8 Best AI Video Generators I’ve Tested and Use Regularly in 2026

Generative AI not only includes AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini, but also AI video generators. You can generate AI videos using simple text prompts or upload an image to create videos right away. So in this article, I have compiled the best AI video generators after testing them for months. On that note, let’s go ahead and check out the list.

Best AI Video Generators Compared

AI Video GeneratorKey FeatureLimitationPricing
Google Gemini VeoHigh quality visuals with synchronized audioVideo generation limited to 8 seconds onlyRequires a paid plan
OpenAI SoraPhysical accuracy and maintaining likeness across scenes Not available in all regionsRequires a paid plan
Runway Gen-4.5Top-rated video generation model in the world, cinematic visual qualityObjects disappear across different scenesFree with limited credits
Kling AIOne of the best AI video generators from ChinaStruggles in heavy physical scenesFree with limited credit
MiniMax Hailuo AIAll-in-one platform to generate AI videosOccasional artifacts in videosFree with limited credit
Higgsfield AIHosts flagship AI video generatorsIn-house AI model is weakRequires a paid plan
MidjourneyAdd cinematic motion to your imagesLimited to 5 second videosRequires a paid plan
Leonardo AI Video GeneratorBest AI video generator for artistsLimited AI modelsFree with limited credit

1. Gemini Veo

If you are looking for the best AI video generator, Google’s Gemini Veo 3.1 is currently the best out there. It’s powered by the Veo 3.1 AI model and available inside Gemini. You can simply go to Gemini, select Create videos, and enter a text prompt or upload an image to generate a video. The best part is that Veo 3.1 also generates synchronized audio along with the video.

Veo 3.1 supports video generation up to 1080p resolution at 24FPS. And you can produce videos up to 8 seconds in length in both 16:9 or 9:16 aspect ratio. I would suggest using Google’s Flow AI tool (visit) where you can create AI videos using Veo 3.1, stitch them together, and create stories in a user-friendly video editor.

I reviewed Veo 2 AI video generator earlier this year and I was impressed with its high-quality and realistic visuals. The new Veo 3.1 model has improved physics and human movements even further.

ProsCons
Highly realistic AI video generationNo longer free
Up to 1080p resolution
Synchronized audio generation

Pricing: Paid plan starts at $20 per month

2. OpenAI Sora

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has also developed an AI video generation model called Sora. The new Sora 2 model is more realistic and physically accurate than before. It’s also shockingly good at creating videos from images while maintaining the likeness of faces. In fact, OpenAI has released a new Sora app where you can create Cameos — AI clips using your facial features and voice in different styles.

Just like Veo 3.1, Sora 2 can also generate audio along with the video. Not just that, it can also generate dialogue between characters, background soundscapes, sound effects, etc. And the more powerful, Sora 2 Pro can generate 1080p videos at 30FPS with duration up to 10 seconds. You can access Sora through its website or app.

ProsCons
Physically accurate renderingNot available in all regions
Create your Cameos in different styles
Up to 1080p resolution

Pricing: Paid plan starts at $20 per month

3. Runway Gen-4.5

Recently, Runway introduced its Gen-4.5 AI video generation model and it stunned the AI community. It’s one of the best AI video generators in the market right now. In fact, on Artificial Analysis’ text-to-video leaderboard, Runway Gen-4.5 tops the list with an ELO score of 1,244, outranking Veo 3.1 and Sora 2 Pro.

It offers incredible visual fidelity and generates cinematic and highly realistic AI videos. Besides text, you can also upload images and videos and produce new AI videos on top of them. The AI video generator also follows user instructions more accurately and maintains visual consistency across scenes. All in all, I would recommend Runway Gen-4.5 for the visual quality alone.

ProsCons
Top rated model for AI video generationObjects may disappear across scenes
Cinematic and realistic visuals
Supports various AI tools

Pricing: Free with limited credit, Paid plan starts at $15 per month

4. Kling AI

You may not have heard about Kling AI, but it’s a capable AI video generator and it has been developed by a Chinese company called Kuaishou. Currently, Kling AI is ranked second on video generation leaderboard, outranking many frontier AI models from the West. Its powerful Kling 2.5 Turbo AI model generates cinematic videos with support for better camera angles and instruction following.

kling ai homepage

Kling AI also produces videos with natural lighting and handles transitions pretty well. You can generate videos up to 1080p resolution. That said, in my testing, Kling AI struggled to generate coherent videos when heavy physical action was involved. Apart from that, it’s a powerful AI video generator and you should definitely give it a try.

