Imaginode vs Krea AI: compute units or credits by the cent
An alternative to Krea's compute units: Imaginode shows the exact price of every generation, with every video model from the entry plan. Dated comparison.
Competitor data verified on August 20, 2026
Frank HoubreFounder of Imaginode
Recorded at Krea AI on August 20, 2026
- Free : Free100 credits/day
- Basic : $9/month5,000 credits/month
- Pro : $35/month20,000 credits/month
- Max : $105/month60,000 credits/month
- Business : $200/month
Our pricing, same day
- Starter : $17/month900 credits/month
- Creator : $55/month3,100 credits/month
- Studio : $188/month10,500 credits/month
Krea invented a way of working many have copied: real-time generation, where the image recomposes as you draw. Its canvas and upscaler are excellent, and its catalogue runs past sixty models.
Pricing runs on compute units: 100 a day free, 5,000 on Basic at $9, 20,000 on Pro at $35, 60,000 on Max at $105, with up to 40% off annually. Real yield varies a lot: Pro's 20,000 units are advertised as roughly 257 generations, around 78 units each on average.
Imaginode publishes a fixed equivalence: 1 credit is $0.012, and every node shows the exact price before the click. An image starts at 1 credit with Flux Schnell, a 5 second Kling 2.5 Turbo costs 26 credits, and purchased credits never expire.
Entry price
Krea AI
Free with 100 units/day, then Basic at $9/month (5,000 units)
Imaginode
$17 excl. tax per month (900 credits) or a top-up from $7 with no subscription
Cost readability
Krea AI
Compute units whose yield varies by model
Imaginode
1 credit = $0.012, exact price shown on the button
Real time
Krea AI
Real-time generation as you draw: the product's signature
Imaginode
Not available: generation per node, with preview
Models
Krea AI
More than 60 image, video and 3D models, video access limited on Basic
Imaginode
100+ models, all available from the first plan
Credit lifetime
Krea AI
Monthly units reset
Imaginode
Purchased credits never expire, monthly credits last the paid month
Failed generation
Krea AI
Units consumed
Imaginode
Credits refunded automatically
Subscription required
Krea AI
Yes, beyond the free tier
Imaginode
No: a one-off top-up is enough
Krea pricing checked on 20 August 2026 against consistent third-party records. Prices in US dollars, excluding tax. Check krea.ai.
When to choose Krea AI
- You work in real time with a brush in hand: Krea has no equal there.
- You need its upscaler and enhancer, among the best available.
When to choose Imaginode
- You want to know exactly what a generation costs before launching it.
- You want every video model from the entry plan, with no tier to unlock.
- You produce irregularly: a top-up with no subscription avoids paying for quiet months.
- You build reusable workflows: see the use cases.
- You want to price your month before paying with the calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What does a Krea generation actually cost?
It depends on the model: the Pro plan advertises about 257 generations for 20,000 units, an average of roughly 78 units. Unit cost is not fixed.
Does Imaginode do real time?
No. The canvas generates per node with the price shown before the click. For live sketching, Krea stays ahead.
Do both offer the same video models?
The catalogues overlap on the big public models. At Imaginode all of them are available from $17 excl. tax a month, or per top-up.
Is Imaginode a good alternative to Krea?
If you want to know the cost of each generation before launching it, and you produce irregularly, yes. If you sketch in real time with a brush in hand, or rely on Krea's upscaler and enhancer, Krea is ahead on both.
Sources
More verified comparisons
Same rules: pricing grids recorded on a given date, source cited, updated as soon as a price changes.
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Imaginode vs Flora
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Judge for yourself
Try Imaginode