AI Video Cost Calculator

Use case calculator

Calculate AI explainer video cost

Estimate the AI generation budget for explainer videos, including scene count, retry rate, clip length, and platform comparison.

Current estimate$24.00 / month$2.40 per usable video on Veo
Estimated monthly cost$24.00$2.40 per usable video on VeoOfficial unit rate ยท Global, subject to API availabilityOfficial pricing
Cheapest active estimatePixVerse$10.80 per month with these inputsOfficial pricing
Cost per finished minute$24.00Uses final usable seconds, not every generated attempt
Retry exposure180 sec40 total generations for 10 usable videos
Billable workload480 secGemini API lists Veo 3.1 Lite video with audio at $0.05/sec for 720p and $0.08/sec for 1080p; Fast at $0.10/sec for 720p, $0.12/sec for 1080p, and $0.30/sec for 4K; Standard at $0.40/sec for 720p/1080p and $0.60/sec for 4K.
Savings vs current cost$0.00Enter a current cost per video to compare monthly savings
Active platformMonthlyPer usable video
PixVerseCheapest active$10.80$1.08Haiper$12.04$1.20Hailuo$13.84$1.38Hunyuan Video$20.02$2.00Wan$20.64$2.06VeoSelected$24.00$2.40Kling AI$29.99$3.00Vidu$30.00$3.00Luma AI$34.10$3.41Runway$36.00$3.60Pika$38.48$3.85Adobe Firefly$59.94$5.99Seedance$81.65$8.16

Historical or sunset references

Sora (API sunset)$72.00$7.20
Last updatedJune 2, 2026
Source policyOfficial-source pricing
Ranking policyNo paid ranking changes
Review trailPricing updates

This workflow estimate uses the same cost model as the main calculator, with official pricing links and source-confidence labels shown on the page.

Quick answer

How much does this AI video scenario cost?

For 10 usable videos per month, 6-second clips, 3 retries, and High quality, the lowest active estimate is Veo at $24.00 per month.

Monthly estimate$24.00
Per usable video$2.40
Finished minute$24.00
Official pricingOpen Veo calculator

Use case calculator

Calculate AI explainer video cost

Explainer videos are usually built from multiple scenes, not one continuous generation. Use the calculator to estimate the AI video generation cost for scene drafts, rejected clips, and final usable segments.

Default scenario10 usable videos per month
Clip length and retries6s clips with 3 retries each
Quality modeHigh output estimate

Budget signals to model

  • Break the explainer into scenes and treat each scene as a usable video output.
  • Use higher retry counts for scenes with text overlays, product UI, hands, or precise brand details.
  • Budget for final assembly separately if narration, captions, music, or editing will be done outside the AI video tool.

Workflow notes

  • Draft the script and shot list before generating video, otherwise retries become planning waste.
  • Generate low-cost scene tests before producing the whole explainer at premium quality.
  • Use official price links to confirm the platform still supports the quality and duration you need.

Related calculators

Compare platforms for this workload

VeoHigh-end video experiments and Google ecosystem workflowsGemini API lists Veo 3.1 Lite video with audio at $0.05/sec for 720p and $0.08/sec for 1080p; Fast at $0.10/sec for 720p, $0.12/sec for 1080p, and $0.30/sec for 4K; Standard at $0.40/sec for 720p/1080p and $0.60/sec for 4K.RunwayTeams comparing Runway API models and web subscription valueRunway API credits cost $0.01 each; Gen-4.5 is 12 credits/sec, Gen-4 Aleph is 15 credits/sec, Veo 3.1 Fast is 10 credits/sec without audio and 15 credits/sec with audio, and Veo 3.1 is 20 credits/sec without audio or 40 credits/sec with audio.Luma AIImage-to-video tests and visually polished short clipsLuma's public pricing page lists plan prices and Ray video credit burn, including Ray3.14 text-to-video or image-to-video at 20 credits/sec for 720p and 80 credits/sec for 1080p, but the public page does not expose a stable USD value per credit. The dollar estimate remains a planning placeholder until logged-in billing is checked.ViduDevelopers who want transparent Q3 per-second API pricingVidu API credits cost $0.005 each; Q3 540p is $0.05/sec, 720p is $0.125/sec, and 1080p is $0.15/sec.

