# How It Works

> See how the free AI video cost calculator works: 5 inputs, 3 outputs, the retry formula, credit-to-second conversion and a worked example. No sign-up.

Canonical: https://aivideocostcalc.com/how-it-works/

Method · Free · No sign-up

# How It Works

The AI video cost calculator takes five inputs: model, seconds per clip, resolution, clips you need and discard rate. It gives you three numbers: total cost, cost per finished second and cost per finished minute. You upload nothing and no video is made. It only works out a budget, and the result changes as soon as you change a field.

- 5 inputs, 3 outputs, no account
- Per-clip and credit prices are turned into a price per second
- Retries are counted, so the total matches what you really pay

[Open the calculator](/#calc)

Inputs → OutputsRuns on the page

1. 1Pick a model
2. 2Seconds per clip
3. 3Resolution
4. 4Clips you need
5. 5Discard rate

Total$

Per finished second$/s

Per finished minute$/min

Every rate shows its source and the date it was checked. Open the calculator on the home page to try it with real rates.

[Start here](#paths)[Steps](#steps)[Inputs](#inputs)[Formula](#formula)[Billing units](#units)[Example](#example)[Limits](#limits)[By job](#uses)[FAQ](#faq)

Index · Pick a line to open

## Start from the question you have

Each line goes to the page that answers one question. Not sure where to start? Use line 01 to get a number, then line 02 to check it.

1. [01What will my project cost in total?Calculator→](/#calc)
2. [02What does each model charge per second?Pricing→](/pricing/)
3. [03My model is discontinued or too expensive. What else is there?Alternatives→](/alternatives/)
4. [04I just have a quick question.FAQ→](/faq/)
5. [05Who runs this, and how are rates checked?About→](/about/)
6. [06A rate looks wrong or out of date.Contact→](/contact/)

01

## Five steps to an AI video budget

**Fill in five fields from top to bottom and you have a finished budget. No step needs a file, a login or a wait.**

1. **Pick a model.**This loads the model's rate for each resolution, with its source and check date. Popular models are listed first. Discontinued models are shown but left out of the totals.
2. **Set seconds per clip.**Use the length of one generation, not the length of your final edit. Many models cap clip length, so long scenes are usually made from several clips.
3. **Choose a resolution.**Higher resolutions often cost more per second, so the rate changes when you change this field.
4. **Enter the clips you need.**Count the clips that end up in your final video.
5. **Set the discard rate.**This is the share of takes you expect to throw away. If you don't know yours yet, 50% is a safe starting point for new prompts.

Then read the three results. Use **cost per finished minute**when you compare models. Use **total**when you set the budget. To see every model side by side, check the [pricing page](/pricing/).

02

## What you enter and what you get back

**You enter only numbers and choices. You get back three dollar figures.**The calculator doesn't read or write video files, so there is nothing to upload and no format or size limit.

Calculator inputs| Field | What it means | Typical mistake |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Model | The video model and tier you plan to use | Picking the fast tier, then generating on the full tier |
| Seconds per clip | Length of one generation | Entering the whole video length |
| Resolution | Output size, such as 720p or 1080p | Pricing 720p, then exporting at 1080p |
| Clips you need | Clips you keep for the final cut | Counting every attempt here and again in the discard rate |
| Discard rate | Share of takes you throw away | Leaving it at 0% |

Calculator outputs| Result | Use it for |
| --- | --- |
| Total | The amount to budget for the whole job |
| Per finished second | Pricing short clips and ads |
| Per finished minute | Comparing models fairly |

03

## The formula behind the AI video cost calculator

**Cost is the seconds you are billed for, times the rate per second. The seconds you are billed for include every take you discard.**

```
finished seconds = clips × seconds per clip
attempts per keeper = 1 ÷ (1 − discard rate)
billed seconds = finished seconds × attempts per keeper
total cost = billed seconds × rate per second at your resolution
cost per finished second = total cost ÷ finished seconds
cost per finished minute = cost per finished second × 60
```

**Attempts per keeper**means how many generations you pay for to get one usable clip. A 50% discard rate means 2 attempts, and a 75% discard rate means 4.

**Rate per second**means one model's price for one generated second at one resolution, after any credits or per-clip prices have been converted to dollars.

04

## How per-clip and credit prices become a per-second rate

**Providers bill in different units, so the calculator turns each one into dollars per generated second before it compares them.**The figures below are round example numbers, not prices from any provider.

