Sora vs Veo: OpenAI vs Google in AI Video Generation
Verdict
Sora 2 Pro and Veo 3.1 are the two highest-quality AI video models available. Sora excels at cinematic composition and physics; Veo excels at audio generation and longer durations. Both are premium-priced. The choice depends on your specific needs.
TL;DR
Sora 2 Pro and Google Veo 3.1 represent the pinnacle of AI video generation in 2026. Sora leads on cinematic quality and physics understanding. Veo leads on audio generation (native sound effects and dialogue) and supports longer clips (up to 30 seconds). Both cost roughly $0.30-0.50 per second. It’s a genuine tie — your choice depends on whether you need sound or cinematic polish.
Sora Overview
OpenAI’s Sora 2 (released September 2025) set the standard for AI video quality. The Pro tier ($0.30-0.50/sec) produces remarkably realistic motion with accurate physics simulation. It understands complex prompts describing camera movement, lighting changes, and multi-subject interactions. Maximum duration is 21 seconds at 1080p.
OpenAI removed Sora’s free tier in January 2026, making it a purely premium offering. The Lite variant ($0.10/sec) provides a budget option with lower quality.
Veo Overview
Google’s Veo 3.1 (available through Google AI Studio and via API) competes directly with Sora on quality. Its standout feature is native audio generation — Veo can produce synchronized sound effects, ambient noise, and even dialogue. This is something no other major video model offers. Maximum duration reaches 30 seconds, longer than Sora’s 21-second limit.
Veo 3.1 costs approximately $0.40/sec through the API. It’s available free in limited quantities through Google AI Studio.
Comparison
| Aspect | Sora 2 Pro | Veo 3.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | |
| Quality | Excellent | Excellent |
| Max Duration | 21 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Resolution | Up to 1080p | Up to 1080p |
| Audio Generation | No | Yes (native) |
| Physics | Best-in-class | Very good |
| Pricing | $0.30-0.50/sec | ~$0.40/sec |
| Free Tier | No (removed Jan 2026) | Limited (via AI Studio) |
| API | Via OpenAI API | Via Google AI Studio API |
| Text-to-Video | Yes | Yes |
| Image-to-Video | Yes | Yes |
Key Differences
Audio: Veo’s native audio generation is a genuine differentiator. If your videos need sound, Veo saves you a separate audio generation or editing step.
Duration: Veo supports up to 30 seconds vs Sora’s 21 seconds. For longer clips, Veo requires fewer stitching operations.
Cinematic Quality: Sora has a slight edge in cinematic composition — lighting, depth of field, and camera movement feel more intentional. Veo is close but occasionally produces flatter compositions.
Accessibility: Veo has a limited free tier through Google AI Studio. Sora has no free option since January 2026.
Verdict
This is a genuine tie. Both produce premium-quality AI video that’s significantly ahead of the mid-tier models.
Choose Sora if: You need the best cinematic composition and don’t need audio. Sora’s physics understanding is slightly superior.
Choose Veo if: You need native audio generation or longer clips (up to 30 seconds). The audio feature alone can justify the choice.
Or use Maginary for access to Sora alongside other video models (Kling, Seedance) through one pay-per-use platform with a streamlined, no-friction interface. Trigger Sora with --sora when you need maximum quality.
What is Maginary?
Maginary is an AI image and video generation platform that gives you access to multiple frontier models — Flux Pro, Ideogram, Recraft, Google Imagen, Kling, Sora, and more — through a single interface and API.
- ✓ Multi-model: Pick the best model for each job, or let Maginary choose
- ✓ Full editing pipeline: Generate → vary → upscale → zoom out → pan → video
- ✓ API-first: Full REST API for developers and automation
- ✓ No forced subscriptions: Pay-per-use credits, transparent pricing
- ✓ Prompt understanding: Works in any language, infers your intent without over-embellishing