Hailuo AI Alternatives
Other video apps and models, and where else the MiniMax H3 models run, compared with prices from the official pages on 11 October 2026.
Updated
Ideas and uses
| Tool | What it is | Free start | Paid plans from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hailuo | MiniMax's own app for its Hailuo and H3 video models | One-time free trial credits, Hailuo models only | Standard: $100.80 a year ($8.40 a month billed yearly), 1,000 credits a month |
| Kling | Kuaishou's video models, from its own app and an API | Subscription prices are shown in the app after sign-in | API: Kling 3.0 from $0.084 a second (720p, no audio) |
| Runway | Generative video and image models with editing tools for filmmakers | 125 one-time credits | Standard: $15 a month ($12 billed yearly), 625 credits a month |
| Pika | Short creative clips and effects, now running several outside video and image models | 0 credits a month (credit packs only), no watermark, no commercial license | Starter: $10 a month ($8 billed yearly), 900 credits a month |
| Veo (Google) | Google DeepMind's video model with native audio | Not on the Gemini API free tier; in the Gemini app and Google Flow on Google AI plans | API: Veo 3.1 Lite from $0.05 a second (720p) |
| Ziztu | MiniMax H3 Max Turbo and H3 Max plus Kling, Seedance and Grok, with shot planning, character sheets and a timeline | 40 trial credits (480p video, watermarked) | Starter: $12 a month, 1,000 credits |
What Hailuo is for
Hailuo is MiniMax's own app for its video models, including the H3 family, with image models and tools around them. Its plans are shown billed yearly, from the official page on 11 October 2026:
- Free: $0, one-time free trial credits, Hailuo models only
- Standard: $8.40 a month billed yearly ($100.80 a year), 1,000 credits a month
- Pro: $30.40 a month billed yearly ($364.80 a year), 4,500 credits a month
- Master: $71.20 a month billed yearly ($854.40 a year), 10,500 credits a month
- Max: $184 a month billed yearly ($2,208 a year), 27,000 credits a month
- On Standard, MiniMax H3 at 768P works out to $0.059 a second
For H3 alone, those yearly plans cost less per second than Ziztu's plans.
Why people look for an alternative
- The free start is one-time and limited to Hailuo models.
- The lowest prices need a yearly plan.
- A clip is not a film. Planning shots, keeping a character the same and cutting the film need more than a generator.
- Some shots suit other models, such as Kling for fast action or Veo for native audio.
The alternatives
Kling is the main rival model, strong on realistic motion; its public prices are API prices per second.
- API list price: 1 unit = $0.14
- Kling 3.0: $0.084 a second at 720p and $0.112 at 1080p without native audio; $0.126 and $0.168 with native audio; $0.42 at 4K
- Kling 3.0 Turbo with native audio: $0.112 a second at 720p, $0.14 at 1080p
- The consumer membership prices are not on a public page: the plan page sends signed-out visitors to the home page
Runway pairs its Gen-4.5 model with outside models and editing tools.
- Free: $0, 125 one-time credits
- Standard: $15 a month, or $12 a month billed yearly, 625 credits a month (52 seconds of Gen-4.5), no watermarks
- Pro: $35 a month, or $28 a month billed yearly, 2,250 credits a month
- Max: $95 a month, or $76 a month billed yearly, 9,500 credits a month, unused credits roll over for a month
- Gen-4.5 uses 12 credits a second (60 credits for 5 seconds); the plans also include other models such as Kling 3.0 and Nano Banana Pro
Pika sells credit packs for several outside models.
- Free: $0, no monthly credits (credit packs only), all models, no watermark, no commercial license
- Starter: $10 a month, or $8 a month billed yearly, 900 credits a month, no commercial license
- Creator: $35 a month, or $28 a month billed yearly, 3,150 credits a month, commercial license
- Fancy: $95 to $880 a month ($76 to $704 billed yearly), 8,550 credits a month and up
- Credit packs: 60 credits per $1; a 5 second 720p Seedance 2.5 video is 122 credits, a 5 second 720p Wan 3.0 video 33 credits
Veo 3.1 from Google makes video with native audio.
- Veo 3.1 makes video with native audio, in the Gemini app, Google Flow and the Gemini API
- Gemini API, per second: Veo 3.1 $0.40 (720p and 1080p) and $0.60 (4K); Veo 3.1 Fast $0.10 (720p), $0.12 (1080p), $0.30 (4K); Veo 3.1 Lite $0.05 (720p), $0.08 (1080p)
- Veo is not on the Gemini API free tier; you are charged only when a video is generated
- Google AI plan prices vary by country
Where Ziztu fits
Ziztu runs the same MiniMax H3 models inside a full studio. A 5 second H3 Max Turbo clip costs 31 credits at 480P and 50 at 768P; H3 Max with three character references (identity lock) costs 106 credits for 5 seconds at 768P. Around them, a Director plans the shots, character sheets keep the cast the same, and clips, music, voice and captions are cut on one timeline, with Kling, Seedance and Grok available for the shots H3 is not best at.
Per second of H3 alone, Hailuo's yearly plans cost less. Ziztu is the better fit when you are making a whole film or episode with the same characters, month to month.
Sources (checked 11 October 2026)
Every price and limit on this page comes from the official pages below, read on 11 October 2026. Prices change often; check them before you buy. Ziztu's own prices come from its pricing page.
- Hailuo plans (official page, read 11 October 2026)
- Kling API pricing (official page, read 11 October 2026)
- Runway pricing (official page, read 11 October 2026)
- Pika pricing (official page, read 11 October 2026)
- Google DeepMind: Veo (official page, read 11 October 2026)
- Gemini API pricing (official page, read 11 October 2026)
- Ziztu pricing
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Hailuo alternative?
If you want the same H3 models with planning and editing around them, Ziztu. If you want a different model, Kling for realistic motion, Runway for Gen-4.5 and editing tools, or Veo 3.1 for native audio.
Is Hailuo free?
Hailuo's free plan gives one-time trial credits for Hailuo models only, on 11 October 2026. Paid plans are shown billed yearly, from $8.40 a month ($100.80 a year) for 1,000 credits a month.
Can I use MiniMax H3 without Hailuo?
Yes. MiniMax H3 Max Turbo and H3 Max are also available through fal and in tools built on it, such as Ziztu, where a 5 second H3 Max Turbo clip costs 50 credits at 768P.
What is H3 good at?
Calm acting, dialogue with lip sync, close-ups and image to video from a clean first frame. For fast fights and big body motion, many creators switch to Kling for those shots.
Is there a free Hailuo alternative?
Runway gives 125 one-time credits and Ziztu gives new accounts 40 free credits for 480p results with a watermark. Neither is unlimited.