Hailuo AI

Hailuo AI is MiniMax's video generation model that converts text prompts or still images into short cinematic clips. It sits in the same category as Runway and Sora but undercuts both on price by a significant margin — roughly $0.30 per 10-second 1080p clip via API versus $1.20 on Runway and $3.50 on Sora. The model has built a reputation specifically for motion realism: physics behave predictably, camera dynamics feel grounded, and objects move without the rubbery artifacts that plague cheaper generators. You get a freemium web interface to test the model before committing, with paid tiers starting at $7.99/month for 1,000 credits. If you're generating at volume, the API pricing makes more sense than the subscription tiers. The unlimited plan at $94.99/month exists but is only worth it if you're burning through clips daily. The trade-off is clip length — outputs are short, typically under 10 seconds, which means Hailuo fits best into workflows where you're assembling clips rather than generating long-form video. If you need narrative continuity across a full scene, you'll be stitching. But for social content, product visualization, or motion assets, the price-to-quality ratio is hard to argue with in 2026.

• Generate short clips from a text prompt or a single still image.
• Physics-accurate motion rendering — objects, fluids, and camera movement behave consistently.
• API access at ~$0.30 per 10-second 1080p clip, roughly 4x cheaper than Runway's API.
• Freemium web interface lets you test output quality before buying credits.
• 1080p output resolution on standard and API tiers.
• Credit-based pricing with a pay-as-you-go API option for variable workloads.