Converting billing units (example numbers)| Billing unit | Conversion | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Per second | Used as is | $0.10 per second → $0.10/s |
| Per clip | Clip price ÷ clip length | $0.50 for a 5 s clip → $0.10/s |
| Credits | (Plan price ÷ credits in plan) × credits per second | $10 for 1,000 credits, 10 credits per second → $0.10/s |

Credit plans can have different dollar values per credit. The calculator uses the plan named next to each rate. If you are on another plan, your real cost may be higher or lower. Check the provider's own pricing page.

05

## Worked example: 6 clips of 5 seconds

**Six 5-second clips at an example rate of $0.05 per second, with one take in three thrown away, cost $2.25. That is $4.50 per finished minute.**

1. **Finished seconds:**6 × 5 s = 30 s.
2. **Attempts per keeper:**1 ÷ (1 − 1/3) = 1.5.
3. **Billed seconds:**30 × 1.5 = 45 s.
4. **Total:**45 × $0.05 = $2.25.
5. **Per finished second:**$2.25 ÷ 30 = $0.075. **Per finished minute:**$4.50.

45billed seconds

$2.25total

$4.50per finished minute

$0.05 per second is only an example. Pick a model in the calculator to load a real rate.

06

## What the estimate leaves out

**The calculator prices generation only. Anything you pay for on top of generated seconds is not in the total.**

- **Subscription minimums.**If a plan has a monthly fee, you pay it even if you use only a few seconds.
- **Extras.**Audio, upscaling, extending a clip or removing a watermark can cost extra on some models.
- **Taxes and currency.**Results are in US dollars, before tax.
- **Refunds for failed jobs.**Some providers don't charge for jobs that fail. The calculator assumes every attempt is billed.
- **Price changes.**Rates change often. When a provider's page and our rate disagree, the provider is right. [Tell us](/contact/) and we will update the entry.

07

## Common mistakes when using the calculator

**Most wrong estimates come from one of three things: a 0% discard rate, the wrong tier or credits read as dollars.**

- **Counting retries twice.**Enter only the clips you keep, and let the discard rate add the extra attempts.
- **Comparing totals instead of per-minute cost.**If two jobs are different lengths, their totals can't be compared fairly. Their per-minute costs can.
- **Ignoring the check date.**An old rate is a hint, not a quote.
- **Budgeting for a discontinued model.**Sora is listed as discontinued and is not used in totals. See [alternatives](/alternatives/) for replacements.

08

## Which number to read for your job

**Read a different result for each kind of job: per second for short clips, total for a campaign, and per minute when you are choosing a model.**The steps are the same every time. Only the number you act on changes.

1. Creators
  **Pricing short social clips**
  Use **per finished second**. Set seconds per clip to the length you post, then raise the discard rate if you try many prompts before you keep one.

2. Marketing teams
  **Budgeting a campaign**
  Use **total**. Enter every clip the campaign needs at the resolution you will export, so the budget doesn't grow when you move from 720p to 1080p.

3. Small teams
  **Choosing a model**
  Use **per finished minute**. Run the same inputs with two or three models, then check their rates and check dates on the [pricing page](/pricing/).

09

## How It Works FAQ

**Short answers about inputs, speed, files and accuracy.**More questions are on the [FAQ page](/faq/).

**

### Do I need to upload a video or image?

**

No. The calculator only needs numbers and a model choice. It never asks for or stores files.

**

### How long does it take to get a result?

**

No time at all. The results update as soon as you change a field, because nothing is generated. It is only arithmetic on the rates.

**

### What file formats and sizes does it support?

**

None, because it doesn't need any. It estimates costs and doesn't make videos. Format and size limits come from the video model you pick, so check the provider's documentation.

**

### Is the calculator free?

**

Yes. It is free to use, with no sign-up. The site is paid for by ads, and ads never change the rates or the order of the models.

**

### Why was my real bill higher than the estimate?

**

Usually because the real discard rate was higher than you entered, or because you used extras such as audio or upscaling, or a pricier tier or resolution.

**

### How accurate are the rates?

**

Each rate is as accurate as its check date. Every figure shows where it came from and when it was checked. If you are about to spend a lot, confirm on the provider's pricing page first.

**

### Where do I see one model's rate on its own?

**

On the [pricing page](/pricing/). It lists each model's rate by resolution, with its source and check date.

[Estimate your video cost](/#calc)