Why did my image cost more than 1 credit?

Short answer: not all images are created equal — and neither are their credit costs. Here's the full breakdown so you're never caught off guard again.

The "1 credit = 1 image" thing… it's complicated

We know, we know. You saw "1 credit per image" and thought it was that simple. And honestly? For small images with basic settings, it totally is! But once you start going bigger and adding more operations, the cost scales up. Here's why. 👇

What actually affects your credit cost 🔍

1. Output size is the main character

The bigger your output file, the more credits it costs. Plain and simple. Our servers are doing a LOT of heavy lifting to reconstruct all those pixels — and bigger outputs = more work = more credits.
For Ultra specifically, here's how the tiers break down:

2. Your upscale factor matters 🔢

Going 4x or 8x on an already decent-sized image? That output is going to be HUGE. A bigger upscale factor = bigger output = higher credit cost. Simple math, but easy to forget when you're in the zone. 😅

3. Large input images hit different 📸

Even at the same upscale factor, a bigger source image produces a bigger output than a smaller one would. So if you're uploading a beefy 20MP photo and hitting 4x — yeah, that's going to cost more than a tiny 2MP image at the same setting.

4. Stacking operations adds up 🧱

Combining upscaling with Tone Enhance, Colour Enhance or Background Removal in a single job? Each extra operation adds to your base credit cost. Only switch on what you actually need!

5. Model choice counts too 🤖

Ultra is our most powerful model — and the most credit-hungry. Prime and Gentle are lighter on credits for most jobs. Choose your weapon wisely depending on how much quality boost you actually need.

How to never get surprised again ✅

Here's the move: always check the credit cost shown on the Enhance button BEFORE you click it. 👀
It updates in real time as you change your settings — so if the number looks wild, just dial back the upscale factor or turn off any extra operations until it lands somewhere you're happy with. No surprises, no regrets. 🙌

Pro tips to make your credits go further 💡

• 🔬 Test on a small crop first — before processing your full image, crop a small representative section and test your settings on that. Way cheaper than running the whole thing multiple times
• 📉 Lower the upscale factor — 2x is often enough for most use cases and costs significantly fewer credits than 4x
• 🚫 Turn off extras you don't need — Tone, Colour and Background Removal are great but they're not free — only use them when they're actually adding value
• 📁 Start from the smallest clean original — always upload your most original, unedited source file rather than a file that's already been resized or re-exported multiple times

Still lost? I got you 💬

Hey, Ana here from Customer Care! 👋
If this article didn't fully answer your question — no stress at all, just reach out directly. I read every message and I actually reply like a human (revolutionary, I know 😅).

📧 Email: support@letsenhance.io
Tell me what you're working on and what's going wrong and we'll figure it out together. No judgment, no bots, no vibes-less copy-paste replies. Promise.

— Ana, Customer Care @ Let's Enhance ✨

Updated on: 14/09/2026