The Luma Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Luma in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Luma
The Insider’s Guide
Creative agents for video and images, built on Luma's Ray models
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI image and video generators, read from Luma’s own pages.
Made by Luma AI, Inc. · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Luma’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Luma’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 2 of the 21 other AI image and video generators we grade
Luma, the app that took over from Dream Machine, is a web workspace where AI agents plan, generate and refine video, images and audio for a project. It runs Luma's own Ray3.2 video and Uni-1 image models alongside partner models such as Veo, Kling, Seedance and ElevenLabs. Every generation costs credits from a monthly plan, and the same models are sold to developers through an API.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Luma, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for agent-built video for production work
It's built with production in mind, down to HDR and EXR export.
- 2
Paid plans start at $25 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $25 per month for 10,000 credits, billed annually ($30 billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
Free trial credits to start; the amount is not stated
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Luma Agents
Agents research, generate and refine work across video, image, audio and text while keeping a project's context; Luma Skills save a workflow to rerun.
- 6
Ray3.2 video model
Text- and image-to-video in draft, 540p, 720p or 1080p, with HDR and EXR export for production work and up to 16 keyframes through the API.
- 7
Video-to-video, reframe and extend
Change existing footage with video-to-video and Modify, reframe a clip to a new shape, extend it, and stitch clips with captions into a finished piece.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 2 of 21
That is against the other AI image and video generators we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Luma you would be making a video model, which you can rent by the second but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Luma at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $25 per month for 10,000 credits, billed annually ($30 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free trial credits to start; the amount is not stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Luma AI, Inc.
- Category
- AI Image & Video Generators
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for agent-built video for production work
Luma is a web workspace where agents plan and build video, images and audio, on Luma's own Ray3.2 and partner models like Veo and Kling. It's built with production in mind, down to HDR and EXR export. But the cheapest plan is $25 a month on yearly billing, and there's no free plan.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Plus is $25 a month on yearly billing ($30 monthly), against $8 to $12 for Pika, Runway and LTX Studio, and in this category's dearest tenth. It does buy 10,000 credits: about 2 minutes of Ray3.2 at 1080p or 8 at 720p. There's no cheaper plan. |
| Free plan and trial | C | New accounts get trial credits, but the pages don't say how many, and there's no free plan after that. |
| Features | B | Agents that plan and build across video, image and audio, Ray3.2 with HDR and EXR export, video-to-video, reframe and extend, the Uni-1 image model, plus Veo, Kling, Seedance and ElevenLabs. The whole video job. |
| Ease of use | C | No app-store rating on record. Working with agents across a project is a new habit, and Ray3.2 costs anything from 100 to 400 credits per 5 seconds depending on resolution. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only: the site lists no desktop or phone apps. There's a developer API, but no integrations in the listing. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Luma is for
- Great if your video goes into a production pipeline that wants HDR or EXR files
- Handy when you want an agent to plan and assemble a piece, not just make one clip
- Good for creative teams making lots of versions of one campaign
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you're just trying AI video, as the cheapest plan is $25 a month
- Not for you if you work from a phone, as it's web only
- Tight if you want 1080p, where Plus makes about 2 minutes a month
Good to know
Good for
- Creative teams producing many variants of a campaign or product shot
- Video work that needs HDR or EXR files for a production pipeline
- People who want an agent to plan and assemble the work, not just one clip
Worth knowing
- There is no free plan; new accounts get trial credits, and the pages read do not say how many.
- Credit costs vary widely: Ray3.2 at 1080p costs 400 credits per 5 seconds, so Plus's 10,000 credits make about 2 minutes of it.
- Team and Enterprise prices are given only through sales, and SSO and shared credits need the Team plan.
- Luma is a web app; the site lists no desktop or mobile apps.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$25
A month to start
Luma is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $25 per month for 10,000 credits, billed annually ($30 billed monthly).
New accounts get trial credits, but the pages don't say how many, and there's no free plan after that.
Plus
$25
per month for 10,000 credits, billed annually ($30 billed monthly)
Luma and partner image and video models, commercial use and edit access for guests. Ray3.2 at 720p costs 100 credits per 5 seconds.
Pro
$75
per month for 40,000 credits, billed annually ($90 billed monthly)
Everything in Plus, with four times the usage of Luma Agents.
Ultra
$250
per month for 150,000 credits, billed annually ($300 billed monthly)
Everything in Pro, with 15 times the usage of Luma Agents.
Team
Custom
Shared team credits, projects and team-wide sharing, member management, usage analytics and SSO.
Enterprise
Custom
Everything in Team, plus enterprise commitments, dedicated training and custom fine-tuning.
Trying it first
Free trial credits to start; the amount is not stated
Read from lumalabs.ai on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Lower monthly rate with yearly billing
Yearly billing costs $300 a year for Plus, $900 for Pro and $3,000 for Ultra, against $30, $90 and $300 a month; the page says up to 20% saved.
