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

  1. Leonardo.Ai: Image and video generation platform with fine-tuned models; owned by Canva. Plan: Free: $0/month
    150 tokens/day
  2. Runway: Leading video models with clear credit-based plans and mobile apps. Plan: Free: $0
    125 one-time credits
  3. Pika: Text- and image-to-video generator with effects for short social clips. Plan: Free: $0
    Credit packs only
  4. Hedra: Generates talking-character videos from an image and audio. Plan: Not yet verified
  5. 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

RankToolRelevant planStarting priceFree planBest forMain limitationLast checked
#1Leonardo.AiFree: $0/month
150 tokens/day
$12/month (Essential)Free: $0/month, 150 fast tokens/day, public creationsImage and video generation with trainable modelsFree-tier creations are public; listed prices exclude tax and the monthly/yearly toggle state was not confirmed16 Oct 2026
#2RunwayFree: $0
125 one-time credits
$12/month (Standard, billed annually; $15 monthly)125 one-time credits, 5GB storageCreators and studios producing AI videoFree plan is 125 one-time credits; video seconds per plan are limited.16 Oct 2026
#3PikaFree: $0
Credit packs only
$8/month (Starter, annual; $10 monthly)Free: $0, no monthly credits (credit packs only), 2 parallel video generationsNot yet verifiedNot yet verified16 Oct 2026
#4HedraNot yet verified$20/month (billed monthly)Free plan, no credit card (per pricing page title)Talking-character videos from images and audioCredits limit output16 Oct 2026
#5LTX StudioFree: $0
800 one-time credits
$12/month (Lite, billed yearly $144; $15 monthly)Free: $0 forever, 800 one-time creditsStoryboarding and AI video productionFree credits are one-time, not monthly16 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

Related comparisons

Profiles: Leonardo.Ai · Runway · Pika · Hedra · LTX Studio

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