Krea 3 Training Studio beta: LoRA without Kohya and GPU

Training a LoRA used to mean Kohya, a spreadsheet of captions, and a GPU session you babysit at 2am. Krea's Training tool removes all three. You upload a folder of images, Krea auto-captions them, the training runs on Krea's infrastructure, and the LoRA shows up in your library ready for the Image tool.

The LoRA training flow launched in beta on May 21, 2026 for the Krea 2 backbone, and public LoRA sharing followed on May 29. Krea 3, the editing model that launched October 15, 2026, sits in the same platform, and its model page lists LoRA training as a plan feature. This guide covers the documented flow end to end: what you can train, the plan limits, the caption step, and where Krea 3 fits in.

TL;DR

• The Training tool at /train trains LoRAs on Krea's cloud. No local GPU, no Kohya, no Docker Krea 2 LoRA training blog.
• Minimum dataset: 3 images. The docs recommend 10-30 for better generalization Krea Training docs.
• Captions are required. Krea auto-captions the dataset before training, and you can edit them before the run starts Krea 2 LoRA training blog.
• Plan limits: Free and Basic allow limited LoRA training (50 images); Max and Business allow unlimited LoRA training (2,000 images) Krea 3 Beta model page.
• The documented LoRA backbone is Krea 2 (Medium and Large). Large trains stronger, Medium trains faster Krea 2 LoRA training blog.
• Trained LoRAs are private by default. You can share them publicly later, and your training images stay private either way Krea 2 LoRA training blog.

What the Training tool does

The Training tool in Krea trains AI models on custom datasets, aimed at brand identity, character design, and stylistic continuity across campaigns Krea Training docs. The flow the docs describe:

1. Upload a dataset. At least 3 images of the same art style, character, or object. Larger datasets (10-30 images) improve generalization. Include varied examples that emphasize the key elements you want the model to learn Krea Training docs.
2. Training runs, a style code comes out. Once trained, Krea assigns a unique style code that can be applied to Flux, Edit, and Enhancer outputs Krea Training docs.
3. Apply and refine. Apply the trained style to new generations, upload additional images to improve accuracy, and publish the style if you want Krea Training docs.

The LoRA-specific flow, from the beta launch post, is three steps from a folder of images to a reusable LoRA Krea 2 LoRA training blog:

1. Open /train, click Train new LoRA, hit Next step.
2. Drop in the images (at least three) that share the style, character, or object. Pick the model in the sidebar: Krea 2 Medium or Krea 2 Large. Adjust Steps if you want the LoRA to learn more aggressively; the default is tuned for most datasets.
3. When training finishes, the LoRA appears in your Train library with preview images. Use it from the library, or from the LoRA button while generating in the Image tool with Krea 2 selected.

Two controls in the Image tool: you can dial LoRA strength up or down, and you can combine multiple LoRAs, stacking a character with a style Krea 2 LoRA training blog.

Why there is no Kohya step

The whole reason to avoid Kohya is the dataset and the compute. Krea handles both:

• Captions. Krea auto-captions your dataset before training. The captions tell the trainer what to learn and what to ignore, so a one-off background or prop does not accidentally become part of the LoRA. You can edit captions before kicking off the run. Captions are required in the Krea 2 flow; there is no skipping the step Krea 2 LoRA training blog.
• Compute. Training runs on Krea's side. The Train page shows the estimated compute before you submit, and the default Steps count works for most datasets. Bump it up only when you want the LoRA to learn more strongly Krea 2 LoRA training blog.
• Parameters. The API exposes the same job as a simplified call with intelligent defaults per training type (Default/Style/Object/Character), a trigger word, and a model selection, which is the same pipeline the web UI drives Krea style training tutorial.

The dataset-size guidance from the developer tutorial: 5 images is the minimum viable for simple, consistent styles; 10-30 is the working range Krea style training tutorial.

Plan limits and beta status

The LoRA training beta launched with Krea 2 LoRAs available to Max and Business subscribers while it rolled out more broadly Krea 2 LoRA training blog. Public LoRAs in Krea Train followed a week later: trained styles can become discoverable, other users can generate with them, and the original training images stay private Krea 2 public LoRAs blog.

