Production budget desk · 2026
AI video costcalculator
$ / usable sec
Budget submitted attempts, not only the clips that reach the edit.
Choose a published API rate, set the number of finished shots and add a realistic retry assumption. The result separates accepted-output spend from rerolls and post-production costs.
01 · Choose a submitted-output rate
Official USD API rates checked 29 August 2026. Each preset names the exact route it prices.
02 · Describe the delivery target
03 · Estimated project cost
$21.60
To deliver 48 usable seconds from 12 accepted shots under the selected retry assumption.
- Submitted generations
- 36
- Rejected / retry attempts
- 24
- Cost per usable second
- $0.45
- Cost per usable minute
- $27.00
Generation: $21.60 · retries: $14.40 · other: $0.00
Verify selected rate ↗This is a planning estimate, not a ReelPulse performance result. It assumes every submitted attempt is billed and does not predict which model will produce the better shot.
Rate ledger
Exact route. Exact billing unit.
Rates checked 29 August 2026. Resolution, audio, duration and input mode can change the price within the same product.
| Model route | Priced configuration | Published unit | 5-second submission | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Runway Gen-4.5 | API output · up to 10 seconds | $0.12 / submitted second | $0.60 | Official price |
 Kling 3.0 Turbo | 1080p API output · native audio | $0.14 / submitted second | $0.70 | Official price |
 Sora 2 | Deprecated API · shutdown scheduled 24 September 2026 | $0.10 / submitted second | $0.50 | Official price |
| Sora 2 Pro | Deprecated API · shutdown scheduled 24 September 2026 | $0.30 / submitted second | $1.50 | Official price |
 Luma Ray 3.2 | 720p text-to-video / image-to-video · 5 seconds | $0.30 / submitted generation | $0.30 | Official price |
Budget method
Count what the audience can actually watch.
A generator invoices submitted output. A production delivers edited output. The difference is where retry risk lives.
- 01
Set the delivery
Count usable shots and the trimmed seconds each shot must contribute.
- 02
Estimate attempts
Use pilot logs if available; otherwise test a small locked scene before budgeting an episode.
- 03
Add the hidden work
Include upscaling, repair, audio, editing and platform costs outside generation.
Worked example · assumption, not benchmark
One accepted 5-second shot after three attempts.
At $0.12 per submitted second, each attempt costs $0.60. Three attempts cost $1.80. If the edit keeps four seconds, the generation cost is $0.45 per usable second—not $0.12.
$1.80 ÷ 4 usable seconds = $0.45
FAQ
Before approving the budget
How much does AI video cost per finished minute?
The submitted-output price is only the starting point. Finished-minute cost depends on the model rate, clip length, number of attempts, trimmed usable duration and any repair or upscaling. The calculator multiplies those inputs instead of treating one generated minute as one finished minute.
Why include retries in an AI video budget?
Because a rejected generation is normally still billed. If a production needs three attempts for every accepted shot, the direct generation cost is roughly three times the one-attempt price before editing and repair costs.
Is Runway or Kling cheaper for short drama production?
At the specific API routes shown here, Runway Gen-4.5 is $0.12 per submitted second and Kling 3.0 Turbo with native audio at 1080p is $0.14. That does not establish the cheaper finished sequence: different retry rates, audio work and continuity repair can reverse the result.
Does the calculator include subscription pricing?
No. The presets use official API output rates so each calculation has a clear unit. To model a subscription, choose Custom rate and divide the portion of the plan cost used by the submitted seconds in that production session.
Are the calculator presets benchmark results?
No. Presets are commercial price inputs from official documentation. Retry assumptions are entered by the user and do not claim that one tool succeeds more often than another.
Controlled test ledger
Replace budget assumptions with recorded attempts, rejects and usable seconds.
Make an AI short drama
Follow the production workflow from reference frames to finished coverage.
Runway vs Kling
Compare the two production routes beyond their submitted-output price.
All AI video tools
Compare seven creator and developer routes for short drama production.