# What a generation costs (/docs/cloud-credits/generation-cost)





Every cloud generation costs credits. SimpliGen always shows the exact cost on the generate button before you commit, so there are no surprises.

## What you pay is what you see [#what-you-pay-is-what-you-see]

The **Generate Cloud** button shows the exact credit cost for that generation with your current settings. Change a setting and the number updates. For a batch, it shows the combined total, which is the per-generation cost times the [count](/docs/generating/seeds-batches). You are charged that amount when you generate.

<img alt="The Generate Cloud button showing the credit cost" src="__img0" />

## What drives the cost [#what-drives-the-cost]

Cost depends on how much GPU work a generation takes, which mostly comes down to:

* **Resolution:** higher tiers cost more. See [Resolution, aspect ratio and duration](/docs/generating/resolution-duration).
* **Duration (video):** longer clips cost more.
* **Steps:** on presets with a steps slider, more steps cost more. See [Advanced controls](/docs/generating/advanced-controls).

Lighter settings cost less, so dropping the resolution or duration while you experiment is an easy way to save credits.

## If a generation fails [#if-a-generation-fails]

If a cloud generation fails or produces nothing, it is automatically refunded. If you believe you were charged for a result you never received, contact support on Discord.

## Saving credits [#saving-credits]

* Experiment at a lower resolution or shorter duration, then raise it for the final render.
* Generate locally for free when you have a capable GPU. See [Generating images](/docs/generating/images).
* Buy a larger [credit pack](/docs/cloud-credits/buying-credits) for the bonus credits.