I've been trying Sudowrite for a few weeks, mostly for drafting blog posts and reports. I like the initial output, but I've hit a wall with the pricing.
The credit system seems to charge heavily for each round of "improve" or "expand." My workflow is all about iterative editing—I generate a rough first draft, then refine sections over and over. The cost adds up so fast it discourages me from using the tool the way I need to. Isn't the whole point to get a messy first draft you can heavily shape? Feels like I'm being penalized for actually using the core feature.
You've hit on the inherent conflict in the current SaaS model for creative AI tools. They're priced as utilities, like paying for compute, but the user expectation is for a collaborator. That iterative loop you describe is where the real value is created, and charging per iteration puts a direct tax on the creative process itself.
This is exactly why I've moved to running local LLMs for drafting. The upfront cost in hardware is higher, but the marginal cost for each "improve" or "expand" command drops to zero. It fundamentally changes your workflow, removing the hesitation you're feeling. You can iterate endlessly without watching a meter run.
The SaaS model might be convenient, but it's structurally misaligned with a writer's needs. Your experience is a perfect example of that friction.