Backboard Update: fal.ai Tools + Product Updates
This release brings a simpler sign-up experience, new media capabilities through fal.ai, more reliable video generation, and better usage visibility.
A Better Sign-Up Experience
We’ve streamlined sign-up so you can choose what you want to use first:
Studio, CLI, or API.
After creating your account, Backboard takes you directly to the setup experience for that product.
The dashboard’s getting-started checklist has also been improved and now updates based on what you’ve actually completed.
New: fal.ai Media Tools
Backboard now gives API users access to 35 fal.ai media tools, all through your Backboard API key and billed in Backboard credits.
Tools include:
Lip sync and talking avatars
Motion transfer
Face and object swaps
Video editing
Relighting and reframing
Image and video upscaling
Image editing
Text-to-speech and voice transformation
Music and sound effects
You can also check pricing before running a tool.
GET /models/fal/tools lists the available tools.
POST /models/fal/quote returns a quote before you start a run.
Tool runs go through POST /threads/messages using {kind}_model_provider=fal.
Backboard checks your credit balance before anything is uploaded. If there isn’t enough balance to cover the run, the request is rejected before processing begins.
Failed jobs are not charged.
More Reliable Video Generation
Video generation is now more resilient to brief provider errors.
If a video cannot be completed or downloaded, Backboard now returns a clear reason and the job ID instead of a generic “Media generation failed” message.
Downloads are also retried automatically.
Better Usage Reporting
Media and voice responses now include more detailed usage information:
cost_usd
provider_requests
cached-token counts
This makes it easier to understand the cost and behavior of your media and voice requests.
Promo Code Updates
Promo codes can now be redeemed once per person and once per organization.
Codes must be redeemed in the Backboard web app with JavaScript enabled. API and CLI redemption are no longer supported.
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Available Now
These updates are available in Backboard as of October 22, 2026.
Explore Backboard → backboard.io
Read the API docs → docs.backboard.io