Video generation is where models wildly differ. In 2026, all top models make pictures pretty much equally well. Video, though? That's still a race. Some win on human realism, some on cinematic quality, others on price. I tested 7 major market models, used identical prompts, and tracked seconds and credits. Here's who's actually worth your money and who's just making noise on Twitter.
All 7 models are available in Quantium's video module with a single subscription. Prices are in credits and ₽, based on the Basic plan. Quick answer to the main question: only 2-3 models out of 7 are truly worth it; the rest are niche or outdated. Which ones? Keep reading.
1. Sora 2 — OpenAI's Flagship
Sora 2 dropped in November 2025 and immediately set the quality standard. Key specs:
- Duration: Up to 20 seconds
- Resolution: Up to 1080p (4K in Sora 2 Pro)
- Speed: 1-2 minutes for a 5-second clip
- Price in Quantium: 80 credits for 5 seconds (~50 ₽)
Where Sora 2 crushes the competition: realistic scenes with people, interaction physics, consistent motion. A woman pours coffee — you see the liquid flow at the right angle, her face doesn't shift between frames, her arm moves anatomically correct. That's a level Sora 1 just couldn't hit.
Where it's weaker: stylization and anime (it often gives "realistic anime," which isn't usually what you want), cinematic grading (Veo is stronger here). For a detailed comparison, check out Sora vs Veo.
2. Veo 3.1 — Google's Main Rival
Veo 3.1 launched in March 2026, an update to Veo 3 focused on cinematic quality. Specs:
- Duration: Up to 60 seconds (!)
- Resolution: Native 4K
- Speed: 2-3 minutes for 5 seconds
- Price in Quantium: 100 credits for 5 seconds (~63 ₽)
Veo beats Sora in two areas: duration (60 sec vs 20) and cinematic quality. Shots look like they're straight out of a Hollywood movie — with grading, depth, and professional composition. On prompts with "cinematic shot," Veo delivers a noticeably more "expensive" look.
Weaker points: interaction physics are slightly worse than Sora's; faces sometimes warp in larger scenes. More details in Kling vs Veo.
3. Kling v3 — Best Price/Quality Ratio
Kling, from Chinese company Kuaishou, is the market's most cost-effective model. Specs:
- Duration: Up to 10 seconds (extended-mode up to 30)
- Resolution: Up to 1080p
- Speed: 1-2 minutes for 5 seconds
- Price in Quantium: 30 credits for 5 seconds (~19 ₽)
V3's quality is noticeably lower than Sora 2 and Veo 3.1, but only by 15-20%. The price, though, is 3x less. For marketing, tests, educational videos, and social media, it's the optimal choice.
Where Kling is the undisputed leader: image-to-video. Upload a starting image from FLUX 2 Pro, and Kling delivers industry-best subject appearance retention. We'll dive deeper into this in our post Image-to-Video in Quantium.
4. Runway Gen-4 — Production Studio's Pick
Runway's been a player in the professional film and advertising market for ages. Gen-4 launched in December 2025. Specs:
- Duration: Up to 16 seconds
- Resolution: Up to 4K
- Speed: 2-3 minutes for 5 seconds
- Price in Quantium: 70 credits for 5 seconds (~44 ₽)
Runway's main draw isn't just the model, it's the whole ecosystem: motion brush, camera controls, audio sync, lip-sync, video editor. If you need a serious workflow, not just one-off clips, Runway remains producers' top choice.
But if you just need a 5-second clip, Sora 2 and Veo 3.1 offer better quality for the same money. Runway loses ground when it comes to "just a pretty picture."
5. Pika 2 — For Quick Drafts
Pika Labs always positioned itself as an "accessible" model for enthusiasts. Pika 2 (October 2025) is all about speed and simplicity:
- Duration: Up to 10 seconds
- Resolution: Up to 1080p
- Speed: 30-60 seconds for 5 seconds of video
- Price in Quantium: 25 credits for 5 seconds (~16 ₽)
Quality is medium-plus. Good for social media, stickers, memes, and fast idea previews. It struggles most with realistic people but handles general shots and abstract scenes well.
