Source: https://restorebunny.com/guides/prioritize-restoration-with-fixed-budget/ # Choose Which Photos to Restore When the Budget Is Fixed Choose a restoration shortlist within a fixed credit balance using purpose, source evidence and an exception reserve. Includes an eighteen-credit plan. Family photo projects4 min readUpdated 11 October 2026 ## Try it on your own photo Repair a copy of your photo, then compare faces and details with the original. [Restore my photo]()1 credit per successful photo · Account required[See credit packs]() Quick answer ## The short version Spend a fixed restoration allowance on photos that matter, have reviewable source detail and serve a defined output. Reserve a few attempts for justified exceptions, then leave low-priority or highly uncertain images for later. The oldest or most damaged photograph is not automatically the best first paid candidate. ## Define this purchase decision A small credit balance is enough to finish a meaningful subset when the family knows what it wants. Choose among selected photos using three questions: will someone use this result now, can the important identity details be checked, and does the source need repair at that viewing size? These criteria are more useful than restoring every file in chronological order. Keep sentimental importance separate from expected repair suitability. A treasured portrait with an opaque stain across the face may deserve specialist discussion even if a lightly scratched everyday scene is easier for AI. Do not penalise the important portrait; place it on a different path rather than spending the whole allowance on guesses. ## Worked decision example Worked example: you have eighteen credits and thirty candidate scans. Ten photos are needed for a reunion display, five are valued but not needed immediately, nine already work at display size and six have major unknown facial areas. Allocate ten first attempts to the display selection, three to the most useful later photos and reserve five for justified exceptions: 10 + 3 + 5 = 18. If the ten-photo set passes with only one rerun, fourteen successful operations have been used after the three later photos. Four credits remain uncommitted. The reserve is not an instruction to generate four more images. Keep it available until another specific task is selected. These counts are editorial planning examples, not tested restoration yields. ## Complete the decision worksheet - Purpose: name the finished deliverable and date. A photo with no agreed use belongs on a later list until the current task is funded. - Evidence: identify recognisable faces, important text and hidden regions. Give uncertain reconstructions their own specialist-review path. - Need: inspect each photo at the destination size. A source that is already adequate may be shared without paid restoration. - Cost control: assign one first attempt and a stated maximum extra attempt allowance. Do not let an especially difficult image consume the group's entire reserve silently. ## Resolve the buyer objections What if one person insists every photo deserves equal treatment? Explain that selection concerns this release's budget, not each photo's family value. Keep the complete archive and the deferred list. A later project can add viewing copies without pretending the first release is comprehensive. Should I buy a larger pack when I reach the limit? Only after you select more finishable work and review the pilot. The public £11 Archive and £14 Pro packs have different upfront quantities; an account-specific introductory offer may also appear. Purchased credits are not described as cash-refundable, so extra allowance is still a purchase decision. ## Keep a useful decision record Make the deferred list visible to the family so selection does not feel like disappearance. For each held photo, record the reason: no current use, already suitable, missing source, unresolved permission or reconstruction uncertainty. Those reasons imply different future actions. A missing-source item needs retrieval, while an already-suitable item may never need paid processing. Add a short note when sentimental importance overrides immediate output usefulness, then reserve only a bounded trial for it. Do not create a numeric beauty score that hides identity concerns. A transparent shortlist lets relatives discuss budget choices without treating a restored count as a ranking of whose memories matter most. ## Choose the next action Use a contact sheet to discuss priorities, mark selected photo IDs and confirm who will approve faces. Start with the most decision-relevant source, then process the agreed shortlist. Check actual credits and save each result before deciding to expand the purchase. When the allowance reaches its ceiling, reconcile accepted, rejected and deferred items. Share the accepted set with a note that more originals remain. A fixed-budget project is complete when its chosen use is served and the source evidence is safe, not when every available credit has disappeared. ## FAQs Should the most damaged photo always go first? No. Prioritise purpose and reviewable evidence. Extensive missing detail may need a different approach. Can I share an unprocessed scan? Yes, when it is suitable for the agreed viewing use and sharing terms. Paid restoration is not mandatory for every file. Is a reserve automatically spent? No. Use it only for an identified extra operation that fits the project rules. ## Sources Preservation and technical guidance reviewed for this article. - RestoreBunny: [Current credit-pack pricing]() - RestoreBunny: [Credits, outputs and privacy FAQ]() - RestoreBunny: [Credit purchase and technical issue policy]() - RestoreBunny: [Image processing and retention policy]() ## Related - [Make Family Photo Contact Sheets That Relatives Can Identify]() - [How to Evaluate an AI Photo Restoration Tool Before Buying]() - [Review supported photo restoration]() - [Start an eligible restoration trial]() - [Check current credit-pack terms]() - [Use the family archive handoff worksheets]() ## Ready to restore your photos? Upload an image, choose your settings, and preview results with a before/after slider. [Restore my photo]()[View Pricing]() RestoreBunny Team Photo workflow editors Guides follow our [editorial policy]() for sourcing, product claims, AI limitations, updates, and corrections.