← Features
FreeLast updated 2026-09-10

Pay as you go AI generation

Forge AI is free to use and charges nothing per generation: you connect your own fal.ai, Kie, Google AI Studio or OpenRouter key and the provider bills you directly at its own rate. A finished ad costs roughly $0.30 to $5 in provider spend depending on model, length and resolution, which is where the up to 85% saving against credit-reselling tools comes from.

What pay as you go means here

Most AI video tools sell you credits at a markup, expire them monthly, and price a render at whatever multiple of provider cost they choose. Forge AI never touches that transaction. Your key sits encrypted in your account, the request goes to the provider under your key, and the invoice is theirs.

That has two consequences worth stating plainly. You get every provider rate cut the day it happens instead of the day a reseller decides to pass it on, and there is no credit balance to run out mid-launch.

What you actually pay

Image generation: about $0.01 to $0.16 per image depending on model and resolution.

Video: about $0.02 to $0.68 per second of output, or a flat fee per video on the Veo tiers.

Talking head and lipsync: about $0.06 to $0.20 per second.

Upscaling: about $0.05 to $0.15 per second of video, $0.02 to $0.05 per image.

Scripting and research through OpenRouter: fractions of a cent per call.

Every rate is listed per model on the AI model pricing page, and every node on the canvas shows its own estimate before it runs, so a graph is priced before you spend anything.

Which keys you need

One key to start: either fal.ai or Kie covers image and video generation. OpenRouter is optional and only unlocks the parts that are not media generation, like scripting and research. Google AI Studio and ElevenLabs are optional too, for Gemini image models and voice.

Setup takes about a minute per provider and the docs walk through each one.

Where the subscription comes in

The Studio canvas, character vault, image, video and talking head generation and 2 GB of storage are free permanently, with no card. Pro at $9.67/mo billed every 3 months adds the video editor, the templates library, the masterclass, Research, Intelligence, 10 GB of storage, Discord access and every future feature.

Pro buys the software around the generation. It never buys the generation itself.

Questions

Is Forge AI actually free?

Yes. The Studio canvas is free with no card and no trial clock. You pay your model providers for what you generate, and Pro is optional.

Do I need to buy credits?

No. There are no credits anywhere in the product. Your provider bills your card at its published rate for each generation.

How much does one AI ad cost to make?

Between about 30 cents and $5 in provider spend, covering image generation, voice, lipsync and the video render. The top of that range is a long video on the most expensive models.

Are my API keys safe?

Keys are encrypted at rest and are only ever used to call the provider you gave them for. You can remove one from account settings at any time.

Related

Node based Studio canvasCharacter vaultMCP connectorAI model pricing

Start free, no card

Connect one API key and generate on the canvas. Pro is $9.67/mo billed every 3 months when you want the editor, templates and Discord.