ProsCons
Powered by Kling 2.5 Turbo, supports audio generation tooStruggles to render heavy physical actions
Offers a user-friendly platform to generate and edit AI videos
Resolution up to 1080p

Pricing: Free with limited credit, Paid plan starts at $6.99 per month

5. MiniMax Hailuo AI

MiniMax is another Chinese AI lab and it’s developing powerful AI technologies including AI video generators. Its Hailuo AI platform offers incredible video generation tools and models. You can use both text and image to produce AI videos in no time. Particularly, Hailuo 02 Standard and 2.3 models are great at producing AI-generated videos with realistic scenes.

hailuo ai homepage

You can use these models on its platform or third-party services as well. Hailuo AI handles camera pans, human expressions and lighting shifts extremely well and the output looks pretty real. Not to mention, you can generate 1080p videos and there are mobiles apps for Android and iOS too.

ProsCons
Generate cinematic looking videos at 1080p resolutionMay encounter occasional artifacts in videos
Supports both text-to-video and image-to-video generation
Offers web and mobile apps

Pricing: Free with limited credit, Paid plan starts at $6.99 per month

6. Higgsfield AI

Higgsfield AI is a popular platform where you can generate AI videos using premium AI models. It hosts AI video generation models like Veo 3.1, Sora 2, Kling, Hailuo, WAN 2.6, and more. Higgsfield has also developed its own in-house model to generate videos. You can either add a text prompt or upload the start frame and end frame to create a complete video.

higgsfield ai homepage

You can produce videos up to 10 seconds in duration and at 1080p resolution. The best part about Higgsfield is that it offers a lot of creative controls to both generate and edit videos. For instance, you can choose presets, edit scenes, remove elements, lip sync audio, turn sketch into videos, and more. Finally, you can also upscale AI videos.

To sum up, if you want an all-in-one platform to generate AI videos using frontier AI models, Higgsfield AI is the best way to do it.

ProsCons
An all-in-one AI video generatorNo free tier
Hosts premium AI video generation models like Veo 3.1, Sora 2, etc.
Offers AI tools to edit videos seamlessly

Pricing: Paid plan starts at $9 per month

7. Midjourney

Midjourney is popular for AI image generation, but recently, it launched video generation too with its new Midjourney V1 model. You can turn any image into convincing videos in seconds. It’s not meant for long videos, but to bring life to images, you can create 5-second videos. So if you are looking to animate images using AI, Midjourney is the best pick.

If you are an artist, designer, or a storyteller and want to add camera motion or cinematic flair to your images, Midjourney V1 is fantastic. Midjourney is already favored for its visual style and unique taste, and adding motion to images will make things even better. Note that there is an option to customize motion and loop settings.

ProsCons
Animate images and extend videosNot meant for generating long videos
Add motion and cinematic flair to images
Video duration up to 5 seconds

Pricing: Paid plan starts at $10 per month

8. Leonardo AI Video Generator

Leonardo AI is again known for AI image generation, but it also offers an AI video generator where artists can produce cinematic clips. Leonardo AI is designed primarily for artists so you will find the Studio and its tools more useful and feature-rich. It brings access to Google’s Veo 3.1 AI model on the platform for video generation.

leonardo ai homepage

You can create quick animations, add synchronized audio to your characters, and produce cinematic scenes using an image frame. The storyboard feature of Leonardo AI is impressive as it allows you to stitch multiple videos, edit elements, remove objects, and more. To sum up, Leonardo AI is emerging as one of the best AI video generators and you should use it for the Studio features.

ProsCons
Best AI video generator for artistsLimited AI video generation models
Offers access to Google Veo 3.1 AI model
Generate motion clips and high-fidelity videos

Pricing: Free, Paid plan starts at $10 per month

So these are the best AI video generators that produce realistic scenes, some generate synchronized audio, and render complex physical actions too. Depending on what you need, you can pick one of the AI tools from the list. And if I have missed an AI tool that you use regularly, let me know in the comments below. I will definitely check it out.

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