Kling vs Veo vs Seedance vs Runway vs Hailuo: which AI video generator should you use in 2026?
There is no single best AI video model, only the best one for each shot. Here is how the leading generators compare, and how to choose for your series.
The short answer
If you only read one paragraph: Kling is the best value, Seedance gives the most cinematic results, Veo is the most realistic and generates sound with the image, Hailuo is the cheapest for action, and Runway gives you the most editing control. Most serious creators end up using two of them.
- Best value: Kling.
- Most cinematic, best for multi-shot scenes: Seedance (in Dreamina or Higgsfield).
- Most realistic, with native dialogue and sound: Veo, in Google Flow.
- Cheapest motion for action shots: Hailuo.
- Most control and editing tools: Runway.
Sora is no longer an option: OpenAI closed the Sora app in April 2026 and its API in September 2026.
How image-to-video works
There are two ways to make a clip. Text-to-video: you describe the shot and the model invents everything. Image-to-video: you give the model a still (your key frame) and describe only the motion. For a series, image-to-video wins almost every time: your characters, framing and lighting stay under your control, and the model only has to move them.
A good motion prompt is short and concrete: what moves, how the camera moves, and the mood. "Camera slowly pushes in, wind lifts her hair, embers drift past" works better than a paragraph of adjectives.
- Your key frame
- Camera slowly pushes in, wind in her hair
- Video model
- 5–10 second clip
- Into your edit
Side by side
Prices are entry plans checked in October 2026. Every service runs on credits, and the most advanced models cost several times more credits per second than the fast versions.
| Model | Where to use it | Strengths | Watch out for | Entry price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kling 3.0 | kling.ai, Higgsfield | Value, character references, lip sync | Busy scenes with many speakers | about $10/month |
| Seedance 2.0 | Dreamina, Higgsfield | Cinematic look, multi-shot sequences, motion | Not available everywhere on Dreamina, higher credit cost | about $18/month |
| Veo 3.1 | Google Flow, Gemini | Realism, native dialogue and sound | Expensive per clip at top quality | about $20/month (Google AI Pro) |
| Hailuo 2.3 | hailuoai.video | Cheap, energetic motion, action | Short clips, less fine control | about $10/month |
| Runway | runway.com | Editing tools, control, all-in-one studio | Credits go fast on premium models | $15/month ($12 billed yearly) |
Kling: the best value
Kling, from the Chinese company Kuaishou, is the workhorse of independent AI filmmaking. It is cheap per clip, follows motion prompts well, and lets you attach reference images of your characters so they stay recognisable from shot to shot. Its lip sync makes dialogue scenes possible on a small budget.
Its weak spot is crowded scenes: with several characters talking at once, quality drops. Keep dialogue to one or two speakers per shot.
- Kling AI (Small daily free allowance · from about $10/month): Best price-to-quality ratio, with references for consistent characters.
Seedance: the cinematic choice
Seedance, from ByteDance, is the model many creators reach for when a shot has to look like cinema: rich lighting, natural camera moves and convincing motion. It also handles sequences of several shots in one generation, which helps for short scenes.
You can use it in Dreamina, ByteDance's official app, or through multi-model platforms like Higgsfield. It costs more credits than Kling, so many creators keep it for their most important shots.
- Dreamina (Seedance) (Free daily credits · from about $18/month): The official app for Seedance. Availability depends on your country.
- Higgsfield (Paid plans from about $10–20/month): Seedance, Kling, Veo and more in one account, so you can pick the model per shot.
Veo: realism and sound
Google's Veo is the most realistic model of the group, and it generates dialogue, sound effects and ambience together with the image. For live-action-style drama or science fiction with spoken lines, that saves a whole step.
You use it in Google Flow, Google's filmmaking tool, which includes a small free allowance; regular use needs a Google AI plan, from about $20 a month. At the highest quality, each clip costs a lot of credits, so use the faster modes for tests.
- Google Flow (Veo) (Small free allowance · Google AI Pro about $20/month): Veo with scene building tools and generated sound.
Hailuo and Runway
Hailuo, from MiniMax, is the budget choice for movement: fights, chases, explosions. Clips are short, so it suits fast cutting. Runway is the opposite approach: an all-in-one studio where you generate, then refine with editing tools such as extending a shot, changing the framing or removing an object.
- Hailuo AI (Free daily credits · from about $10/month): Cheap, lively motion for action scenes.
- Runway (125 free credits · from $15/month): Generation plus professional editing tools in one place.
How to choose for your series
- Anime and stylized fantasy: start with Kling or Seedance, from strong illustrated key frames.
- Realistic science fiction or drama with dialogue: Veo, for its native voices and sound.
- Lots of action on a small budget: Hailuo for the action, a stronger model for close-ups.
- One subscription for everything: a multi-model platform like Higgsfield lets you switch model shot by shot.
Before committing a whole season, run the same three shots (a close-up, a wide shot and an action shot) through two or three models and compare.
FAQ
Which AI video generator is the best in 2026?
It depends on the shot. Seedance and Veo lead on cinematic quality, Kling offers the best value and strong character references, Hailuo is the cheapest for action, and Runway gives the most editing control. Many creators combine two of them.
What happened to Sora?
OpenAI shut down the Sora app in April 2026 and its video API in September 2026. Creators moved mainly to Kling, Seedance and Veo.
Which AI video model is best for anime?
Kling and Seedance are the most popular for anime-style series, especially when you animate illustrated key frames made with an image model such as Midjourney or Gemini.
Is Veo free?
Google Flow includes a small free allowance. Regular use needs a Google AI plan, from about $20 a month.