AI Video Cost Calculator

Use case calculator

Estimate AI video production cost

Calculate AI-assisted video production cost for short-form content, ads, explainers, and internal videos using platform cost plus retry assumptions.

Estimated monthly cost$115$2.88 per usable video on RunwayOfficial unit rate ยท Global APIOfficial pricing
Cheapest estimatePixVerse$24.00 per month with these inputs
Cost per finished minute$21.60Uses final usable seconds, not every generated attempt
Retry exposure640 sec120 total generations for 40 usable videos
Billable workload960 secRunway API credits cost $0.01 each; Gen-4.5 is 12 credits/sec and Veo 3.1 audio is 40 credits/sec.
Savings vs current cost$0.00Enter a current cost per video to compare monthly savings
PlatformMonthlyPer usable video
PixVerseCheapest$24.00$0.60Pika$26.31$0.66Hailuo$29.76$0.74Haiper$31.68$0.79Hunyuan Video$40.03$1.00Luma AI$46.08$1.15Vidu$48.00$1.20Kling AI$79.98$2.00Wan$82.57$2.06Adobe Firefly$95.90$2.40Sora (API sunset)$96.00$2.40Veo$96.00$2.40RunwaySelected$115$2.88Seedance$145$3.63

Use case calculator

Estimate AI video production cost

Traditional video production calculators estimate crew, equipment, and editing. AI-assisted production has a different hidden cost: failed generations and repeated creative testing. This page focuses on that AI generation layer.

Budget signals to model

  • Count each finished asset separately if it will be reviewed, published, or tested as a unique video.
  • Use higher retry assumptions for brand, product, human, or text-heavy scenes.
  • Keep AI generation cost separate from editing and post-production so the budget stays understandable.

Workflow notes

  • Use cheaper draft modes for concept testing, then reserve higher-quality generations for final shots.
  • Compare subscription-credit platforms against API-priced platforms once monthly volume becomes predictable.
  • Review official pricing and usage rights before using AI-generated clips in client or paid-media work.

Related calculators

Compare platforms for this workload

RunwayTeams comparing Runway API models and web subscription valueRunway API credits cost $0.01 each; Gen-4.5 is 12 credits/sec and Veo 3.1 audio is 40 credits/sec.VeoHigh-end video experiments and Google ecosystem workflowsGemini API lists Veo 3.1 Fast video with audio at $0.10/sec for 720p, $0.12/sec for 1080p, and $0.30/sec for 4K. Veo 3.1 Standard is $0.40/sec for 720p or 1080p and $0.60/sec for 4K.Kling AICreators comparing China and global subscription credit valueOfficial mainland release listed Gold at RMB 66/mo for 660 credits; Kling 3.0 guide lists 720p no-audio at 6 credits/sec, 1080p no-audio at 8 credits/sec, and native audio up to 12 credits/sec.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.

Scenarios

Example planning scenarios

Internal social content30 usable videos/month, 8-12 seconds each

AI generation may be a small part of the full production budget, but failed attempts still matter.

Track accepted clips separately from generated clips so future budgets use real acceptance rates.
Client concept package10-20 concept clips with higher review standards

Client-facing work usually needs more retries because brand fit and visual consistency matter.

Quote AI generation separately from creative direction, editing, music, and revisions.
Paid ad production40-80 short variants/month

Creative learning can justify higher generation spend if the variants replace manual production.

Compare AI cost against the existing production baseline with the savings calculator.

Decision notes

How to use this estimate

  • Traditional production calculators include crew and editing; this page focuses on AI generation cost.
  • For client projects, the AI platform bill is not the whole price. Add creative labor and review time separately.
  • If exact brand details matter, assume more retries than a casual creator workflow.

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Related cost questions

FAQ

AI Video Production Cost Calculator and Estimator FAQ

How should I estimate AI video production 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.

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.