ClipCost · xAI API (Grok Imagine) pricing · Kling pricing · Kling API pricing · Runway pricing · Grok Imagine cost · Grok Imagine vs Veo cost · Grok Imagine vs Wan cost · Grok Imagine vs Seedance cost · Grok Imagine vs LTX cost · Grok Imagine vs Hailuo cost · Kling 3.0 cost per video · Kling API pricing guide · Hailuo vs Kling cost · Wan vs Kling cost · AI video API pricing · Published Oct 29, 2026 · Prices checked Oct 29, 2026 · Ranked rates from verified data (JSON)

Grok Imagine vs Kling cost: xAI Grok Imagine 1.5 and 1.5 Lite vs Kling 3.0, 2.6 and O3, per second and per clip

xAI’s Grok Imagine Video 1.5 / 1.5 Lite and Kling (3.0, 3.0 Turbo, 3.0 Omni / O3, 2.6, 2.5 Turbo) both bill by the second. Here is every verified rate — the xAI API, Kling’s app, Kling’s own API, the Runway API and the Runway app — priced per 10s, 20s, 30s and 60s clip with the retries you will actually need.

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Affiliate disclosure: some links on ClipCost may be affiliate links; if you sign up we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes the numbers — every price below comes from the official pages listed under Sources.

Quick answer

Grok Imagine is cheaper at 480p and 720p; Kling is cheaper at 1080p and in the flagship tier. Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite on xAI’s API is $0.02 per second at 480p and $0.03 at 720p, audio included — $1.80 and $2.70 per usable 30-second clip (3 attempts; #1 and #5= of all 210 rates we rank). Kling’s cheapest 720p with audio, Kling 3.0 in Kling’s app, is 9 credits per second ($8.10, #55=), 3.0× Grok Lite; silent Kling 2.6 Standard mode ties Grok Lite 720p at $2.70. At 1080p Kling wins: Kling 3.0 1080p with audio is $10.80 in Kling’s app vs $12.60 for Grok Lite’s upscaled 1080p and $22.50 for native 1080p Grok Imagine 1.5 (about 2.1× Kling). Kling wins 8 of 16 match-ups, Grok 6, 2 ties; on the Runway API Grok Lite is cheaper, in the Runway app Kling is. Only Kling makes 4K; only Grok lists 480p.

Basis: usable = 3 attempts (1 + 2 retries) at the list price per second, as in our calculator. Rank = position among the 210 verified usable-30s rates in our verified data (ties share a rank); API # = position among the 138 rates on AI video API pricing. Kling app credits are valued at the Standard plan’s annual price ($6.60/mo for 660 = $0.01 per credit); Runway app rows use Standard annual credits ($12/mo for 625 = $0.0192 per credit, runway.com/pricing). Cost only — no quality ranking.

Grok Imagine vs Kling head-to-head (usable 30-second clip)

Kling wins 8 of 16 counted match-ups (1080p, the flagship tier and the Runway app), Grok Imagine 6 (480p/720p and the Runway API) and 2 are ties (cheapest silent clip, $0.03 vs 3 credits; Kling’s API 1080p with audio vs Grok Lite’s upscaled 1080p, $0.14). Every Grok Imagine rate includes generated audio; Kling rows say whether audio is on. 4K (Kling only) is not counted.

Every Grok Imagine and Kling route, cheapest first

Runway app rows on Max annual credits ($0.008 per credit): Grok Imagine 1.5 480p $7.20, 720p $11.52; Kling 3.0 Std no audio $6.48, with audio $9.36. Grok Imagine 1.5 app rows (image-to-video, per the Runway Academy credits page) and Runway API rows are official prices not in our usable-30s ranking (“would be #”); Runway API kling3.0_* rows are not in the API ranking yet either. Runway charges +1 credit per image or audio reference for Grok. Flag: the Runway Academy page lists Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite in the app at 10 / 15 / 70 credits per second while the Runway API lists 2 / 3 / 14; we could not confirm which applies in the app, so those rows are left out. Kling does not state a resolution for Kling 2.6 Standard / Professional mode in the app, and Runway does not state one for Kling 3.0 Std / Pro. Kling 4.0 (Runway API promo 12.56 / 18.8 credits per second through Nov 30, 2026 UTC) is on Kling 4.0 cost, not here.