6. Hailuo (MiniMax) — The Dark Horse
Hailuo, from China's MiniMax, is a model that flew under the radar in the West but grew hugely in Asia. Specs:
- Duration: Up to 6 seconds
- Resolution: Up to 1080p
- Speed: 1-2 minutes
- Price in Quantium: 35 credits for 5 seconds (~22 ₽)
Hailuo excels at image-to-video for portraits and working with Asian faces. If you have a starting frame from Seedream 4 and need to animate it, Hailuo delivers the best results after Kling v3.
Weak spots: short duration (just 6 seconds) and issues with complex composition.
7. Hunyuan Video — Tencent's Open Model
Tencent released Hunyuan Video in December 2024 as a fully open-source model. In 2026, it's the cheapest option in Quantium:
- Duration: Up to 8 seconds
- Resolution: Up to 720p
- Speed: 1 minute
- Price in Quantium: 20 credits for 5 seconds (~12.5 ₽)
Quality is medium-minus, but it's the cheapest way to test a prompt before spending credits on Sora or Veo. It's fine for enthusiasts and tests, but not for commercial video.
Summary Table
| Model | Price (5 sec) | Duration | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sora 2 | 80 credits (~50 ₽) | 20 sec | Realistic scenes with people |
| Veo 3.1 | 100 credits (~63 ₽) | 60 sec | Cinematic shots |
| Kling v3 | 30 credits (~19 ₽) | 10 sec | Image-to-video, best price/quality |
| Runway Gen-4 | 70 credits (~44 ₽) | 16 sec | Professional production |
| Pika 2 | 25 credits (~16 ₽) | 10 sec | Quick drafts, social media |
| Hailuo | 35 credits (about 22 ₽) | 6 sec | Image-to-video portraits |
| Hunyuan Video | 20 credits (~12.5 ₽) | 8 sec | Prompt tests, learning |
Which 2-3 Models Are Actually Worth It?
Honest answer: three models are enough for 90% of tasks.
The other four are niche tools. Runway if you run a production studio. Pika for social media. Hailuo for Asian portraits. Hunyuan for prompt tests. You just don't need them for everyday work.
Availability from Russia
Direct access to Sora requires ChatGPT Plus ($20) + region verification. Veo needs Google AI Pro and a foreign card. Runway — same deal. From Russia, this is tough: VPN + non-Russian card.
Quantium fixes it: all 7 models in one Telegram bot, no VPN, pay with Russian cards or SBP, all in one subscription from 690 ₽/month. It's the easiest way to get Sora, Veo, and Kling at the same time.
Related materials: Sora vs Veo in detail, Kling vs Veo, Image-to-Video in Quantium.
Frequent Questions
What's the best AI for video in 2026?
For sheer quality, it's OpenAI's Sora 2 and Google's Veo 3.1. They're neck and neck on benchmarks, but in real-world tasks, the difference is clear by content type: Sora excels at realistic human scenes, Veo at cinematic shots. Kling v3 is a strong third choice for its price.
How much does it cost to generate 1 video in Quantium?
From 30 to 120 credits, depending on the model and duration. For example, a 5-second Kling v3 clip is 30 credits (~19 ₽ on Basic), Sora 2 for 5 seconds is 80 credits (~50 ₽), and Veo 3.1 is 100 credits (~63 ₽).
Which models work from Russia?
Direct access to Sora, Veo, and Runway is blocked from Russia — you need a VPN and a foreign card. In Quantium, all 7 models are available without a VPN, with payment via Russian cards or SBP, all in one subscription.
Which model is best for image-to-video?
Kling v3. It's better than others at retaining the subject's appearance from the starting frame and gives more natural animation. Hailuo is second, Runway Gen-4 is third. Sora and Veo also do image-to-video, but they're pricier.
Which model is cheapest for drafts?
Hunyuan Video — 20 credits for 5 seconds (~12.5 ₽). It's Tencent's free, open-source model, hosted in Quantium. Quality is lower than the flagships, but it's perfect for quick drafts and prompt iterations.
Get all 7 video models with one subscription
Sora 2, Veo 3.1, Kling v3, Runway Gen-4, Pika 2, Hailuo, Hunyuan — all in one Telegram bot, no VPN needed.
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