Pricing checked against each provider's official pricing pages as of September 2026. AI video pricing shifts often — verify current credit costs before subscribing.
Text-to-video AI is a different category from the AI video editing tools covered in our AI video editing roundup — this is about generating original footage from a text prompt or a still image, not cutting and captioning footage you already shot. Three tools lead the category in 2026: Runway, Pika, and Luma Dream Machine. A fourth name still gets searched constantly — OpenAI's Sora — but it's no longer an option, which we cover below.
Pricing at a glance
| Tool | Free tier | Entry paid plan | Top tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runway | 125 credits, one-time | Standard: $12/mo (625 credits/mo) | Max: $76/mo (9,500 credits/mo) |
| Pika | 80 credits/mo | Standard: $8/mo annual (700 credits) | Fancy: $76/mo annual (6,000 credits) |
| Luma Dream Machine | None as of Aug 2026 | Plus: $30/mo (10,000 credits) | Ultra: $300/mo |
Where each one wins
Runway has the most mature toolset — Gen-4.5 generation alongside a full suite of editing and control features (camera motion, motion brushes, lip sync). At Pro ($28/month, 2,250 credits), it's the recommended starting point for anyone doing regular creative or client work, and the credit system scales predictably as you go.
Pika is the value option. Its Pro plan ($28/month annual, or $35 month-to-month) undercuts Runway slightly while still removing watermarks — Pika explicitly positions this tier as the minimum viable plan for commercial or client work. If budget is the deciding factor, start here.
Luma Dream Machine tends to produce the smoothest, most physically coherent motion of the three, which matters for shots with complex camera movement. The tradeoff is price and access: there's no permanent free tier as of August 2026, and the entry Plus plan at $30/month is the most expensive starting point of the three.
What happened to Sora?
OpenAI's Sora is still one of the most-searched names in this category, but it's no longer usable. The Sora app and sora.com shut down on April 26, 2026, and ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers lost bundled Sora access the same day. The Sora API — used by third-party apps that integrated it — stopped accepting new requests on September 24, 2026. If you're comparing options today, Runway, Pika, and Luma are the active tools; Sora is not one of them anymore.
Free tiers and getting started
Runway's 125 one-time credits and Pika's 80 monthly credits are both enough to test quality and workflow before paying — Pika's renews monthly, which makes it the better free option for ongoing casual use. Luma dropped its free tier in August 2026, so budget for at least the $30/month Plus plan if you want to try Dream Machine specifically.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI video generator in 2026?
Runway for the most complete toolset, Pika for value, Luma Dream Machine for motion quality if budget allows.
Is OpenAI Sora still available?
No — the app shut down April 26, 2026, and the API stopped accepting requests September 24, 2026. Runway, Pika, and Luma are the active alternatives.
What's the cheapest AI video generator?
Pika's Standard plan at $8/month (annual billing) is the cheapest paid tier. Runway and Pika both offer free tiers to test first.
Can I use AI-generated video commercially?
Generally yes on paid plans across all three tools — check current terms before using output in client or brand work.
The bottom line
The text-to-video category consolidated hard in 2026 — Sora's shutdown removed the most recognizable name, leaving Runway, Pika, and Luma as the real options. None of them are cheap at the level needed for watermark-free, commercial-ready output, so start on a free or entry tier to confirm the tool's style fits your work before committing to Pro or Max pricing.