AI Video Model Benchmark (October 2026)
We ran the same two prompts on every Kensa video model except Kling 3 on October 31, 2026. Cheapest clip: Grok Image Video at 5 credits ($0.27). Fastest: MiniMax H3 at about 47 seconds. Sharpest output: MiniMax H3 at 1344×768. Every clip came with sound. Below are all twelve clips, what each cost and what each model got right or wrong.
By Alex Xu, founder of Kensa · Tested October 31, 2026
How we tested
- Two prompts — one animal-and-motion scene, one product shot — sent unchanged to each model, text-to-video, 16:9.
- Each model at its default Kensa settings: 8-second clips (Grok's shortest option is 6 seconds), the default resolution tier.
- Generation time is measured from submission to the finished file at the model provider; queueing and upload on Kensa's side are not included.
- One run per model and prompt. AI video output varies from run to run, so treat single clips as examples, not verdicts. We re-run this test every month.
- Not tested: Kling 3 (under maintenance on Kensa during this round).
Animal and motion
Prompt
A golden retriever puppy chases soap bubbles across a sunlit backyard lawn, paws kicking up blades of grass, bubbles popping with soft sounds, low tracking camera alongside the puppy, warm afternoon light, cinematic.
| Model | Settings | Credits | ≈ USD | Generation time | Output | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veo 3.1 | 8s | 13 | $0.69 | 90s | 1280×720 | Yes |
| Seedance 2.0 | 8s · 480P | 62 | $3.30 | 190s | 864×496 | Yes |
| Seedance 2.5 | 8s · 480P | 83 | $4.42 | 157s | 854×480 | Yes |
| MiniMax H3 | 8s · 768P | 20 | $1.06 | 47s | 1344×768 | Yes |
| Seedance 1.5 Pro | 8s · 720P | 32 | $1.70 | 121s | 1280×720 | Yes |
| Grok Image Video | 6s · 480P | 5 | $0.27 | 57s | 752×416 | Yes |
Veo 3.190s · 13 credits
Richest light and the most bubbles, but mid-clip the puppy's head merges into a bubble — a visible artifact.
Seedance 2.0190s · 62 credits
Clean and consistent: the puppy keeps its shape, bubbles drift past, the camera pushes in. Softer at 480P.
Seedance 2.5157s · 83 credits
The puppy runs toward the camera; bubbles are faint. At 480P it is the softest image here — 2.5 is better judged at 720P/1080P.
MiniMax H347s · 20 credits
Fastest and highest resolution; the most natural running motion, but it mostly ignores the bubbles.
Seedance 1.5 Pro121s · 32 credits
Follows the prompt closely — puppy, bubbles, fence and grass all there — with steady motion.
Grok Image Video57s · 5 credits
Playful and on-prompt — the puppy really chases the bubbles — at the lowest resolution and price.
Product shot
Prompt
A glass bottle of sparkling orange soda stands on a wet black stone slab, ice cubes tumble around it in slow motion and droplets splash outward, studio lighting with a warm rim light, macro lens, premium commercial style.
| Model | Settings | Credits | ≈ USD | Generation time | Output | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veo 3.1 | 8s | 13 | $0.69 | 101s | 1280×720 | Yes |
| Seedance 2.0 | 8s · 480P | 62 | $3.30 | 233s | 864×496 | Yes |
| Seedance 2.5 | 8s · 480P | 83 | $4.42 | 166s | 854×480 | Yes |
| MiniMax H3 | 8s · 768P | 20 | $1.06 | 47s | 1344×768 | Yes |
| Seedance 1.5 Pro | 8s · 720P | 32 | $1.70 | 110s | 1280×720 | Yes |
| Grok Image Video | 6s · 480P | 5 | $0.27 | 69s | 752×416 | Yes |
Veo 3.1101s · 13 credits
Convincing ice and condensation, but the framing crops off the top of the bottle.
Seedance 2.0233s · 62 credits
Good splashes and falling ice; the bottle top is also cropped. The slowest run in this round.
Seedance 2.5166s · 83 credits
Slow-motion ice floating around a tightly framed bottle; cropped at the top like Veo and Seedance 2.0.
MiniMax H347s · 20 credits
Whole bottle in frame and a big pile of ice, but the drink reads pale yellow rather than orange.
Seedance 1.5 Pro110s · 32 credits
Most ad-like composition with fizz bursting from the neck — but it invents a brand-style label you would need to remove.
Grok Image Video69s · 5 credits
Clean studio look and splash, though the bottle and color read more like beer than orange soda.
Which model should you pick?
- Lowest cost per clip: Grok Image Video (5 credits). Veo 3.1 is the cheapest 8-second clip with sound at 13 credits.
- Fastest turnaround: MiniMax H3, about 47 seconds in this test — also the sharpest output here.
- Longest clips: Seedance 2.5, up to 30 seconds (not tested at that length here).
- Closest to the prompt in this round: Seedance 1.5 Pro and Grok Image Video drew the bubbles the puppy was meant to chase; for the product shot, check the framing — three models cropped the bottle top.
Raw data
Download every measurement as CSV (credits at the prices in effect on the test date).
Download CSVTry the same prompt
Paste either prompt into the generator and pick a model.
Open the text-to-video generator →Questions about this benchmark
Which AI video model on Kensa is the cheapest?
In this test, Grok Image Video cost the least per clip: 5 credits ($0.27 at the Starter Pack rate) for a 6-second clip. For an 8-second clip with sound, Veo 3.1 at 13 credits was the cheapest.
Which model generates the fastest?
MiniMax H3 returned both clips in about 47 seconds. The slowest runs took close to four minutes.
Is a single clip a fair comparison?
No single clip is. We used the same prompt and each model's default settings, but AI video varies between runs. Watch the clips, read the notes, and expect your own results to differ. We repeat the test monthly.
Can I reproduce this test?
Yes. Both prompts are printed above, the settings are in the table, and the raw data is available as a CSV download.