HEAD TO HEAD
Sora 2 vs Veo 3.1: which is worth your budget?
Sora 2 — OpenAI
Veo 3.1 — Google
| Sora 2 | Veo 3.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| $ / second (base) | $0.10 | $0.40 |
| 10-second clip | $1.00 | $4.00 |
| 1 minute of output | $6.00 | $24.00 |
| Native audio | Yes | Yes |
| Max clip length | 12s | 8s |
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 verdict
This is the premium showdown. Sora 2 wins on price flexibility: $0.10/s standard gives you an iteration tier Veo simply doesn't match at Standard quality, and Pro at $0.30–0.50/s still undercuts Veo 3.1 Standard's $0.40/s at 720p. Veo 3.1 answers with the best lip-sync in the market and Veo 3.1 Fast at $0.15/s as its own iteration tier. Rule of thumb: dialogue and talking humans → Veo; physics, action and cost-controlled iteration → Sora 2.
Whichever you pick, apply a retake multiplier before budgeting: the model that gets your specific shot right in fewer attempts is often the cheaper one in practice, regardless of sticker price. Full tier breakdowns: Sora 2 pricing and Veo 3.1 pricing.
Run your own numbers. The cost calculator applies your clip length, resolution and a realistic retake buffer across every model at once.