Veo 3.1 pricing (2026): API rates, Flow credits & cost

Prices and access checked September 13, 2026 against Google's Gemini API pricing, Veo 3.1 API guide and Google AI plan comparison. Prices are USD before taxes, discounts or provider markups.

Veo 3.1 API pricing at a glance

Google Gemini API pricing page, captured September 25, 2026. Billing selection, currency and any promotion are shown in the screenshot; recheck the live page and checkout before buying. View official source

Google says the Gemini API charges only when a video is successfully generated. That does not mean every completed clip is usable. Budget for all charged attempts, then divide the relevant spend by accepted clips.

How much does one Veo 3.1 video cost?

For an eight-second Veo 3.1 request with native audio, multiply the selected Gemini API variant’s per-second rate by eight. Standard costs $3.20 at 720p or 1080p and $4.80 at 4K. Fast costs $0.80 at 720p, $0.96 at 1080p or $2.40 at 4K. Lite costs $0.40 at 720p or $0.64 at 1080p and does not support 4K. Eight seconds is the example here, not the only supported duration.

These figures are arithmetic from the listed rate, not an output-quality comparison. A cheaper attempt can cost more per accepted clip if it requires more retries or correction.

Choose duration and input before the cheapest rate

Google’s current Veo API parameter guide lists 4-, 6- and 8-second generation options, with eight seconds required for 1080p, 4K and supported reference-image requests. At 720p, a four-second request would cost $0.20 with Lite, $0.40 with Fast or $1.60 with Standard at the listed rates. Those are calculations, not tested results. Shorter output is useful only if it still covers the shot; Lite does not support referenceImages or video extension, so choose the necessary input controls before comparing rates.

Download approved API videos within two days. Google’s Veo guide says generated videos are stored on its server for two days before removal. Retrieve the completed file into your own storage before that window closes; an API result is not a permanent archive. Extended videos are treated as newly generated videos. This retention rule belongs to the Gemini API guide and should not be substituted for another provider’s storage policy.

Veo 3.1 Standard vs Fast vs Lite

• Standard: use when its output and control tradeoffs justify the highest listed rate. It is $0.40 per second at 720p/1080p and $0.60 at 4K.

• Fast: evaluate for a lower-cost iteration route. It is $0.10, $0.12 or $0.30 per second at 720p, 1080p or 4K.

• Lite: evaluate when the lowest listed rate matters and 4K is unnecessary. It is $0.05 at 720p and $0.08 at 1080p.

Do not infer that the names alone establish a winner. Run the same brief, input assets, aspect ratio and review rubric across variants. Save every charged attempt and record which clips actually meet the deliverable.

Is Veo still Google's default video model?

Google's current Gemini API video overview recommends Gemini Omni Flash as the default for video generation and conversational editing. It directs users to Veo 3.1 for specific capabilities such as scene extension, last-frame control or legacy-pipeline integration. Veo remains available; it is no longer the only current Google video route.

That distinction matters when comparing prices. A Google AI plan may advertise video access through Gemini or Flow without promising that every request uses Veo 3.1. Check the selected model in the interface or API request.

How Google Flow pricing differs from the API

Google's current plan comparison lists 200 monthly Flow credits for Google AI Plus, 1,000 for Pro, 10,000 for the 5x Ultra tier and 25,000 for the 20x Ultra tier. The page does not expose one universal cash price in every locale, and the number of credits consumed depends on the selected Flow operation. Use the checkout price for your country and the credit quote shown before generation.

A Flow credit is not an API dollar and does not prove a fixed number of clips. Keep consumer-plan invoices, included storage and other benefits separate from an API unit-cost calculation.

A budget for accepted clips

Suppose you need twenty accepted eight-second clips. At one charged attempt per accepted clip, Veo 3.1 Fast at 720p would cost $16 in generation charges. At three charged attempts per accepted clip, the same sixty attempts would cost $48. Standard at 1080p would cost $64 at one attempt each or $192 at three.

The retry counts are scenarios, not measured success rates. Define acceptance before testing: subject identity, product accuracy, motion, camera, audio, text, continuity and legal-use requirements. Report the number of accepted clips and the total relevant spend.

Gemini API, Vertex AI and third-party providers

The Gemini Developer API price above is one purchasing surface. Vertex AI and third-party platforms can expose different model IDs, controls, regions, quotas, storage, support and rates. Quote the provider and interface beside the model name. Never copy Google's direct rate into a third-party invoice estimate.

Use our AI video pricing index for other direct examples and the AI video-generator comparison when the decision includes complete creator platforms rather than only model endpoints.

How to compare Veo with another model

• Choose five representative briefs, including the hardest subject, motion, camera and audio requirement.

• Use the same source images, aspect ratio and acceptance rubric where the models support them.

• Save model version, provider, settings, prompt, seed where available, output and charged amount for every attempt.

• Count accepted outputs only after full-speed review at the intended delivery size.

• Compare generation spend, review time, corrections and integration work per accepted clip.

You can also review the current Magic Hour model catalog or start a representative prompt in Text to Video. Availability and credit estimates can change by selected model, so verify the live picker before budgeting.