Best AI video generators with a free plan
Updated 16 Oct 2026 · Prices from vendor pages only · How we rank →
The short answer
Each of these generative video tools has a free plan we confirmed on its pricing page. Leonardo.Ai comes first: image and video generation platform with fine-tuned models; owned by Canva. The cheapest verified paid plan here is Pika Starter ($10/month ($8 annual)). 5 of the 5 have a free plan we could confirm. Every price below is from the vendor’s own page, checked 16 Oct 2026.
Ranked shortlist
- Leonardo.Ai: Image and video generation platform with fine-tuned models; owned by Canva. Plan: Free: $0/month
150 tokens/day - Runway: Leading video models with clear credit-based plans and mobile apps. Plan: Free: $0
125 one-time credits - Pika: Text- and image-to-video generator with effects for short social clips. Plan: Free: $0
Credit packs only - Hedra: Generates talking-character videos from an image and audio. Plan: Not yet verified
- LTX Studio: Lightricks' storyboard-to-video production tool built on LTX models. Plan: Free: $0
800 one-time credits
Tools come from several ToolRank categories, so they are grouped by category and then by each category’s editorial rank. Anything we couldn’t confirm on a vendor page says “Not yet verified”.
Side by side
| Rank | Tool | Relevant plan | Starting price | Free plan | Best for | Main limitation | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Leonardo.Ai | Free: $0/month 150 tokens/day | $12/month (Essential) | Free: $0/month, 150 fast tokens/day, public creations | Image and video generation with trainable models | Free-tier creations are public; listed prices exclude tax and the monthly/yearly toggle state was not confirmed | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #2 | Runway | Free: $0 125 one-time credits | $12/month (Standard, billed annually; $15 monthly) | 125 one-time credits, 5GB storage | Creators and studios producing AI video | Free plan is 125 one-time credits; video seconds per plan are limited. | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #3 | Pika | Free: $0 Credit packs only | $8/month (Starter, annual; $10 monthly) | Free: $0, no monthly credits (credit packs only), 2 parallel video generations | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #4 | Hedra | Not yet verified | $20/month (billed monthly) | Free plan, no credit card (per pricing page title) | Talking-character videos from images and audio | Credits limit output | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #5 | LTX Studio | Free: $0 800 one-time credits | $12/month (Lite, billed yearly $144; $15 monthly) | Free: $0 forever, 800 one-time credits | Storyboarding and AI video production | Free credits are one-time, not monthly | 16 Oct 2026 |
Prices as listed by each vendor on the last-checked date, USD, before tax. Plans and limits change, so follow the sources below.
Who should pick which
Pick Leonardo.Ai for image and video generation with trainable models (Free: $0/month). Watch out: free-tier creations are public; listed prices exclude tax and the monthly/yearly toggle state was not confirmed. Pick Runway for creators and studios producing AI video (Free: $0); think twice if you need long-form video on a small budget. Pika (Free: $0): Text- and image-to-video generator with effects for short social clips. Pick Hedra for talking-character videos from images and audio ($20/month (billed monthly)). Watch out: credits limit output. Pick LTX Studio for storyboarding and AI video production (Free: $0). Watch out: free credits are one-time, not monthly.
FAQ
Which of these is cheapest?
Pika Starter ($10/month ($8 annual)) is the lowest paid price we verified on this list (https://pika.art/pricing, checked 16 Oct 2026). Check the vendor page for tax, billing period and usage limits.
Which of these have a free plan?
Leonardo.Ai: Free: $0/month, 150 fast tokens/day, public creations; Runway: 125 one-time credits, 5GB storage; Pika: Free: $0, no monthly credits (credit packs only), 2 parallel video generations; Hedra: Free plan, no credit card (per pricing page title); LTX Studio: Free: $0 forever, 800 one-time credits.
How were these tools chosen?
They are the tools in ToolRank's rankings with a free plan for generative video, confirmed on the vendor's own website on 16 Oct 2026. Tools we could not verify are left out rather than guessed, and anything unconfirmed is marked Not yet verified.
Sources
- Leonardo.Ai: Leonardo.Ai pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
- Runway: Runway pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
- Pika: Pika pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
- Hedra: Hedra pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
- LTX Studio: LTX Studio pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
Related comparisons
Profiles: Leonardo.Ai · Runway · Pika · Hedra · LTX Studio
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