GenBudget – Know the cost before you render

Real-time cost estimates for creators generating images and video through Claude and subscription tools

Problem

Creators using subscription image/video tools like Higgsfield face roughly a 50% markup over raw model pricing, unused credits expire every month even after paying, and they constantly copy-paste between Claude and the toolbox. People cannot tell what a single generation really costs, nor how many credits remain or when they vanish.

Solution

A lightweight pre-generation cost calculator: pull official model price tables, then apply the user's actual subscription billing rules to show true cost and markup multiplier. Track credits used, remaining, and expiry, and nudge users to spend expiring credits before they lapse.

Users

Solo content creators, short-video editors, indie developers who batch-produce assets with Claude plus image/video tools

MVP

Built-in price tables for mainstream image/video models; enter model, count, duration, resolution to get cost and platform markup; credits balance and expiry countdown; expiry alerts; export a per-project cost summary

Revenue

Free tier covers two models; Pro subscription (~$5/mo) unlocks all models, batch estimates, and team sharing; affiliate revenue from model providers/proxies

Why now

Markup and credit-expiry opacity is rising while creators juggle multiple tools, making cost accounting a real need; price tables are lightweight and need no large model, so one indie dev can ship in a week