No PixelML free credits and API key

I activated my account a few minutes ago, and shortly after I followed the steps in this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G26SL6fiJLM

That led me to the correct page - Create AI Image

However when I clicked “Select a connection”, the pop up showed a “Claim Credits” button, which when I clicked asked me to pay $10+ US for credits (with a Purchase now button). Did they stop giving out free credits or is there something else going on? Thanks.

Hi,

You’re absolutely right — previously, we did offer free credits upon signup. However, shortly after publishing our launch email, we experienced a surge of abuse where bots claimed over 300 accounts with free credits in just a few hours.

To protect our platform and real users like you, we’ve temporarily disabled the welcome credit feature. That said, you can still top up your account, and as part of our bot-prevention strategy, we’re currently offering a $5 bonus credit on your first purchase.

Best,
Wendy

Thank you for the clarification.