Where Krea 3 fits

Krea 3 launched on October 15, 2026 as Krea's image editing model: most edits come back in under 8 seconds at native 2K, it costs $0.06 per image at 2K and $0.03 at 1K, and it takes up to 6 reference images per edit Introducing Krea 3. It is live on krea.ai and through fal, Hedra, Together AI, Nous Research, OpenRouter, and Replicate Introducing Krea 3.

For consistency work, Krea 3 already does a lot of what a LoRA exists for: give it a few character references and it keeps the same person across new streets, poses, and lighting, and it keeps products down to the label Introducing Krea 3. A LoRA is the step up when the direction has to be reusable as a named asset, a painterly look applied across subjects, a character placed into new scenes without rebuilding the direction every time Krea 2 LoRA training blog.

The honest gap: as of the launch window, the documented LoRA training targets are the Krea 2 Medium and Krea 2 Large backbones Krea 2 LoRA training blog. The Krea 3 model page lists LoRA training under the plan tiers Krea 3 Beta model page, but the Krea 3 launch post does not document a Krea 3 LoRA flow yet. If you need a Krea 3-specific LoRA today, the field guide to check is Krea's own training documentation, which updates as the beta rolls Krea Training docs.

Dataset tips from Krea's own post

• Use a focused dataset. For a style, keep images visually consistent but varied enough that the model learns the style instead of memorizing one composition. For a character, include different angles, expressions, lighting, and backgrounds Krea 2 LoRA training blog.
• Captions matter. If an image has a detail you do not want the LoRA to learn, call it out in the caption. Auto-captions are a good start; a quick manual pass usually makes the LoRA noticeably better Krea 2 LoRA training blog.
• Start with the defaults. The Train page shows the estimated compute before you submit, and the default Steps count works for most datasets Krea 2 LoRA training blog.
• Keep your first LoRA narrow. One clean character, one style, or one product identity beats trying to teach everything at once Krea 2 LoRA training blog.

For the base editing workflow a LoRA sits on top of, see Krea 3 on Civitai: edit any image with a sentence. General image creation with Krea 2 is covered in the Krea 2 text-to-image guide. AI image editing patterns in general are in AI image editing.

Common errors and fixes

FAQ

Is Krea AI free? Krea has a free plan at $0/month with 100 compute units per day, no credit card required, and limited LoRA training (50 images) Krea 3 Beta model page.

How much does Krea AI cost? Paid individual tiers start at $9/month (Basic, 5,000 compute units), then $35 (Pro), $105 (Max, unlimited LoRA training up to 2,000 images), and $200 (Business). Annual billing discounts up to 40% Krea 3 Beta model page.

Do you have to pay for Krea AI? No for the free tier. LoRA training itself is available on the free plan with a 50-image limit; the larger 2,000-image unlimited training is a Max/Business feature Krea 3 Beta model page, Krea 2 LoRA training blog.

Can I train a LoRA on Krea without a GPU? Yes. The Training tool runs on Krea's cloud infrastructure. You upload images, Krea auto-captions and trains, and the LoRA lands in your library. No Kohya, no local GPU Krea 2 LoRA training blog.

What is Krea AI good for? Real-time visual ideation, image editing and upscaling, and now consistent character/product work via Krea 3 edits and LoRA training for reusable styles Krea Training docs, Introducing Krea 3.

How many images do I need to train a LoRA on Krea? At least three. Five is the minimum viable for simple, consistent styles, and 10-30 is the working range the docs and tutorial recommend Krea Training docs, Krea style training tutorial.

Sources

• Krea 2 LoRA training is now available — Beta launch (May 21, 2026), Max/Business access, 3+ images, auto-captions, Medium vs Large, strength and stacking in the Image tool, privacy, dataset tips.
• Krea 2 LoRA Training: Public LoRAs in Krea Train — Public LoRA sharing (May 29, 2026), training images stay private.
• Krea Training docs — Training tool flow: 3+ images (10-30 recommended), style code output, apply to Flux/Edit/Enhancer, best practices.
• Krea 3 Beta model page — Plan tiers and LoRA training limits (50 images Free/Basic, 2,000 Max/Business), Krea 3 beta FAQ.
• Introducing Krea 3 — Krea 3 launch (Oct 15, 2026): under 8s edits at native 2K, $0.06/2K and $0.03/1K per image, 6 reference images, availability.
• Krea style training tutorial — LoRA concept, dataset size guidance (5 minimum viable, 10-30 working), API training call.