AI Startup Spending $300k/Month Exposes 'Unlimited' Video Generation Plans as a Scam
tibo_maker · x · 2026-08-08
An entrepreneur spending over $300,000 monthly on AI models reveals that "unlimited" AI video subscription services are fundamentally scamming consumers.
He breaks down the costs: using Seedance 2.5 as an example, the bare minimum model cost is $0.10 per second. Since creators typically iterate 3-10 times to get a good 30-second video, the actual cost ranges from $15 to $30 per video. Offering an "unlimited" plan at $59/month means the provider loses money after just two videos.
When the math doesn't add up, providers usually resort to three tactics:
- Silent Throttling: Quietly extending 5-minute renders to 60 minutes.
- Quiet Renaming: Downgrading "unlimited" plans to an "enhanced fast" tier post-checkout.
- Moving Deadlines: Promising 7 days but actually delivering 1.
The author argues that showing customers real pricing is better than luring them with fake low costs.
More from Venture
- Pay-to-rank directory outbid.lol charges $20 a day for the #1 spot, top listings paid $14k-17k — jonathan_wilke · 2026-10-16
- SignWith, a pay-per-doc e-signature tool, hits 1,000+ non-tech businesses — tibo_maker · 2026-10-16
- After 6,000 tweets and a $10M exit, tibo shares data on what works on X — tibo_maker · 2026-10-16
- Decision Models spins out its sandboxing system as a cheap standalone product — airesearch12 · 2026-10-16
- The dumbest AI agents making real money: a $10M ARR support bot and more — radhyaa_15 · 2026-10-16
- X's Nikita Bier: publicly publishing flattery lists is a surprisingly effective growth hack — nikitabier · 2026-10-16