AI video generator cost per second
Every AI video tool prices differently (credits, plans, "fast" modes), but under the hood you pay for seconds of output. Here is what a second costs, and what changes the price.
What we actually paid (October 2026)
| Model | $/second | 4s clip | Audio | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kling 3.0 | $0.13 | $0.52 | on | 7.2 |
| Veo 3.1 Fast | $0.15 | $0.60 | on | 7.2 |
| PixVerse V6 | $0.05 | $0.21 | on | 7.1 |
| Runway Gen-4.5 | $0.12 | $0.48 | none | 6.9 |
All 60 October outputs, images included, cost $21.04 in total. PixVerse V6 ran on PixVerse's own API (12 credits/s with audio at 720p, 225 credits = $1); the others ran on the Runway Dev API.
List rates, cheapest to most expensive
| Model (Runway Dev API) | Credits/s | $/s | Tested? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite (720p) | 3 | $0.03 | not yet |
| MiniMax H3 Max (768p) | 8 | $0.08 | not yet |
| Kling 3.0 Standard, no audio | 9 | $0.09 | not yet |
| Veo 3.1 Fast, no audio | 10 | $0.10 | not yet |
| Wan 3 (720p) | 10 | $0.10 | not yet |
| Gen-4.5 | 12 | $0.12 | yes |
| Kling 3.0 Standard, audio | 13 | $0.13 | yes |
| Veo 3.1 Fast, audio | 15 | $0.15 | yes |
| Kling 3.0 Pro, audio | 17 | $0.17 | not yet |
| Veo 3.1, audio | 40 | $0.40 | not yet |
Source: docs.dev.runwayml.com/guides/pricing, $0.01 per credit, checked October 2026. Prices change; check before you budget.
What moves the price
- Audio: adds about 33–50% (Kling 9→13, Veo Fast 10→15, PixVerse V6 9→12 credits/s).
- Tier: "Fast" or "Standard" vs "Pro" or full models. Veo 3.1 costs 2.7× Veo 3.1 Fast with audio.
- Resolution: Wan 3 doubles from 720p to 1080p, and 4K tiers cost 3–4× more.
- Duration minimums: some models bill a minimum, and Veo only offers 4, 6 or 8 seconds.
- Retries: the real cost is price × the number of attempts you need. We used one generation per prompt; in production, budget around 30% for retries.
More: Cheapest AI video generator · Fastest AI video generator · Veo 3.1 Fast vs Runway price · Is Kling 3.0 worth it? · Methodology
FAQ
How much does AI video cost per second?
Through the Runway Dev API in October 2026, list prices ranged from about $0.03/s (Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite at 720p) to $0.40/s (Veo 3.1 with audio). The Runway-hosted models we scored cost $0.12/s (Runway Gen-4.5), $0.13/s (Kling 3.0 with audio) and $0.15/s (Veo 3.1 Fast with audio). PixVerse V6, through PixVerse's own API, cost about $0.053/s with audio at 720p (12 credits/s at 225 credits = $1).
Why is cost per second the right unit?
API providers bill by seconds of output. App subscriptions sell credits that get spent per clip at rates that vary by model, resolution and audio, so working back to dollars per second is the only fair way to compare.
Does audio cost extra?
Usually yes. Kling 3.0 Standard goes from 9 to 13 credits/s with audio, and Veo 3.1 Fast from 10 to 15.
Do failed generations cost money?
Not on the Runway Dev API in our experience. One Veo task failed in October, and it wasn't billed.