AI Video Tool Comparison
Hailuo (MiniMax) vs Google Veo
Two of the biggest AI video generators of 2026, side by side. Pricing, features, real festival winners, and which one to pick for your project.
Hailuo (MiniMax)
by MiniMax
MiniMax's video model. Made waves for being free with no watermarks during its launch period, and used by NYU Tisch and Sydney AIT in their AI film hackathons.
Strengths
- +Strongest free tier on the market
- +No watermarks even on free generations
- +Fast generation speed
- +Reliable physics and lighting
Weaknesses
- -Shorter clip length than competitors
- -Limited director controls
- -Less stylistic range
Google Veo
by Google DeepMind
Google DeepMind's flagship video model, integrated into Gemini and Vertex AI. Veo 3 added native audio generation, putting it ahead of competitors who still need separate sound design.
Strengths
- +Native audio generation included
- +Best prompt adherence of any model
- +Cinematic lighting out of the box
- +Backed by Google research and infra
Weaknesses
- -Limited public access without Gemini Advanced
- -No standalone web app (lives inside Gemini/Flow)
- -Stricter content filters than Runway or Kling
Pick Hailuo (MiniMax) if you need
- • Hackathons
- • Rapid iteration
- • Free-tier filmmakers
- • Pre-vis scratch shots
Pick Google Veo if you need
- • Prompt-driven shorts
- • Audio-included clips
- • Enterprise pipelines
- • Veo + Imagen combo
Festival track record
Hailuo (MiniMax)
Used in 2,000+ submission Hailuo x NYU Tisch Film Hackathon 2025
Google Veo
Powered Lily, the $1M Google Global AI Film Award winner