Commercial monetization risk · the method
Can you safely monetize the free tier?
Quality scores tell you if a tool is good. They don’t tell you the thing that actually gets creators demonetized: whether the free output is legally yours to sell.
Commercial Monetization Risk (CMR) is a single 0–100 number — higher is riskier — built from seven weighted factors, each tied to a verbatim quote from the tool’s own current terms, pricing or help page. The weights are published, the math is weight × level ÷ 4, and the factors add up to the score, so you can reproduce every verdict yourself. When the decisive factor can’t be confirmed from a primary source, we say so — the tool is marked Unclear, not guessed.
Browse by risk dimension
Ranked by risk
52 toolsAI tools ranked by free-tier monetization risk
The full reconciled index, sorted by the 0–100 risk score.
License trap
37 toolsAI tools whose free tier can't be monetized at all
Free output licensed for personal/evaluation use only — money = breach.
Visible block
37 toolsAI tools that watermark every free export
A visible logo on every free export, removable only by paying.
Forced credit
19 toolsAI tools that force a credit or brand mark on your output
Terms force an on-screen credit or 'made with' mark on your video.
Reconciled so far (52)
ranked by risk →- heygenNot recommended81
- steve-aiNot recommended78
- lumaNot recommended74
- speechifyNot recommended72
- polloNot recommended71
- deepbrainRisky71
- d-idNot recommended69
- klingRisky67
- hedraNot recommended67
- lovoRisky67
- ltx-studioNot recommended66
- genmoNot recommended66
- cartesiaRisky66
- soraUnclear65
- pixverseNot recommended63
- colossyanUnclear61
- autoshortsUnclear61
- elevenlabsRisky60
- synthesiaRisky60
- hailuoRisky60
- murfRisky60
- crayoRisky60
- flikiRisky57
- revidRisky57
- viduRisky57
- pikaNot recommended56
- kapwingRisky56
- dreaminaRisky54
- klapUnclear53
- lumen5Unclear53
- submagicUnclear51
- opusclipUse with caution51
- kreaUse with caution51
- vizardUnclear49
- fish-audioUse with caution48
- creatifyUse with caution47
- veedUnclear46
- 2shortUnclear46
- munchUnclear45
- higgsfieldUnclear44
- vidnozUse with caution39
- veoUse with caution38
- capcutUse with caution37
- pictoryUse with caution36
- fireflyMostly safe31
- vrewUse with caution31
- runwayMostly safe29
- descriptMostly safe26
- captionsMostly safe24
- qusoMostly safe21
- argilMostly safe18
- wanSafe8
Coverage grows tool by tool — each one only ships after a full primary-source evidence trail is built and the score recomputes from its own factors. A tool’s absence means it isn’t scored yet, never that it’s safe. How we score risk → · terms-change log →