Open AI Image uses the current generator quote for each model and setting. Base monthly plans provide 300, 600 or 3,500 credits at $14.90, $29 or $149. Annual purchases issue credits monthly, with no rollover. Eligible verified accounts may claim up to 5 welcome credits for seven days; this can cover a low-cost image, not a Seedance video. Premium video unlimited is limited to one seven-day window of Seedance 2.0 Mini at 480p/four seconds. See Pricing and fair use for current availability.
Last verified: 2026-10-03.
Quick Answer
| Tool | Free allowance | Watermark on free exports | Resolution / duration limit | Commercial permission on free | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PixVerse Basic | 60 initial credits + 30 daily | Watermark-free benefit excluded | Up to 540p; no universal free duration stated | Non-commercial unless separately authorized | 2026-10-03 |
| Runway Free | 125 one-time credits | Yes | Current eligible models determine limits | Runway permits commercial use, subject to rights and terms | 2026-10-03 |
| Pika Free | 0 monthly credits; credit packs available | No watermark listed | No confirmed free generation allowance to attach a limit to | No commercial license | 2026-10-03 |
These are different kinds of free access. A welcome allowance, a daily allocation, and a free account with paid credits cannot be treated as interchangeable. Credit units also differ between tools, so 125 Runway credits do not mean more clips than 60 PixVerse credits.
For a broader selection, use our AI video generator overview. For this specific requirement, check the free allowance and export rules before comparing models.
TL;DR
- Open AI Image matches the free, no-added-watermark requirement for eligible basic models within its 5-credit welcome allowance.
- PixVerse offers repeat daily credits, but Basic does not include watermark-free output.
- Runway's free allocation is a one-time trial with watermarks.
- Pika's watermark-free Free account lists 0 monthly credits. It is not a verified recurring free generation offer.
- A clean export does not automatically include commercial permission.
Open AI Image: a small allowance for clean basic-model clips
Best for: Trying an eligible basic model and exporting a clip without an added platform watermark.
Not for: Unlimited free generation, free Seedance 2.5 access, or commercial delivery on the Free plan.
The AI text-to-video generator lets you choose the model and read the cost before submitting. If Seedance 2.5 is selected when you arrive, switch to an eligible entry model for a free-credit trial. A paid model being visible in the chooser does not make it part of the free offer.
Open AI Image's English pricing comparison, including Free model access and paid Seedance 2.5 access.
Free does not include commercial permission. The pricing FAQ lists commercial use for eligible paid subscriptions and credit packs; Lite monthly is excluded. Check the option you intend to buy rather than assuming every upgrade has the same rights.
PixVerse: daily experiments with a watermark tradeoff
Best for: Returning each day to try draft ideas with the Basic allowance.
Not for: A free watermark-free export or an assumed commercial license.
The PixVerse subscription comparison lists 60 initial credits and 30 daily credits for Basic. Daily credits refresh at 00:00 UTC, which is 08:00 Beijing time, and unused daily credits expire that day. Basic output is capped at 540p on the current table.
The watermark-free row is excluded on Basic and included from Standard upward. If you need a clean export, PixVerse Basic does not meet that requirement.
PixVerse's English plan comparison shows Basic's 60 initial credits, 30 daily credits, and 540p limit.
The consumer terms, section 4.1, limit output use to non-commercial purposes unless separately authorized or licensed. API terms and consumer app terms apply to different products. Use the terms attached to your actual workflow.
Runway: a one-time trial with watermarked video
Best for: Exploring the tools currently available in a Free account.
Not for: Repeat free allowances or watermark-free video delivery.
Runway's Free plan details give new Free accounts 125 one-time credits. They do not expire, but they do not refresh after spending. The same help page says every video generated on Free has a Runway watermark; Standard or higher is needed to generate without one.
Runway's Free plan guide lists the one-time allowance and explains the watermark requirement.
Runway says Free model availability can change and directs users to their accounts for the current selection. Check duration and resolution for the free model currently available in your account. Its commercial-use guidance allows commercial use subject to its terms and other rights. That permission does not change the free watermark policy.
For product work, our Seedance 2.5 and Runway comparison covers a different decision: which paid workflow suits the shot you need.
Pika: clean exports, but no monthly free generation allocation
Best for: Comparing a watermark-free account option when you are willing to buy credits.
Not for: A guaranteed monthly free video budget.
The current Pika pricing page lists Free with 0 monthly credits and credit packs. Its comparison marks no watermark as included and a commercial license as excluded on Free. A watermark-free account still needs credits to generate video.
Pika's current English pricing cards show 0 monthly credits on Free and the plan's export and license rules.
Ignore monthly allowances from older plan tables; use the current pricing page for your budget. Any temporary welcome promotion needs its own confirmed terms before it can count as free access.
A workflow that keeps a free trial within its allowance
- Open the text-to-video workspace and choose an eligible basic model.
- Keep the first scene simple: one location, one subject, one continuous camera move.
- Choose the available duration and resolution, then compare the displayed cost with your remaining allowance.
- Submit only when the selected settings fit that allowance.
- Download the finished clip and check its actual dimensions and watermark status before publishing it.
The English generator workspace keeps the prompt, model picker, settings, and preview together.
This prompt gives the model one scene to work with:
Wide shot of a quiet seaside village at dawn. A bicycle rests beside a white stone wall as curtains move gently in the breeze. The camera slowly pushes forward, warm natural light, realistic detail, one continuous shot.
The prompt does not select a free model for you. Confirm the model and cost after opening the workspace. If you are making an ad, the social media ad generator comparison covers tools for draft ideas and commercial delivery.
FAQ
Can I remove a watermark for free?
Choose a tool that includes clean exports in its free allowance if you need a new watermark-free clip. Runway requires Standard or higher for clean generation; PixVerse Basic excludes that benefit. Upgrading does not necessarily change an already generated file, so check the service's rules before paying.
Do free credits reset?
Can I use a free AI video commercially?
The tool and plan matter. Open AI Image Free excludes commercial permission; Pika Free excludes a commercial license. PixVerse's consumer terms require separate authorization for commercial use. Runway allows commercial use under its terms. You still need the necessary rights to inputs and content.
What resolution and duration can I export for free?
PixVerse Basic lists up to 540p. Other limits depend on the tool's current eligible model and selected mode. Check the actual free model's settings; the headline maximum of a paid model is not a free-plan entitlement.
Do I need a credit card to sign up?
What happens after the free allowance runs out?
Open AI Image lets you buy credit packs or upgrade. PixVerse has its next daily allocation; unused daily credits do not accumulate. Runway requires an upgrade to continue after its one-time credits run out. Pika lists paid credit packs. Compare the cost of the settings you need in our AI video pricing guide.
