Minutes of video per month × tool mix → projected monthly compute cost (Runway, Pika, HeyGen, ElevenLabs, Kling).
Per-second cost varies 35x between models (Kling $0.06 to Sora $2.20). Plan revisions multiply the bill — most workflows ship in 3 takes. Estimate your real monthly AI video burn.
Compute differential. Sora runs at higher resolution with longer single-pass generation and stronger narrative coherence per clip. Kling is optimized for cost efficiency at scale with shorter clips and simpler scene complexity. For most B-roll, the quality gap doesn't justify the price gap.
Yes for production work. AI video first-take quality lands ~40% usable. Take 2 with prompt refinement hits ~70%. Take 3 with seed locking and reference image hits ~85%. Most workflows ship at take 3. Cinematic / hero shots may need 5-7 takes.
AI video without audio is rarely usable for final output. ElevenLabs costs $0.30/min net of subscription credits and is the dominant 2026 voiceover provider for commercial creators. Include this in your real cost model.
No — this is per-video compute only. Add $35-99/mo for Runway/Pika subscriptions or use Kompozy BYOK to pay providers at-cost. The Stack Cost Comparison tool factors subscriptions into a full monthly burn.
Kompozy automates everything this tool estimates — multi-format generation, brand voice, scheduling across 9 platforms. Free 500-credit trial, no card required.