Hailuo AI alternatives: 6 video generators with pricing you can read
Hailuo's price list changed several times in a year. Six alternatives that keep MiniMax-level value: Kling, Veo 3.1, PixVerse, Vidu, fal.ai and Imaginode.
Hailuo, MiniMax's video generator, won its users on two things: strong value for money and lively camera work that gives a few-second shot real energy. When those users start looking elsewhere, the most common reason is the price list.
Between 2025 and 2026, records show the Standard plan at $9.99, then $12.99, then $14.99, with a $7.99 introductory promotion, and tiers climbing to $199.99 a month. Monthly credits expire and a failed run consumes them. Budgeting a quarter of production turns into a guess.
The six tools below match specific profiles: keeping the MiniMax model but paying differently, switching to another model at a similar price, or industrialising through an API. Each entry says what you gain and what you give up compared with Hailuo. For a wider look around Kling, see also our Kling alternatives guide.
Why look for a Hailuo AI (MiniMax) alternative
The price list moves: the Standard plan went from $9.99 to $14.99 between 2025 and 2026, with first-month promotions that blur any comparison.
Monthly credits reset every cycle, and whatever is left is lost.
A failed generation consumes its credits.
The catalogue is limited to the MiniMax family (video, music, voice), so comparing a shot against Kling or Veo means switching tools.
Upper tiers climb fast, up to Ultra at $124.99 and Max at $199.99 a month.
Monthly entry prices taken from the official sites, on the date shown in each comparison. They change often: check before you pay.
The Imaginode canvas, in real conditions
Each Hailuo AI (MiniMax) alternative in detail
1. Imaginode
Best for MiniMax without a subscription
$7 with no subscription, or $17/mo
Imaginode carries MiniMax's video models, including MiniMax H3 Max at 48 credits for 5 seconds, under a rule built into the product: 1 credit is about $0.012, and the price is on the button before you click. The same shot can be re-run on Kling, Seedance or Veo 3.1 on the canvas to compare, and a failed generation is refunded automatically. Top-up credits (from $7 for 300) never expire; subscription credits last the paid period. The trade-off against Hailuo: new MiniMax versions reach the vendor's own app before platforms like ours.
Kling AI holds the same place as Hailuo for many creators: a top-tier model at a contained price. Its recorded list has four tiers (Standard $10, Pro $37, Premier $92, Ultra $180), up to 34% off annually, and a free tier with 66 credits a day. Monthly credits expire with no rollover, as at Hailuo. Kling is also in Imaginode (2.5 Turbo and V3) if you would rather pay per generation.
Google Flow gives you Veo 3.1 through Google AI plans: $7.99 a month for Veo 3.1 Fast on AI Plus, $19.99 with 1,000 Flow credits on AI Pro, and 50 free credits a day to test. Compared with Hailuo, Veo brings generated audio and storytelling tools (storyboard, shot extension). Price depends on tier and country, and Flow credits are spent even when a generation fails.
PixVerse plays in Hailuo's price range with a fuller bottom end: Standard at $10 for 1,200 credits, Pro at $30 for 6,000, Premium at $60. The free tier (60 credits a day) lets you judge the output before paying, and V6 generates multiple shots with native audio. In return, Standard stays at 720p, 1080p needs Pro, and credits reset every month.
Vidu answers the cost question another way: unlimited generation during off-peak hours on the models it selects, with a queue. If you can launch renders in the evening and collect them in the morning, no Hailuo plan competes. Paid plans start at $10 for 800 credits; plan credits last 30 days, purchased ones two years.
If you were calling the MiniMax API to produce in bulk, fal.ai is the route closest to raw cost: pay per call, no subscription, around $0.05 per second on Wan 2.5 and up to $0.40 on Veo 3, with prepaid credits valid for 365 days. It is built for developers: you code the chain of steps yourself, and a failed call is billed according to the call.
If Hailuo's look suits you and only the way you pay is the problem, keep the MiniMax models and change the till: Imaginode bills them per generation, with the price shown before each click. If you are on the $7.99 introductory offer and generating heavily this month, stay with Hailuo until it ends, because the unit cost is hard to beat.
If you want another model at the same price level, Kling AI and PixVerse are the natural candidates; test both on their free tiers with three prompts you know by heart. If your schedule allows it, Vidu's overnight unlimited changes the maths completely. And if you already pay for Google AI, Flow adds Veo 3.1 at a very low marginal cost.
For industrial volume driven by code, fal.ai or the MiniMax API direct remain the cheapest options. In every other case, price your typical month with the calculator before committing anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
Which Hailuo AI alternative keeps the same look?
The closest is still MiniMax itself: Imaginode carries MiniMax H3 and H3 Max in its catalogue, billed per generation. For a different model at the same price level, Kling is the natural candidate; compare both on the same shot before deciding.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Hailuo?
It depends on your rhythm. Vidu generates without limit off-peak, PixVerse starts at $10 for 1,200 credits, and Kling AI at $10 a month. For irregular use, a $7 Imaginode top-up (300 credits with no expiry date) covers six 5 second MiniMax H3 Max videos.
Why does Hailuo's pricing keep changing?
Successive records show the Standard plan at $9.99, $12.99 and then $14.99, plus first-month promotions. We don't know MiniMax's internal reasons. Check the official page on the day you subscribe, because every change to the list shifts your cost per clip.
Which free Hailuo alternative should I try?
Hailuo has a limited free tier, but others give more: Kling AI offers 66 credits a day, PixVerse 60 a day with a watermark, and Vidu unlimited off-peak generation. Imaginode gives 15 credits at sign-up, enough for three test images but not a video: the cheapest, Veo 3.1 Lite at 4 seconds, needs 24.