Stated on lumalabs.ai
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Creative agents for video and images, built on Luma's Ray models. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, video editing, AI agents, image generation, video generation.
Web only: the site lists no desktop or phone apps.
- Luma Agents
- Agents research, generate and refine work across video, image, audio and text while keeping a project's context; Luma Skills save a workflow to rerun.
- Ray3.2 video model
- Text- and image-to-video in draft, 540p, 720p or 1080p, with HDR and EXR export for production work and up to 16 keyframes through the API.
- Video-to-video, reframe and extend
- Change existing footage with video-to-video and Modify, reframe a clip to a new shape, extend it, and stitch clips with captions into a finished piece.
- Uni-1 image model
- Luma's image model carries style references, character references and brand guidance into each image; GPT Image and Nano Banana are also offered.
- Partner video and audio models
- Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0, Seedance 2.5 and MiniMax H3 for video, lip sync from Sync, and ElevenLabs voice, music and sound effects.
- Team workspaces
- Share credits and manage usage in one place, with projects, team-wide sharing, usage analytics and SSO on the Team plan.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Luma is made by Luma AI, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
2/21
Other AI image and video generators it is graded above
Luma's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 2 of the 21 other AI image and video generators we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on features (B, above 6 of 21) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $25 a month, against a middle price of $12 for the category: 15 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 11 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 22 AI image and video generators we grade, cut by the letter each got. Luma’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 21
- CFree plan and trialAbove 3 of 21
- BFeaturesAbove 6 of 21
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 21
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 21
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 17 AI image and video generators. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Luma is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Luma you would be making a video model, which you can rent by the second but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 16 of the 21 other AI image and video generators grade higher. It costs $300 a year.
What you could not
- A video model, which you can rent by the second but not make.
- An image model, which you can rent by the picture but not make.
- A video editor.
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- An API that other software can build on.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Luma’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Runway, Pika, Higgsfield, Hailuo AI and LTX Studio
The 5 tools Luma is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Runway
Free trial · from $12/mo
AI video, image and audio studio with its own Gen-4.5 model.
- Only Runway lists iOS and Android apps.
- 2.6GPA
Pika
From $8/mo
Video, image and sound apps built on Pika and partner models.
- Only Pika lists an iOS app.
- Luma also covers AI agents.
- 2.4GPA
Higgsfield
Free plan
AI video and image suite with its own studios and many models.
- Higgsfield has a free plan. Luma does not, though it has a free trial.
- Luma also covers video editing.
- 2.2GPA
Hailuo AI
Free trial
MiniMax's video and image generator, running its H3 model.
- Only Hailuo AI lists an Android app.
- Luma also covers video editing and AI agents.
- Hailuo AI also covers templates.
- 2.2GPA
LTX Studio
Free trial · from $12/mo
Script-to-video studio from Lightricks, built on its LTX models.
- Luma also covers AI agents.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Luma free?
No, Luma is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free trial credits to start; the amount is not stated.
How much does Luma cost?
Luma lists 5 plans. Plus: $25 per month for 10,000 credits, billed annually ($30 billed monthly).
What platforms does Luma work on?
Luma is available on Web.
Does Luma offer any discounts?
Luma publicly lists the following: Lower monthly rate with yearly billing.
Does Luma have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Luma is listed for Web.
Does Luma have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Luma is listed for Web.
Is Luma open source?
Luma is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does Luma have an API?
Yes. Luma offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes Luma?
Luma is made by Luma AI, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Luma?
The closest alternatives to Luma in our directory are Runway, Pika, Higgsfield, Hailuo AI and LTX Studio.
How does Luma compare with other AI image and video generators?
Luma's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 2 of the 21 other AI image and video generators we grade, and level with 3.
Is Luma good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Luma D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $25 a month, against a middle price of $12 for the category: 15 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Luma?
To replace Luma you would be making a video model, which you can rent by the second but not make.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Luma’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Luma's own pages on 17 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Luma AI, Inc. Prices change, so check lumalabs.ai before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,880
Tools graded, in 47 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,880
tools graded
47
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Luma, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/luma-dream-machine
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Luma: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/luma-dream-machine
Know someone choosing between AI image and video generators?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/luma-dream-machine/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI image and video generators after Luma, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Image & Video Generators Insider's GuideEvery one of the 22 AI image and video generators we grade, compared
- Adobe Firefly Insider's GuideAdobe's image, video and audio generator, with partner models3.0 GPA
- Leonardo.Ai Insider's GuideImage, video and 3D generator with its own and partner models3.0 GPA
- Magnific Insider's GuideFormerly Freepik: AI image, video and audio tools plus stock library3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Luma’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Luma is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Luma AI, Inc. Prices and plans change: check lumalabs.ai before you buy.