NightCafe Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
NightCafe pricing varies by team size and features, ranging from $0 to $49.99 per month in 2026. Your actual cost depends on the tier you choose, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: No free tier available
- Billing: Monthly and annual (save 15-20%)
- Hidden costs: Add ~35% for implementation, support, and training
NightCafe offers a freemium model with limited features; upgrade to unlock more.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- 5 free credits daily for logging in
- 5 additional credits daily for daily challenge participation
- Access to basic AI models (Stable Diffusion)
- Thumbnail resolution images
- Single image per generation
- Community features
- Credits never expire
What's NOT Included (Paid Only)
- 100 credits per month (150 in first month)
- Access to all AI models including DALL-E 3, Ideogram, Google Imagen
- Higher resolution outputs
- Multiple images per generation
- Priority generation queue
- No watermarks
- Commercial use rights
- Enhanced upscaling tools
Free Plan Limits
| Limit | Free Plan | Paid Plans |
|---|---|---|
| dailyCredits | 5-10 credits | Unlimited/Higher |
| resolution | Thumbnail quality | Unlimited/Higher |
| models | Limited AI models | Unlimited/Higher |
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the user limit
- You need features like 100 credits per month (150 in first month) or Access to all AI models including DALL-E 3, Ideogram, Google Imagen
- You require premium support or SLA guarantees
- You need to remove branding or watermarks
- You need advanced integrations or API access
Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan
- NightCafe branding may appear on your content or communications
- Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
- Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
- API access is typically limited or not available
- Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans
Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
Free Plan is Enough If...
- You're an individual or very small team
- You need only basic features
- You don't mind usage limits
- Branding on output is acceptable
- Community support is sufficient
You Need Paid If...
- Your team is growing beyond limits
- You need advanced features
- Professional branding is required
- You need priority support
- Integrations/API access is critical
Free vs AI Beginner Plan Comparison
| Free $0 | AI Beginner $5.99/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 7 included | 8+ included |
| Support | Community/Email | Priority Support |
| Branding | NightCafe branding | Your branding |
| Best For | Casual users experimenting with AI art generation | Beginners exploring AI art with occasional use |
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is NightCafe free?
Yes, NightCafe offers a freemium plan with 7 core features included. However, there are limits on dailycredits, resolution that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in NightCafe's free plan?
NightCafe's free plan includes: 5 free credits daily for logging in, 5 additional credits daily for daily challenge participation, Access to basic AI models (Stable Diffusion), Thumbnail resolution images, Single image per generation, and 2 more features. Key limits include dailyCredits: 5-10 credits, resolution: Thumbnail quality, models: Limited AI models.
03 What's NOT included in NightCafe's free plan?
The free plan excludes: 100 credits per month (150 in first month), Access to all AI models including DALL-E 3, Ideogram, Google Imagen, Higher resolution outputs, Multiple images per generation, Priority generation queue. You'll also have NightCafe branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from NightCafe's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like 100 credits per month (150 in first month) or Access to all AI models including DALL-E 3, Ideogram, Google Imagen, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $5.99/month.
05 Is NightCafe's free plan really free forever?
Yes, NightCafe's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit. However, feature and usage limits may restrict what you can do without upgrading to a paid plan.
Get NightCafe pricing updates
We'll notify you when pricing changes or new free features are added.