Video model comparison · 2 models · Updated Nov 2, 2026

Grok Imagine Video vs Veo 3.1

Preferred for text to video: Veo 3.1 · Preferred for image to video: Grok Imagine Video · Lowest entry price: Grok Imagine Video. Quality scores are blind human-preference votes; specs and prices come from each lab’s listings.

xAI
Grok Imagine Video
Released Jan 28, 2026
- Text to video
- Image to video
- Video editing
- Arena1,415
- From$0.05/s
- Max length15 s
Full specs Remove Grok Imagine Video
Google
Veo 3.1
Released Oct 15, 2025
- Text to video
- Image to video
- Video editing
- Native audio
- Arena1,398
- From$0.20/s
- Max length8 s
Full specs Remove Veo 3.1
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01 — At a glance

Where they differ

Quality is the arena score from blind, side-by-side human votes. Price, length and resolution come from each lab’s own listings.

Preferred for text to videoVeo 3.1Grok Imagine Video 1,342 (#18) · Veo 3.1 1,364 (#12) — blind human votes
Preferred for image to videoGrok Imagine VideoGrok Imagine Video 1,415 (#12) · Veo 3.1 1,398 (#13) — blind human votes
Lowest entry priceGrok Imagine VideoGrok Imagine Video from $0.05/s (480p) · Veo 3.1 from $0.20/s (720p–1080p)
Longest clipsGrok Imagine VideoGrok Imagine Video: 1–15 s · Veo 3.1: 4, 6 or 8 s
Highest resolutionVeo 3.1Grok Imagine Video: 720p · Veo 3.1: 4K
NewestGrok Imagine VideoGrok Imagine Video Jan 28, 2026 · Veo 3.1 Oct 15, 2025
Widest inputsSame inputsGrok Imagine Video: Text prompts, Reference images, Video · Veo 3.1: Text prompts, Reference images, Video
Native audioVeo 3.1Generates an audio track with the video: Grok Imagine Video no · Veo 3.1 yes
Image to videoBoth animate imagesStarts from an uploaded image: Grok Imagine Video yes · Veo 3.1 yes
Self-hostingNo open weightsBoth are available only through APIs and apps
Most API hostsVeo 3.1Grok Imagine Video: 1 · Veo 3.1: 3

02 — Side by side

Every spec in one table

Dashes mean the data is not published.

Grok Imagine Video vs Veo 3.1 specifications side by side
Specification	Grok Imagine VideoxAI	Veo 3.1Google
Quality (blind human votes)
Text to video arenaElo-style score · higher is better	1,342 ±6#18 of 48 · 165,462 votes	1,364 ±14#12 of 48 · 13,741 votes (best)
Image to video arenaElo-style score · higher is better	1,415 ±4#12 of 48 · 554,050 votes (best)	1,398 ±10#13 of 48 · 25,116 votes
Price
Starting price	$0.05/s 480p (best)	$0.20/s 720p–1080p
Top price	$0.07/s 720p	$0.60/s 4K, with audio
10-second clip	$0.50at the starting rate (best)	$2.00at the starting rate
Extra charges	$0.002 per input image	—
How it is billed	Per second	Per second
Output
Produces	Video	Video with sound
Resolutions	480p · 720p	720p · 1080p · 4K
Highest resolution	720p	4K (best)
Clip length	1–15 s	4, 6 or 8 s
Longest clip	15 s (best)	8 s
Sound	—	Optional
Frame control	First frame only	First and last frame
Aspect ratios	—	16:9 · 9:16
Inputs
Text prompts	Yes	Yes
Start image (image to video)	Yes	Yes
Video input	Yes	Yes
Audio input	No	No
References	Up to 7 reference images; edits existing video	—
Access
Weights	Proprietary	Proprietary
API model ID	`grok-imagine-video`	—
API hosts	1	3 (best)
Released	Jan 28, 2026	Oct 15, 2025

03 — Questions

Which should you choose?

Which is better, Grok Imagine Video or Veo 3.1?

For text to video, voters prefer Veo 3.1 (Grok Imagine Video 1,342 (#18) · Veo 3.1 1,364 (#12)). For image to video, voters prefer Grok Imagine Video (Grok Imagine Video 1,415 (#12) · Veo 3.1 1,398 (#13)). Arena scores come from blind, side-by-side human votes on the same prompts; when the gap is inside both models’ error margins we call it a tie. Test your own prompts before you commit.

Which is cheaper?

Grok Imagine Video costs from $0.05/s (480p), up to $0.07/s (720p); Veo 3.1 costs from $0.20/s (720p–1080p), up to $0.60/s (4K, with audio). A 10-second clip at the lowest rate: Grok Imagine Video $0.50, Veo 3.1 $2.00. Prices are list rates and change often; check the lab before budgeting.

How long can the videos be, and at what resolution?

Grok Imagine Video: 1–15 s, 480p / 720p; Veo 3.1: 4, 6 or 8 s, 720p / 1080p / 4K.

What is the difference between Grok Imagine Video and Veo 3.1?

Grok Imagine Video is a video model from xAI (Jan 28, 2026), taking text prompts, reference images and video and producing video. Veo 3.1 is a video model from Google (Oct 15, 2025), taking text prompts, reference images and video and producing video with sound.

Which is newer?

Grok Imagine Video Jan 28, 2026; Veo 3.1 Oct 15, 2025.

Which generates video with sound?

Generates an audio track with the video: Grok Imagine Video no; Veo 3.1 yes.

Can I run any of these on my own hardware?

No open weights. Both are available only through APIs and apps.