I need a cost-friendly way to do occasional generations for free while having the option to scale with paid credits.

Offer a free tier that supports occasional generations at no cost, with an easy upgrade path to paid credits when users need more capacity. This lets users try the product and handle light usage without commitment, while enabling predictable scaling for heavier workloads.

This feature provides a cost-friendly usage model that combines free, occasional generations with the ability to scale through paid credits. Users can start generating immediately under a free allowance designed for light or infrequent needs. When demand increases, they can purchase credits to unlock additional usage without changing workflows or migrating to a different plan. Credits provide flexible, pay-as-you-go scaling that aligns cost with actual consumption. The experience should make it clear how many free generations remain and how many credits are available, so users can manage spending confidently. This approach supports experimentation and evaluation before committing money, reducing friction for new users. It also helps teams handle bursts of activity by topping up credits only when needed. For individual creators, it enables casual use for small projects while maintaining an upgrade path for larger ones. Overall, it balances accessibility and growth by letting users begin for free and scale smoothly as their usage expands.