What is the cheapest AI video generator with an API?

Luma Dream Machine is currently cheapest at $0.017 per second, followed by Runway Gen-3 Turbo at $0.025 per second. Both offer programmatic API access.

How much does Runway cost per video?

Runway Gen-3 costs $0.025/s (Turbo), $0.05/s (Alpha 720p), or $0.10/s (Alpha 1080p). A 10-second clip therefore costs $0.25, $0.50, or $1.00 respectively.

Does Sora have a pay-per-generation API?

No. As of 2026, Sora is only available through ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo) and Pro ($200/mo) subscriptions. There is no public API for automated or bulk generation.

What is Kling's minimum billing per clip?

Kling charges a minimum of 5 seconds per clip. A 3-second clip is billed as 5 seconds. Kling Standard costs $0.70 per 5s clip; Kling Pro costs $1.40 per 5s clip.

Which AI video model supports the longest clip length?

Kling 1.6 supports clips up to approximately 60 seconds, which is the longest of the major consumer AI video models. Runway caps at 10 seconds; Luma at approximately 30 seconds.

AI Video Generation Cost Calculator

Calculate and compare AI video generation costs across Runway Gen-3, Kling, Pika, Luma Dream Machine, and Sora. Enter your clip duration and count to find the most affordable model.

Clip duration (seconds)

Number of clips

AI Video Generation Pricing in 2026

AI video generation has moved from experiment to production tool — but costs vary by 10x or more between models. This calculator lets you compare Runway, Kling, Pika, Luma, and Sora side by side for any clip length and volume.

Cost Per Second: Model Comparison

Model	Per second	Per 5s clip	Max duration
Luma Dream Machine Standard	$0.017	$0.085	~30s
Runway Gen-3 Turbo	$0.025	$0.125	10s
Runway Gen-3 Alpha 720p	$0.05	$0.25	10s
Pika 2.0 Standard	$0.080	$0.40	~15s
Kling 1.6 Standard	$0.14 (min 5s)	$0.70	~60s
Runway Gen-3 Alpha 1080p	$0.10	$0.50	10s
Kling 1.6 Pro	$0.28 (min 5s)	$1.40	~60s

Runway vs Kling vs Luma: Which Is Best Value?

For pure cost, Luma Dream Machine is cheapest at $0.017/second. Runway Gen-3 Turbo is a close second at $0.025/second and generates faster. Kling 1.6 Standard has a minimum 5-second billing, so short clips cost more per second than they appear. For high-volume API workflows, Luma or Runway Turbo are the most economical.

Is Sora Worth the Subscription Cost?

Sora is only available through ChatGPT subscriptions ($20/mo Plus or $200/mo Pro). Plus gives roughly 50 priority video generations per month; Pro gives 500. At 50 clips, Plus works out to $0.40 per clip — comparable to Runway Gen-3 Alpha. Pro at 500 clips is $0.40 per clip as well. The catch: Sora does not have a public API, so you cannot automate generation at scale.

Kling Maximum Duration: The Hidden Advantage

While Runway tops out at 10 seconds per clip, Kling supports clips up to 60 seconds. For long-form content, a single Kling Pro clip at 60s costs $16.80 — which would require 6 Runway clips stitched together at a similar total cost. For short social media clips (5–10s), Runway and Luma are the better value.