Google Veo vs Hailuo AI: pricing, features and which to choose

Google Veo is a generative video model made by Google DeepMind for creators, developers, filmmakers, and production teams. Google introduced Veo at I/O in 2024, describing a model that could produce cinematic 1080p clips lasting beyond one minute. The first access route was a private VideoFX preview. Veo is a Google product rather than a separately financed startup, and Google does not publish a standalone Veo funding figure. Google DeepMind began as DeepMind in 2010 and formed its current organization after merging with Google Brain in April 2023. Veo access now spans Gemini, Google Cloud, and Flow, with capabilities and prices varying by route. The model family remains active, although its Gemini API preview endpoints retire on October 22, 2026.

Veo turns a written description or reference image into a short video. A typical workflow is to write a shot prompt, generate several candidates, inspect motion and sound, then revise the prompt or assemble selected clips in an editor. Veo 3.1 supports image-to-video generation, up to three reference images in the Gemini API announcement, first and last frames, scene extension, native audio, vertical 9:16 output, and 1080p output. Google DeepMind also describes 4K availability. Cloud documentation for Veo 3.0 lists 4, 6, or 8-second clips, up to four outputs per prompt, 24 frames per second, English prompts, 720p or 1080p, and 10 requests per minute in the documented region. Longer films still require editing and continuity work outside the model.

Veo is strongest for short, directed shots where synchronized audio, reference images, frame transitions, vertical framing, or Google Cloud deployment matter. Spoken audio can fail in short clips, continuity requires external editing, and Google publishes different terms for consumer, API, and Cloud routes. OpenAI Sora is the closest high-profile alternative, while Hailuo AI and Runway target similar text-to-video workflows. Google’s documented features distinguish Veo through native audio, frame controls, scene extension, and Cloud integration, but they do not prove universal image-quality leadership. Choose Veo if Google services fit your production stack and you need a paid API priced by generated second. Choose Sora, Hailuo, or Runway when their editing tools, plans, or licensing terms better fit the project.

Hailuo AI is MiniMax’s consumer video generation service, operated internationally through Nanonoble Pte. Ltd. MiniMax was founded in 2021 by former SenseTime researchers. Reuters reported in 2023 that MiniMax was raising more than $250 million at an approximately $1.2 billion valuation. Fortune reported an Alibaba-led financing round of at least $600 million in 2024 at a valuation above $2.5 billion. Independent reporting places Hailuo Video 01’s launch in September 2024. Hailuo remains active across web, mobile, and API access. Its primary audience is creators producing short clips. The subscription structure combines monthly credits, queue priority, watermark removal, and access to MiniMax video models, making the service oriented toward iterative short-form production rather than full long-form editing workflows.

A typical Hailuo workflow begins with a text prompt or source image, followed by choices for model, duration, and resolution. Hailuo 2.3 supports text-to-video and image-to-video generation at 768p for six or ten seconds, and at 1080p for six seconds. The API accepts prompts of up to 2,000 characters and supports pan, truck, push, pull, pedestal, tilt, zoom, shake, tracking, and static-shot commands. Frame controls include Start and End Frame and End Frame Only. Free accounts can queue three tasks and generate one video at a time. Paid accounts can queue five tasks and generate two videos simultaneously. These limits distinguish unpaid experimentation from higher-throughput workflows for creators and developers producing multiple variations.

Hailuo’s short outputs and credit accounting suit social posts, product concepts, and repeated visual experiments more than finished narrative production. Google Veo offers native audio, reference images, first and last frame controls, scene extension, and 4K options. OpenAI Sora targets higher-end generation with longer reported output ceilings, while Kling AI emphasizes longer sequenced creation and audio features. Hailuo’s terms grant paid subscribers commercial-use rights, while also granting MiniMax and its affiliates a broad perpetual license over submitted and generated content. Privacy retention and training practices require review before confidential uploads. Pick Hailuo for inexpensive short clips, 1080p output, camera commands, and frame controls, especially when rapid visual testing matters more than integrated editing, audio, or extended sequence production.