Sora: OpenAI's Video Generation Model
OpenAI’s video model for text- and image-to-video, available through the Videos API and sora.com.
Quick answer
Sora is discontinued. OpenAI closed the web and app experiences (sora.com) on April 26, 2026 and shut the Videos API down on September 24, 2026; no access path remains.
The last published API rates were $0.10/s for sora-2 (720p) and $0.30–$0.70/s for sora-2-pro by size, with Batch renders at half price — kept here as a reference only.
ChatGPT Plus and Pro no longer include Sora access. Current alternatives covered on this site include Google Veo 3, Kling, Seedance and Hailuo.
Official discontinuation notice
OpenAI's help-center article with the shutdown timeline, data exports and plan access.
Open the noticeAPI status
The Videos API stopped serving sora-2 and sora-2-pro requests on September 24, 2026.
API docs01pricing
from $0.10/s
2 channels · verified 2026-10-02
02Sora 2 model family and active API variants
OpenAI exposes Sora through the Videos API with two model variants. sora-2 prioritises speed; sora-2-pro prioritises output quality and resolution.
| sora-2 | sora-2-pro | Consumer access | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Fast iteration, concepting, social content | Production quality, cinematic output | Hosted app at sora.com |
| Max duration | 16s or 20s | 16s or 20s | Plan-dependent |
| Resolutions | 720p (1280x720 / 720x1280) | 720p, 1024p, 1080p | Varies by plan |
03Generation modes
Sora covered hosted generation, editing and extension flows through the Videos API until its shutdown on September 24, 2026.
Text to Video
T2VGenerate video from natural-language scene prompts.
text → video
Image to Video
I2VAnimate or extend an input image where supported.
image + prompt → video
Video Editing
EDITApply targeted changes to an existing video without regenerating from scratch.
video + prompt → edited video
Video Extension
EXTContinue a completed clip for up to 20 seconds, up to six extensions (120s total).
video + prompt → extended video
Character Consistency
CHARUpload a reusable non-human character and reference it across shots.
character video + prompt → consistent video
04How to prompt
Example: A small robot explores an abandoned greenhouse, gentle cautious steps, shafts of afternoon light through broken glass, slow tracking shot, hopeful but quiet mood, realistic cinematic textureOpen Sora
05vs the competition
Short version: Sora was discontinued in 2026 (app April 26, API September 24); its final listed rate was $0.10/s at 720p. Google Veo 3 remains available with per-second pricing through the Gemini API.
Read full comparison →06Head-to-head
Shared-prompt test
HunyuanVideo vs OpenAI Sora
79 shared prompts with the human preference split
Shared-prompt test
Luma Ray 2 vs OpenAI Sora
79 shared prompts with the human preference split
Shared-prompt test
Genmo Mochi 1 vs OpenAI Sora
79 shared prompts with the human preference split
Shared-prompt test
Pika 2.2 vs OpenAI Sora
79 shared prompts with the human preference split
Shared-prompt test
OpenAI Sora vs Wan 2.1
79 shared prompts with the human preference split
Shared-prompt test
Moonvalley Marey vs OpenAI Sora
78 shared prompts with the human preference split
Shared-prompt test
Pika vs OpenAI Sora
78 shared prompts with the human preference split
Shared-prompt test
OpenAI Sora vs Google Veo 2
76 shared prompts with the human preference split
Shared-prompt test
Kling 2.1 Master vs OpenAI Sora
75 shared prompts with the human preference split
Shared-prompt test
Seedance 1 Pro vs OpenAI Sora
73 shared prompts with the human preference split
Shared-prompt test
OpenAI Sora vs Google Veo 3
71 shared prompts with the human preference split
Shared-prompt test
OpenAI Sora vs Google Veo 3.1
69 shared prompts with the human preference split
See all head-to-heads in the arena hub.
07FAQ
What happened to Sora?
OpenAI announced the discontinuation on March 24, 2026, closed the web and app experiences on April 26, 2026, and shut the Videos API down on September 24, 2026. Current alternatives include Google Veo 3, Kling, Seedance and Hailuo.
Is Sora open source?
No — Sora is proprietary and offered through OpenAI’s hosted APIs and products.
What is the difference between sora-2 and sora-2-pro?
sora-2 is optimised for speed and iteration at $0.10/s (720p); sora-2-pro produces higher-quality output with 1024p and 1080p options from $0.30/s to $0.70/s. Use sora-2-pro for production exports in 1920x1080 or 1080x1920.
How is Sora priced?
Sora pricing ended with the product. The final listed API rates were sora-2 at $0.10/s (720p) and sora-2-pro from $0.30/s (720p) to $0.70/s (1080p), with Batch renders 50% less. While sora.com operated, ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo) and Pro ($200/mo) were the consumer anchors; both closed in 2026, so nothing is billable now.
Where do I register for Sora?
Nowhere — registration closed with the product. The Sora app and sora.com were discontinued on April 26, 2026 and the Videos API on September 24, 2026. OpenAI's discontinuation notice has the details.