Why are credits deducted in sandbox?
Why are credits deducted in sandbox?
Credits are not normally deducted for sandbox (stage) renders. If you see credits being used, it usually means:
Your request was sent to the production endpoint instead of the stage endpoint.
Your render includes AI elements (e.g., AI images, AI video, or AI audio). In this case, only the AI element consumes credits, while the render itself remains free but will include a watermark.
✅ Correct endpoints:
Sandbox (Stage):
https://api.shotstack.io/stage/render(no credits deducted, except for AI elements)
Production:
https://api.shotstack.io/v1/render(credits deducted)
Make sure you’re using your stage API key with the stage URL when testing. Remember that AI elements will always deduct credits, even in sandbox.
Why were all my starting credits used up so quickly?
Why were all my starting credits used up so quickly?
This happened because the production URL or API key was used instead of the staging URL, which caused credits to be consumed unexpectedly.
Please ensure you use the production API key with the production endpoint, and the staging API key with the staging endpoint.
If you need more credits for testing, you can purchase additional credits from your subscription page.
Can I use my own storage and hosting?
Can I use my own storage and hosting?
Yes. You can make use of one of our many destination integrations.