:
Image generation or editing
Video creation or rendering
PDF generation
AI-based utilities such as background removal, OCR, compression, and watermarking
API-based media generation
Workflow automation tasks
Credits ensure predictable pricing based on actual production usage.
How Credits Are Consumed
Credit usage depends on the type of output, its resolution, and the complexity of the operation. Below is an approximate consumption table:
Action | Example Usage | Credit Consumption (Varies by Plan) |
|---|---|---|
Generate image | Social media post or product graphic | 1 credit |
Remove background | E-commerce product photo | 10 credits |
Generate PDF | Invoice, certificate, catalog page | 2 to 5 credits |
Render short promotional video | 5 to 15 seconds | 5 to 20 credits |
Bulk watermarking | 50 image batch | 1 credit per image |
API generation | Template automation | Same as dashboard pricing |
Tip
Video, PDF, and bulk operations may consume more credits due to processing time and file size.
How Team Credits Work
Teams share credits under one workspace. Admins can control:
Who can generate visuals
Who can automate workflows
Which users can initiate API usage
Credit limits for specific roles
Credit usage is visible to all admins and affects the entire workspace.
Role | Access to Credits | Permissions |
|---|---|---|
Owner/Admin | Unlimited within plan | Can restrict others |
Editor | Can generate visuals | Can access templates |
Viewer | Limited or no credit usage | Mostly for review or approvals |
How to Monitor Credit Usage
You can check usage inside the account dashboard.
Location | Information Displayed |
|---|---|
Top bar | Remaining credits |
Billing section | Plan limits, consumption history |
Workflow logs | Cost per bulk task |
API logs | Usage by automation |
Monitoring helps teams understand peak workloads and planning upgrades.
What Happens When Credits Run Out
When credits are low or exhausted:
Picnie alerts the workspace owner via dashboard and email
Visual generation is temporarily paused
Automation tasks stop after reaching the threshold
APIs return usage limit responses
Users can:
Upgrade their plan
Purchase additional credits
Restrict team usage temporarily
Frequently Asked Questions
Do unused credits roll over
Rollover depends on plan type. Higher plans may support limited rollover. Check your billing page for details.
Do shared templates consume credits when used by guests
Yes. Credit usage applies regardless of who triggers the generation, including external shared users.
Does previewing a template consume credits
No. Credits are only deducted when a visual or output file is generated.
Summary
Credits measure how frequently visual assets are generated or processed using Picnie tools, automation, or APIs. Understanding how credits work helps teams manage consumption, control billing, and predict production costs more efficiently.