The same AI video, a different bill: how to compare fairly
Start with the video you actually need
A cheap headline price is useful only when it buys the right video. Start with the exact model version, generation mode, resolution, clip length and audio requirement. Mini, Fast, Pro and Omni can have different prices and capabilities. A first-frame workflow is also different from a workflow that accepts several reference images.
Penny Owl puts model rankings beside comparable API prices, then gives each model a page of sellers. The ranking helps you choose the model. The prices help you choose where to run it. A lower price does not make a model more intelligent or a video more convincing.
Read the small resolution label
The video columns are 480p, 720p and 1080p per generated minute. Some models offer nearby sizes instead. An asterisk such as *360p or *768p identifies the real size above the price. That label matters: a 360p draft is not a native 480p result, even when both appear in the same comparison column.
Our listed video comparisons require native audio. Check the model page's capability checklist before sending references or planning a long clip. A quoted minute usually means several supported clips totaling 60 seconds; it does not promise a single 60-second video.
A concrete savings example
In our October 5, 2026 check, Wan 3.0 at 720p with native audio was $3.00 per generated minute on Replicate and $6.00 on Runware. For the compared text-to-video configuration, that is a $3.00 difference, or 50% of the higher rate. At a linear per-second rate, 15 generated seconds would be $0.75 versus $1.50.
This is a dated example, not a promise of today's price or every workflow's cost. Reference inputs, rounding, minimum billing, taxes and account terms can change your bill. Open the model comparison and the seller's source before submitting. Penny Owl highlights the lowest verified amount in each column, including ties.
Budget for the finished project
Your final video's length is only part of the budget. Three attempts at a 15-second scene mean 45 generated seconds, even if you keep just one take. Write down the planned clips and a retake allowance before choosing a seller. If the provider charges per clip or uses token billing, use its exact calculator instead of assuming every job scales evenly.
A sale tag means a documented sale, and a dash means we have no current comparable quote. It never means free. Penny Owl's connected checks run daily; manual-only sources need separate research. Failed, expired and over-48-hour offers are excluded from current price choices.