Cost per 10s, 20s, 30s and 60s clip: try and usable

Per-second billing for every row. Grok Imagine makes 1–15 seconds per generation (default 8, xAI video generation guide); Kling 3.0 makes 3–15 seconds and Kling 2.6 / 2.5 Turbo 5 or 10 seconds. A 30-second video is two Grok or Kling 3.0 generations, or three 10-second Kling 2.6 generations, at the same per-second price.

Which to pick (on cost)

• Cheapest drafts and Shorts with sound: Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite on xAI, $1.80 at 480p or $2.70 at 720p per usable 30s — see xAI API (Grok Imagine) pricing and Grok Imagine cost.
• 1080p with audio: Kling 3.0 in Kling’s app ($10.80); Grok Lite’s 1080p is 720p upscaled ($12.60) — see Kling pricing and Kling 3.0 cost per video.
• Silent B-roll at 1080p: Kling 2.6 or 2.5 Turbo 1080p on Kling’s API ($6.30) or Kling 3.0 1080p no audio in the app ($7.20).
• Building on an API: Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite on xAI up to 720p; for 1080p with audio Kling 3.0 Turbo on Kling’s API ties Grok Lite at $0.14 and native Kling 3.0 1080p ($15.12) beats native Grok Imagine 1.5 ($22.50) — see Kling API pricing, Kling API tool page and Cheapest AI video API.
• 4K: Kling only — Kling 3.0 4K on Kling’s API ($37.80).
• Already paying for Runway: Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite on the Runway API (same price as xAI); in the app, Kling 3.0 Std ($22.46 with audio) over Grok Imagine 1.5 ($27.65 at 720p). Both are cheaper bought direct. See Runway pricing and Runway models ranked by cost.

Related: calculator · Runway vs Kling vs Pika vs Veo · AI video pricing comparison · AI video API pricing · Cheapest AI video API · Cheapest AI video generator · Grok Imagine cost · Grok Imagine vs Veo cost · Kling 3.0 cost per video · Kling O3 cost · Kling 4.0 cost · Kling credits explained · Hailuo vs Kling cost · Wan vs Kling cost · Seedance vs Kling cost · Kling vs Veo cost · Runway API pricing · AI video for TikTok/Shorts cost · FAQ.

Sources (checked Oct 29, 2026)

• xAI API pricing — grok-imagine-video-1.5 $0.08 / $0.14 / $0.25 and grok-imagine-video-1.5-lite $0.02 / $0.03 / $0.14 per second at 480p / 720p / 1080p, +$0.01 per input image. Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite model page — 1080p is rendered at 720p and upscaled (checked Oct 27, 2026). xAI video generation guide — 1 to 15 seconds per generation; generate_audio=false for a silent clip.
• Kling VIDEO 3.0 guide — VIDEO 3.0 12 / 9 credits per second with native audio and 8 / 6 without (1080p / 720p), +2 for voice control. Kling VIDEO 2.6 guide — VIDEO 2.6 10 credits per second with audio, 5 without (Professional), 3 (Standard mode). Kling membership plans — Standard $79.20/year for 660 credits a month (verified Oct 17, 2026).
• Kling API video pricing — list price 1 unit = $0.14, per second of output: Kling 3.0 $0.084 / $0.112 no audio, $0.126 / $0.168 with audio (720p / 1080p), 4K $0.42; Kling 3.0 Turbo with audio $0.112 / $0.14; Kling 3.0 Omni (no reference video) $0.084 / $0.112 no audio, $0.112 / $0.14 with audio, 4K $0.42; Kling 2.6 $0.042 / $0.07 no audio, $0.14 with audio (1080p); Kling 2.5 Turbo $0.042 / $0.07.
• Runway API pricing — grok_imagine_1_5_lite 2 / 3 / 14, grok_imagine_1_5 10 / 16 / 29 credits per second (480p / 720p / 1080p, +1 credit per reference); kling3.0_standard 9 / 13, kling3.0_pro 12 / 17 (no audio / audio), kling3.0_4k 43, klingO3_standard / _pro / _4k 13 / 17 / 43, kling2.5_turbo_pro 12; $0.01 per credit. Runway Academy credits page — Grok Imagine 1.5 10 / 16 / 29; Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite 10 / 15 / 70 (conflicts with the API, see flag); Kling 3.0 Std 9 / 13, Pro 12 / 17, 3.0 Turbo 14 / 16, O3 13 / 17 / 43, 2.6 Pro 25, 2.5 Turbo 10, 2.5 Turbo Pro 12 / 15. runway.com/pricing — plan prices (last re-checked Oct 25, 2026).

