Persistent Storage
By default, HiAPI keeps generated images and videos on its CDN for 7 days so you can review or download them. Persistent Storage is an opt-in feature: once enabled, anything generated thereafter is kept long-term on cdn.hiapi.ai, charged by usage, and downloads are free.
How to Enable
Section titled “How to Enable”Open Dashboard → Generation History. The top banner reflects your current state:
- Disabled: an
[Enable Persistent Storage ($0.05/GB·month)]button is shown. Click → confirmation dialog → confirm. - Enabled: usage bar + month-to-date charges + projected month + “Manage →” link to settings.
The confirmation dialog includes a checkbox: “Also keep my current N unexpired files (M GB)”. Checked by default — meaning the unexpired files generated before opting in will also be converted to permanent storage (and start counting toward billing). Uncheck to keep “from now on only” semantics — legacy files will continue to expire at their original 7-day mark.
The same toggle is available in Account Settings.
Pricing
Section titled “Pricing”| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Unit price | $0.05 / GB · month |
| Billing cadence | Once per day at UTC 00:30. Today’s charge = your storage × $0.05 ÷ 30 |
| Egress (downloads) | Free — unlimited downloads, no metering |
| Write operations | Free for users — HiAPI absorbs CDN PUT/operation fees |
Example bills
Section titled “Example bills”| You store | Monthly | Per day |
|---|---|---|
| 5 GB | $0.25 | $0.0083 |
| 50 GB | $2.50 | $0.083 |
| 100 GB (cap) | $5.00 | $0.167 |
Delete to save instantly: delete half today, tomorrow’s bill drops by half. You only pay for what you store, when you store it.
Limits & Boundaries
Section titled “Limits & Boundaries”Capacity & retention
Section titled “Capacity & retention”- Free tier: users without persistent storage still get a 5 GB rolling cache (auto-cleaned after 7 days).
- Per-user cap: 100 GB. Beyond cap, new files fall back to 7-day expiry (does not block generation). Contact sales for larger capacity.
- History UI: enabled users see a “Permanent” badge; disabled users see “Expires in N days”.
What happens when you disable
Section titled “What happens when you disable”Toggle off → confirmation dialog → confirm:
- Billing stops immediately
- Saved files are scheduled for deletion 7 days later (date shown in the dialog)
- A warning email is sent reminding you to download important content
- You can re-enable within 7 days to restore everything — files are not lost
Insufficient balance
Section titled “Insufficient balance”- Daily charge checks your balance — if insufficient, an email + in-app notice is sent
- 3 consecutive days of failed charges → system auto-disables persistent storage; files enter the 7-day grace window
- Top up your balance any time to resume
Non-retroactive by Design
Section titled “Non-retroactive by Design”Enabling persistent storage only affects content generated from that point forward by default. Files already in your account that were stored under the default 7-day mode continue to expire on their original schedule.
That said — the enable dialog provides a checkbox to bulk-convert your current unexpired files to permanent (“legacy salvage”). It’s checked by default because most users opening the feature want to keep what’s already there. Uncheck it if you only want “future generations only” semantics.
Access Control
Section titled “Access Control”- File URLs are public (
cdn.hiapi.ai/...format) - URLs contain random tokens; outsiders cannot enumerate or guess your files
- Anyone with the URL can download (useful for sharing or embedding in your product)
- Private / signed URL options aren’t currently offered. Contact sales if your use case requires them.
Will I still be charged after disabling?
Section titled “Will I still be charged after disabling?”No. Billing stops immediately on disable. Files enter the 7-day grace window.
Where does the money come from?
Section titled “Where does the money come from?”The same wallet you use for API calls. The $0.05/GB·month is deducted from your top-up credit balance.
Are files on cdn.hiapi.ai public?
Section titled “Are files on cdn.hiapi.ai public?”The URLs are public (with un-guessable random tokens). Anyone with the URL can download. Don’t share URLs you don’t want others to access.
Are videos counted too?
Section titled “Are videos counted too?”Yes. All HiAPI-generated images and videos count toward your persistent storage usage. Videos can be large — watch your bill.
Can I pin specific files?
Section titled “Can I pin specific files?”The current MVP is an account-level toggle: either on (all new generations are persistent) or off (all new generations expire in 7 days). A per-file “pin” option may come later.
Is there a Pro tier?
Section titled “Is there a Pro tier?”Not currently. All users share the same $0.05/GB·month metered pricing. If we add a Pro tier (with included GBs + extra perks) in the future, we’ll announce via email and dashboard banners.
What if 100 GB isn’t enough?
Section titled “What if 100 GB isn’t enough?”Beyond 100 GB, new files fall back to 7-day expiry (no longer persistent, but generation still works). You can:
- Delete unwanted older files to free space
- Contact sales for a custom plan
What happens if I disable then re-enable?
Section titled “What happens if I disable then re-enable?”If you re-enable within the 7-day grace window, all your files revert to permanent state — nothing is lost as long as you act within 7 days.
Related
Section titled “Related”For detailed billing, refunds, and dispute terms, see the HiAPI Terms of Service.