Default scenario cost snapshot

Veo is the lowest active estimate for this setup

This static snapshot uses the page's default workload so searchers can compare monthly cost, cost per usable video, and finished-minute cost before adjusting the interactive calculator.

PlatformMonthly costPer usable videoFinished minutePricing source
VeoOfficial unit rate$24.00$2.40$24.00Official pricing
ViduOfficial unit rate$30.00$3.00$30.00Official pricing
Luma AINeeds logged-in check$34.10$3.41$34.10Official pricing
RunwayOfficial unit rate$36.00$3.60$36.00Official pricing

Default scenario: 10 usable videos/month, 6s each, 3 retries, High quality.

Pricing sources

Official pricing sources used for this estimate

These source links show where the calculator assumptions for this workload come from. Platforms marked as needing a logged-in check are useful for planning, but should be verified inside the provider account before a paid workflow is scaled.

PlatformSource qualityReviewedPricing basis
VeoOfficial unit rate2026-05-26Gemini API lists Veo 3.1 Lite video with audio at $0.05/sec for 720p and $0.08/sec for 1080p; Fast at $0.10/sec for 720p, $0.12/sec for 1080p, and $0.30/sec for 4K; Standard at $0.40/sec for 720p/1080p and $0.60/sec for 4K.RunwayOfficial unit rate2026-05-27Runway API credits cost $0.01 each; Gen-4.5 is 12 credits/sec, Gen-4 Aleph is 15 credits/sec, Veo 3.1 Fast is 10 credits/sec without audio and 15 credits/sec with audio, and Veo 3.1 is 20 credits/sec without audio or 40 credits/sec with audio.Luma AINeeds logged-in check2026-05-21Luma's public pricing page lists plan prices and Ray video credit burn, including Ray3.14 text-to-video or image-to-video at 20 credits/sec for 720p and 80 credits/sec for 1080p, but the public page does not expose a stable USD value per credit. The dollar estimate remains a planning placeholder until logged-in billing is checked.ViduOfficial unit rate2026-05-17Vidu API credits cost $0.005 each; Q3 540p is $0.05/sec, 720p is $0.125/sec, and 1080p is $0.15/sec.

Calculator rankings are based on active availability and cost model assumptions, not paid placement.

Scenarios

Example planning scenarios

Startup product explainer8 scenes, 6 seconds each, 3 retries

UI shots, text, and product details usually need more attempts than abstract scenes.

Prototype scene order first, then spend higher-quality budget on approved scenes.
Internal training clip10-12 short scenes plus narration and captions

Generation cost may be modest, but assembly and review time still shape the full budget.

Track AI generation separately from editing and voiceover.
Client explainer draft3 visual directions with several scene tests

Direction testing is useful only if the team limits retries for rejected styles.

Approve style frames before producing the full sequence.

Decision notes

How to use this estimate

  • Estimate explainer videos by scene count because one continuous generation is rarely the production workflow.
  • Add separate budget for narration, captions, music, and final editing.
  • Use the animated video calculator when character or style consistency is the main risk.

Next calculators

Related cost questions

FAQ

AI Explainer Video Cost Calculator FAQ

How should I estimate AI explainer video cost?

Start with the number of usable videos you need each month, multiply by clip length, and add retries for failed or rejected generations. Then compare platforms by quality level and pricing model.

What default scenario does this ai explainer video cost calculator use?

This page starts with 10 usable videos per month, 6-second clips, 3 retries per usable video, and High quality. You can change those inputs in the calculator.

Which platform is cheapest for this AI explainer video cost scenario?

Veo is the lowest active estimate for the default scenario on this page at $24.00 per month, or $2.40 per usable video. Recheck the official pricing source before buying because AI video prices and credit rules can change.

Why do retries matter for AI video cost?

Retries matter because most teams pay for generated attempts, not only final clips. Cost per usable video is usually higher than the provider's raw per-second or credit price.