FAQ

Is Grok Imagine or Kling cheaper?

It depends on resolution (checked Oct 29, 2026). At 480p and 720p Grok Imagine is cheaper: Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite on xAI's API is $0.02 per second at 480p and $0.03 at 720p with audio included, $1.80 and $2.70 per usable 30-second clip with 2 retries, against $8.10 for Kling 3.0 720p with native audio in Kling's app (9 credits per second). At 1080p and in the flagship tier Kling is cheaper: Kling 3.0 1080p with audio is $10.80 in Kling's app vs $12.60 for Grok Lite's upscaled 1080p and $22.50 for native 1080p Grok Imagine 1.5. Kling wins 8 of the 16 match-ups we price, Grok 6, with 2 ties.

How much does a 30-second video with sound cost on Grok Imagine vs Kling?

With 2 retries (3 attempts), a usable 30-second clip with audio costs $1.80 on Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite 480p, $2.70 at 720p, $12.60 on Grok Imagine 1.5 720p and $22.50 at native 1080p (xAI API). On Kling it is $8.10 for Kling 3.0 720p and $10.80 for 1080p in Kling's app (credits valued at the Standard annual plan, $0.01 each), or $10.08 / $11.34 for Kling 3.0 Turbo / Kling 3.0 at 720p and $15.12 for Kling 3.0 1080p on Kling's own API. One 30-second try is a third of that. Both make up to 15 seconds per generation, so 30 seconds is two generations.

Is Kling cheaper than Grok Imagine if I don't need audio?

Mostly, yes, because Grok Imagine has no silent price: generate_audio=false gives a silent clip at the same per-second price. Kling 2.6 Standard mode with no audio is 3 credits per second ($2.70 usable 30s), a tie with Grok Lite 720p ($2.70); only Grok Lite 480p ($1.80) is cheaper. At 1080p silent Kling is far cheaper: Kling 2.6 or 2.5 Turbo 1080p on Kling's API is $0.07 per second ($6.30) and Kling 3.0 1080p no audio is 8 credits per second in the app ($7.20), against $12.60 for Grok Lite's upscaled 1080p.

Which is cheaper at 1080p and 4K, Grok Imagine or Kling?

Kling. Kling 3.0 1080p with native audio is 12 credits per second in Kling's app ($10.80 usable 30s) and $0.14 per second for Kling 3.0 Turbo 1080p on Kling's API ($12.60), against $0.14 for Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite 1080p, which xAI renders at 720p and upscales ($12.60, a tie on the API), and $0.25 for native 1080p Grok Imagine 1.5 ($22.50). Grok Imagine has no 4K; Kling 3.0 4K on Kling's API is $0.42 per second ($37.80) with or without audio.

Is Grok Imagine or Kling cheaper on Runway?

On the Runway API, Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite: grok_imagine_1_5_lite costs 2 / 3 / 14 credits per second (480p / 720p / 1080p) at $0.01 a credit, against 9 / 13 for kling3.0_standard and 12 / 17 for kling3.0_pro (without / with audio); only the 1080p flagship goes to Kling (grok_imagine_1_5 1080p 29 credits vs kling3.0_pro with audio 17). In the Runway app Kling is cheaper: Kling 3.0 Std is 9 credits per second without audio and 13 with, against 10 / 16 / 29 for Grok Imagine 1.5 (480p / 720p / 1080p, image-to-video). On Standard annual credits ($12 for 625) a usable 30-second clip is $22.46 with Kling 3.0 Std with audio vs $27.65 with Grok Imagine 1.5 720p. The Runway app lists Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite at 10 / 15 / 70 credits, which conflicts with the API's 2 / 3 / 14, so check the credit cost in the app before you generate.

How do Grok Imagine and Kling bill you?

xAI's API bills US dollars per second of generated video from prepaid API credits, one price per resolution with audio included (lip-synced speech on by default), plus $0.01 per input image. Kling's app spends credits per second (Kling 3.0: 6 to 12 credits per second by resolution and audio, +2 for voice control; Kling 2.6: 3 to 10); ClipCost values them at the Standard annual plan's $0.01 per credit (plan prices last verified Oct 17, 2026). Kling's own API deducts prepaid units at a $0.14 list price per unit, billed per second of output; failed generations deduct no units. Kling 4.0 is not compared here because its price is a Runway promo through November 30, 2026 UTC.