Pika limits top-up credits to Pika Create; $25 starter pack briefly pulled (Sep 23–28, restored Sep 29)
What happened
Between the Sep 21, 2026 and Sep 28, 2026 captures of Pika's pricing page, Pulse recorded 2 changes: Top-up credits are now restricted to Pika Create on pika.art and can no longer be used with the API, MCP, iOS app, or old.pika.art. The $25 starter pack (1,500 credits) was briefly pulled from the credit-pack lineup Sep 23–28 and a 66,000-credit pack at $1,000 appeared alongside the 3,000–30,000 packs; both changes reversed Sep 29, when the $25 pack returned and the 66,000 pack was removed. In detail: Added new usage restriction for top-up credits: they are now stated to be usable only within Pika Create on pika.art, and explicitly cannot be used with the API, MCP, iOS app, or old.pika.art; The entry-level 1,500-credit top-up pack ($25) was removed; the smallest credit pack is now 3,000 credits for $50 (temporary: restored in the Sep 29, 2026 capture). A 66,000-credit pack at $1,000 appeared alongside the 3,000–30,000 packs. Both changes reversed Sep 29, when the 1,500-credit $25 pack returned and the 66,000 pack was removed. Pulse files it as a packaging change (add-on change, add-on removed) with a downward direction. Pulse's latest capture (Oct 19, 2026) lists Starter at $8, Creator at $28, Fancy at $76 and Credit Pack at $1 per 60 credits.
It lands 5 days after Pika's previous change, "Pika limits top-up credits to Create on pika.art, blocks API, MCP, apps" (Sep 23, 2026). Before that Pulse recorded "Pika: Commercial license restricted to Creator+, Priority queue/early access added" (Sep 21, 2026). Pika has been tracked since 2026-05-15.
In the same window Synthesia, OpenAI, Runway, Descript and Adobe also changed their AI & Machine Learning pricing pages. Those moves are listed further down, and the Pulse Agent can compare them side by side.
- — · Add-onAddedNo usage restrictionusage restriction
- Credit Pack · Add-onAdd-on removed
The entry-level 1,500-credit top-up pack ($25) was removed; the smallest credit pack is now 3,000 credits for $50 (temporary: restored in the Sep 29, 2026 capture). A 66,000-credit pack at $1,000 appeared alongside the 3,000–30,000 packs. Both changes reversed Sep 29, when the 1,500-credit $25 pack returned and the 66,000 pack was removed.
| Plan | Field | Before | After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Add-on | No usage restriction | usage restriction | Added |
| Credit Pack | Add-on | — | 3,000 credits | Add-on removed |
Values as written on Pika's public pricing page in the two captures Pulse compared; where the page states no number, the cells give the wording before and after.
Evidence
The two captures Pulse comparedFull-page captures of Pika's pricing page (pika.art) from Sep 21, 2026 and Sep 28, 2026; the change is marked around the middle of the page, where usage restriction now appears.
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Pika, the last 90 days
Full history- Oct 19, 2026improvedPika top-up credits now work with MCP, ending a key limitation
- Oct 19, 2026packagingPika opens MCP to credit pack top-ups, dropping its exclusion
- Sep 28, 2026packagingPika limits top-up credits to Pika Create; $25 starter pack briefly pulled (Sep 23–28, restored Sep 29) · this change
- Sep 23, 2026packagingPika limits top-up credits to Create on pika.art, blocks API, MCP, apps
- Sep 21, 2026improvedPika: Commercial license restricted to Creator+, Priority queue/early access added
Across AI & Machine Learning in the same window
All AI & Machine Learning changes- SynthesiaSep 28Synthesia slashes Basic plan's AI video assets from 25/mo to just 3
- OpenAISep 25OpenAI refreshes plan taglines with benefit-led copy, prices unchanged
- RunwaySep 7Runway slashes Pro storage to 100GB, adds Agentic collaborator and Brand Kits
- DescriptJul 13Descript strips bonus AI credits & media hours from Creator and Business plans
- AdobeJul 3Adobe Creativecloud CC: added Firefly Pro Plus + Acrobat Express, cut Stock AI Studio price + 2 more
Questions about this change
Did Pika raise prices in September 2026?
No list-price increase was recorded between Sep 21, 2026 and Sep 28, 2026. The change Pulse detected was a packaging change: add-on change, add-on removed.
What changed on Pika's pricing page between Sep 21, 2026 and Sep 28, 2026?
Add-on: No usage restriction → usage restriction, added; The entry-level 1,500-credit top-up pack ($25) was removed; the smallest credit pack is now 3,000 credits for $50 (temporary: restored in the Sep 29, 2026 capture). A 66,000-credit pack at $1,000 appeared alongside the 3,000–30,000 packs. Both changes reversed Sep 29, when the 1,500-credit $25 pack returned and the 66,000 pack was removed. Pulse compared the captures it took on Sep 21, 2026 and Sep 28, 2026; the before/after table above lists each item as written on the page.
How often does Pika change its pricing?
Pulse recorded 2 other pricing-page changes for Pika in the 90 days before this one; the previous change was "Pika limits top-up credits to Create on pika.art, blocks API, MCP, apps" on Sep 23, 2026; Pika has been tracked since 2026-05-15.