Usage & Credits

ShortGenius operates on a credit-based system to manage resource-intensive AI processes (video creation, image generation, text-to-speech, etc.). This section explains how to retrieve your current credit balances and interpret usage details.

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Get Usage (Credits)

Endpoint: GET /credits

Use this endpoint to see your current balance of credits.

curl --request GET \
  --url "https://shortgenius.com/api/v1/credits" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN"

Sample Response:

{
  "balance": {
    "credits": 217,
    "animated_video_credits": 3,
    "high_quality_video_credits": 1,
    "image_credits": 12
  }
}

Understanding the Credit Types

Field	Description
credits	General-purpose credits used for standard video creation, audio, etc.
animated_video_credits	Additional credits for more complex AI animations or advanced video modes.
high_quality_video_credits	Specialized credits for higher-resolution or premium video rendering.
image_credits	Credits for AI-generated images.

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When Are Credits Deducted?

Credits are deducted whenever you:

1. Generate a new video (drafting may or may not consume minimal credits, but final creation deducts the majority).

2. Generate images (each request uses at least one image credit).

3. Create text-to-speech audio (some usage policies may apply, depending on length or voice type).

The exact cost per request may vary based on your plan and the complexity of the task. Check your ShortGenius dashboard for detailed pricing.

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Best Practices for Credit Management

1. Check Your Balance Regularly Use GET /credits before launching large-scale generation tasks.

2. Batch Your Requests Instead of multiple small calls, sometimes it’s more cost-effective to batch generation (e.g., series or bulk topics).

3. Optimize Drafts Draft your video scripts first, then carefully finalize them to avoid accidental re-renders that use up credits.

4. Monitor Renewal Cycles If you’re on a subscription plan with monthly credit resets, align your bigger projects when credits refresh.

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Error Handling with Insufficient Credits

If you attempt an operation but don’t have enough credits, you’ll typically see:

{
  "message": "Insufficient credits"
}

or a 400/402 status code, depending on how the system classifies the shortfall.

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Next Steps

You’ve now covered:

1. How to retrieve your credit balance.

2. When credits are deducted.

3. Tips for efficient credit usage.

For additional tips and real-world workflows, check out the Guides & Tutorials section. Or, if you need a deep dive into every endpoint’s request/response, visit the Reference section.