{
  "checked_date": "2026-08-29",
  "source_dataset": "https://aivideosignal.com/assets/ai-video-research-dataset-2026.csv",
  "methodology": "https://aivideosignal.com/how-we-review/",
  "warning": "Starting/reference prices are not a cost-per-output ranking. Billing cadence, promotions, included usage and vendor credit units differ.",
  "metrics": [
    {
      "metric": "providers_in_dataset",
      "value": 14,
      "denominator": 14,
      "definition": "Providers represented in the dated research dataset",
      "notes": "Includes AI video, repurposing and voice/video-adjacent platforms."
    },
    {
      "metric": "providers_with_some_free_entry_signal",
      "value": 13,
      "denominator": 14,
      "definition": "Rows whose dated provider reference indicates a free plan, free access or “start for free”",
      "notes": "Free access does not imply commercial-use rights or unrestricted export."
    },
    {
      "metric": "providers_with_normalized_paid_start_price",
      "value": 11,
      "denominator": 14,
      "definition": "Providers with an explicit paid monthly or monthly-equivalent public reference normalized for this benchmark",
      "notes": "Excludes Vizard, Hypernatural and Google Veo where a stable comparable public figure was not normalized."
    },
    {
      "metric": "median_paid_start_reference_usd",
      "value": 15.0,
      "denominator": 11,
      "definition": "Median of the 11 normalized paid starting/reference prices",
      "notes": "Sticker-price benchmark only; not cost per approved output."
    },
    {
      "metric": "minimum_paid_start_reference_usd",
      "value": 6.0,
      "denominator": 11,
      "definition": "Lowest normalized paid starting/reference price",
      "notes": "ElevenLabs Starter in the dated dataset."
    },
    {
      "metric": "maximum_paid_start_reference_usd",
      "value": 29.0,
      "denominator": 11,
      "definition": "Highest normalized paid starting/reference price among normalized rows",
      "notes": "HeyGen Creator and Synthesia Starter in the dated dataset."
    },
    {
      "metric": "verified_affiliate_tracking_rows",
      "value": 7,
      "denominator": 14,
      "definition": "Rows where AI Video Signal had a verified affiliate tracking link",
      "notes": "Affiliate status contributes zero points to editorial scoring."
    },
    {
      "metric": "free_plan_explicitly_noncommercial",
      "value": 3,
      "denominator": 14,
      "definition": "Rows explicitly normalized as no commercial use on free",
      "notes": "Fliki, ElevenLabs and OpusClip in the dated dataset."
    },
    {
      "metric": "paid_commercial_use_explicit_yes",
      "value": 4,
      "denominator": 14,
      "definition": "Rows explicitly normalized as yes for paid commercial use",
      "notes": "Other rows may be unclear, caution or not normalized; this is not a “no” count."
    },
    {
      "metric": "providers_with_explicit_generation_unit_economics",
      "value": 4,
      "denominator": 14,
      "definition": "Providers with dated, explicit per-second or duration/resolution generation economics usable in the dataset",
      "notes": "Runway, Kling AI, Pika API reference and Hailuo AI. Units remain vendor-specific."
    }
  ],
  "normalized_price_references": [
    {
      "provider": "ElevenLabs",
      "usd_reference": 6.0,
      "reference_type": "Starter monthly",
      "source": "https://elevenlabs.io/pricing",
      "notes": "Monthly public reference."
    },
    {
      "provider": "Kling AI",
      "usd_reference": 8.8,
      "reference_type": "Standard renewal",
      "source": "https://kling.ai/blog/kling-video-3-0-credit-cost-guide",
      "notes": "Uses renewal reference; provider also showed a $6.99 intro price."
    },
    {
      "provider": "Pika",
      "usd_reference": 10.0,
      "reference_type": "Standard monthly",
      "source": "https://pika.art/pricing?interval=month",
      "notes": "Creator-plan public reference."
    },
    {
      "provider": "Hailuo AI",
      "usd_reference": 14.99,
      "reference_type": "Standard monthly",
      "source": "https://hailuoai.video/doc/payment-policy.html",
      "notes": "Subscription-terms reference; promotional pages can differ."
    },
    {
      "provider": "Runway",
      "usd_reference": 15.0,
      "reference_type": "Standard monthly",
      "source": "https://runway.com/pricing",
      "notes": "Monthly public reference; annualized price is lower."
    },
    {
      "provider": "OpusClip",
      "usd_reference": 15.0,
      "reference_type": "Starter monthly",
      "source": "https://www.opus.pro/pricing",
      "notes": "Monthly public reference."
    },
    {
      "provider": "InVideo AI",
      "usd_reference": 17.0,
      "reference_type": "Plus monthly-equivalent",
      "source": "https://invideo.io/pricing/",
      "notes": "Displayed monthly-equivalent with annual billing in the dated dataset."
    },
    {
      "provider": "Submagic",
      "usd_reference": 19.0,
      "reference_type": "Starter monthly",
      "source": "https://www.submagic.co/pricing",
      "notes": "Monthly public reference; annualized price is lower."
    },
    {
      "provider": "Fliki",
      "usd_reference": 28.0,
      "reference_type": "Standard monthly",
      "source": "https://fliki.ai/pricing",
      "notes": "Monthly public reference."
    },
    {
      "provider": "HeyGen",
      "usd_reference": 29.0,
      "reference_type": "Creator monthly",
      "source": "https://www.heygen.com/pricing",
      "notes": "Monthly public reference; annualized price is lower."
    },
    {
      "provider": "Synthesia",
      "usd_reference": 29.0,
      "reference_type": "Starter monthly",
      "source": "https://www.synthesia.io/pricing",
      "notes": "Monthly public reference."
    }
  ]
}