SCENARIO · 30-SECOND SPOT
What a 30-second AI ad really costs
| Production route | Generation cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All premium (Veo 3.1 Standard, ×2 retakes) | $24.00 | Broadcast polish, native audio |
| Mixed: premium dialogue + mid-tier product shots | ≈ $14 | The professional default |
| All mid-tier (Sora 2, ×2) | $6.00 | Concept testing grade |
| Traditional small production | $2,000–15,000 | Crew, location, edit |
Rates shown at each model's base tier, verified July 2026 from official vendor pricing pages and documentation. Vendors change prices without notice — see methodology.
The anatomy of a $14 commercial
A 30-second spot is typically 5–7 shots: one or two dialogue/spokesperson moments, two or three product shots, connective atmosphere. Route dialogue to Veo 3.1 (lip-sync is non-negotiable in ads), anchor product frames to real photos on Sora 2 Pro image-to-video, and fill atmosphere from the mid tier. With realistic retakes that lands at $12–18 in generation.
Where the real budget goes
Generation is now the cheapest line item. The spend that remains: creative concepting, editing and grading, music licensing, voiceover if not native, and — for paid placement — the media budget itself, which dwarfs production. The strategic consequence: test more concepts. When a commercial costs $14 instead of $8,000, producing five and airing the best one is the rational default. Full testing workflow in best AI for ads.
Run your own numbers. The cost calculator applies your clip length, resolution and a realistic retake buffer across every model at once.