If you used Sora 2 for realistic, physics-heavy clips with sound, you now need another model. OpenAI discontinued the Sora web and app experience on April 26, 2026 and the Sora API on September 24, 2026, according to OpenAI's help center. There is no remaining way to generate with Sora 2.
The good news: several current models now match or beat what Sora 2 offered, and most of them generate audio natively. This guide compares the main options as of October 2026, based on each developer's own documentation.
Quick answer: which Sora alternative should you use?
- Best all-round replacement with sound: Google Veo 3.1 (native audio on every clip, 720p to 4K).
- Best for long single takes: Kling 4.0, Seedance 2.5 or Wan 3.0 (all up to 30 seconds in one generation).
- Best for multi-reference control: Seedance 2.5 (up to 30 images, 10 video clips and 10 audio clips as references).
- Best for editing an existing clip conversationally: Gemini Omni Flash.
- Best for dialogue in many languages: MiniMax H3 (stable dialogue in 11 languages, stereo audio).
What made Sora 2 useful
Sora 2 was popular for three reasons: convincing physics, synchronized sound in the same generation, and a "cameo" feature that put real people into scenes. When you pick a replacement, decide which of these you actually relied on. For most creators it was the first two, and every model below covers them to some degree.
The best Sora alternatives in 2026
1. Google Veo 3.1
Veo 3.1 generates 4, 6 or 8-second clips at 720p, 1080p or 4K with audio that is always on, according to Google's Veo documentation. It supports image-to-video, first and last frame interpolation, up to three reference images of a person, character or product, and extensions of 7 seconds at a time. It comes in Standard, Fast and Lite variants.
Good to know: Google lists the Veo 3.1 preview model IDs on the Gemini API with a shutdown date of October 22, 2026, with Gemini Omni Flash as the replacement there. Veo continues on Google's enterprise platform. Read our Gemini Omni vs Veo 3.1 guide for what this means.
2. Kling 3.0 and Kling 4.0
Kling 3.0 (February 2026) generates up to 15 seconds with native audio, multi-shot storyboards and lip sync. Kling 4.0 entered early access on September 30, 2026 with native 30-second generation, up to 10 keyframes, up to 15 reference assets and two-channel stereo audio, with a wider rollout announced for October. If you want long, directed shots, Kling is the closest thing to a "director's" Sora replacement. See our Kling 4.0 prompt guide.
3. Seedance 2.5
ByteDance launched Seedance 2.5 on July 31, 2026. It produces up to 30 seconds of audio and video in a single pass, supports multi-round extensions, and accepts up to 30 images, 10 video clips and 10 audio clips as references. It also offers timestamp-level editing. It is a strong choice for product shots, multi-character scenes and anything that must match brand assets. Compare it with the previous version in Seedance 2.5 vs 2.0.
4. Wan 3.0
Alibaba's Wan 3.0 generates up to 30 seconds at 480p, 720p or 1080p and accepts text, images, audio, video and even documents as input. API pricing starts at $0.05 per second at 480p. Note that Wan 3.0 is not open source; only older Wan versions are. Details in our Wan 3.0 explainer.
5. MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 3)
MiniMax H3 generates 4 to 15-second clips with 32 kHz stereo audio, supports first and last frames, and takes up to 9 image references, according to its model card. Its dialogue support across 11 languages makes it useful for talking scenes. More in our MiniMax H3 guide.
6. Gemini Omni Flash
Gemini Omni Flash (gemini-omni-1.1-flash) takes text, images and video as input, generates video with an audio track by default, and lets you edit a result over several conversational turns. It is Google's recommended replacement for the Veo 3.1 preview models on the Gemini API.
7. Runway Gen-4.5
Runway's Gen-4.5 (December 2025) handles text-to-video and image-to-video in clips of roughly 2 to 10 seconds. It is a solid option if your team already works inside Runway's editing tools.
How to move your Sora prompts to a new model
- Keep the structure, change the length. Sora prompts usually describe subject, action, setting, camera and sound. That structure works in Veo, Kling and Seedance. Adjust the duration to what the new model supports.
- Put dialogue in quotes. Veo's documentation recommends quoting exact speech, for example: She looks up and says, "We're late."
- Describe sound explicitly. Name sound effects and ambience ("rain on a tin roof, distant thunder") instead of assuming the model will add them.
- Use a reference image for recurring characters. Sora's cameo feature has no direct equivalent, but reference images (Veo, Kling, Seedance, MiniMax H3) are the closest substitute. See how to keep characters consistent.
- Run the same prompt on two models. Results vary by scene type, so compare before you commit.
Our Sora-style prompt collection still works as a starting point for these models.
Try alternatives without separate subscriptions
On TextVidAI you can generate from text or images with several models from one credit balance, so you can test a Sora-style prompt across engines and keep the best result. Open the TextVidAI generator to see which models are currently available.
FAQ
Is Sora still available anywhere?
No. The Sora app and website closed on April 26, 2026 and the API on September 24, 2026.
What is the closest alternative to Sora 2?
For realistic clips with synchronized sound, Veo 3.1 is the closest everyday replacement. For longer single takes, look at Kling 4.0, Seedance 2.5 or Wan 3.0.
Which Sora alternative is open source?
None of the leading models above are fully open source. Older Wan versions (2.1 and 2.2) have open weights, and MiniMax H3 publishes weights under its own community license.
Sources
- OpenAI: What to know about the Sora discontinuation
- Google: Veo 3.1 documentation and Gemini API deprecations
- Kling: Introducing Kling 4.0
- ByteDance Seed: Introducing Seedance 2.5
- Alibaba Cloud: Wan 3.0
- MiniMax H3 model card
Last updated: October 9, 2026.
Related guides
- What Is Sora 2? Everything You Need to Know
- Gemini Omni Flash vs Veo 3.1: What Changes After October 22, 2026
- Seedance 2.5 vs 2.0: Which AI Video Model Should You Use in 2026?
- How to Make AI Videos With Sound: Native Audio Explained
- Vidu Q4 Explained: 4K AI Video, Pricing and Features
- AI Video Generation Cost per Second: October 2026 Price Guide