The Pika Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Pika 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.
Pika
The Insider’s Guide
Video, image and sound apps built on Pika and partner models
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI image and video generators, read from Pika’s own pages.
Made by Mellis, 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 Pika’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Pika’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
2.6
GPA, above 12 of the 21 other AI image and video generators we grade
Pika is a web app for making short videos, images and sound, organized as single-purpose tools such as Video Studio, Extend Video, Color Grade and Product Shot. Underneath are its own Pika 2.5 and audio models plus partner models such as Seedance, MiniMax, Nano Banana and GPT Image. Every generation is paid in credits from a monthly plan or a bought pack.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Pika, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Each tool does one thing, like Extend Video or Color Grade, so it's clear where to start.
- 1
Best for short social clips with sound
Pika is a set of small video, image and sound tools, each doing one job, on top of its own model and partners like Seedance and MiniMax.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $8 per month for 900 credits, billed annually ($10 billed monthly).
- 3
It runs on 2 platforms
Web and iOS.
- 4
Video Studio
Makes anything from a short clip to a 30-second multi-shot video, using Pika 2.5, Seedance 2.5, MiniMax H3, Wan 3.0 or Gemini Omni.
- 5
Editing apps for footage
Extend Video adds frames to a clip, Color Grade changes its look, and Swap Anything and Motion Transfer rework existing video.
- 6
Image Studio and Edit Image
Generate images with models such as GPT Image 2.5, Nano Banana 2 and Seedream, then swap, remove or restyle parts of them.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 12 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.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Pika 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.
Pika at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $8 per month for 900 credits, billed annually ($10 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, iOS
- Made by
- Mellis, Inc.
- Category
- AI Image & Video Generators
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 4,256 ratings
The report card
Best for short social clips with sound
Pika is a set of small video, image and sound tools, each doing one job, on top of its own model and partners like Seedance and MiniMax. Starter is $8 a month on yearly billing, the cheapest start among its video rivals. There are no free credits at all, though, and commercial use needs Creator at $28.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Starter is $8 a month on yearly billing ($10 monthly) for 900 credits, about 7 five-second Seedance 2.5 clips or 112 Nano Banana 2 images. That's the cheapest start among its listed video rivals, Runway at $12 and Luma at $25, but there's no commercial license until Creator at $28. |
| Free plan and trial | F | The Free plan has 0 credits a month and only works with bought packs, at $25 for 1,500 credits. So nothing is free, and payments aren't refunded. |
| Features | B | Video Studio for up to 30-second multi-shot videos on Pika 2.5, Seedance and MiniMax, apps to extend, regrade and rework footage, image tools, saved characters, product shots and soundtracks matched to the action. The whole job. |
| Ease of use | A | 4.73 from about 4,300 App Store ratings, in the top band. Each tool does one thing, like Extend Video or Color Grade, so it's clear where to start. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web and iPhone, with ChatGPT and other agents through MCP and a separate developer API. No Android or desktop app, and top-up credits don't work in the iPhone app. |
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 Pika is for
- Great if you make social clips and ads and like one tool per job
- Handy when your clips need music and sound effects matched to the action
- Good for trying Seedance, MiniMax and Pika's own model on one balance
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want to try before paying, as the free plan comes with 0 credits
- Not for you if you're making paid ads on Starter, which has no commercial license
- Tight if you need much video, as Starter is about 7 short clips a month
Good to know
Good for
- Social and ad creators who want task-specific video and image tools
- Adding sound and music to generated clips in the same app
- Trying several partner video models without separate accounts
Worth knowing
- There are no free credits: the Free plan includes 0 credits a month and works only with bought packs, at 60 credits per $1 ($25 for 1,500).
- The Starter plan has no commercial license; commercial use starts at Creator.
- Plan credits reset each period without rollover; top-up credits expire after 365 days and work only on pika.art, not the API, MCP or iOS app.
- Payments are non-refundable. The developer API is a separate membership at $10 a month, with $10 of credit in the first month.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8
A month to start
Pika is a paid product, starting at $8 per month for 900 credits, billed annually ($10 billed monthly).
So nothing is free, and payments aren't refunded.
Starter
$8
per month for 900 credits, billed annually ($10 billed monthly)
Enough for about 7 five-second Seedance 2.5 clips at 720p or 112 Nano Banana 2 images; no commercial license.
Creator
$28
per month for 3,150 credits, billed annually ($35 billed monthly)
About 25 Seedance 2.5 clips or 393 Nano Banana 2 images, a commercial license and 8 video jobs at once.
Fancy
$76
per month for 8,550 credits, billed annually ($95 billed monthly)
About 70 Seedance 2.5 clips, priority queue and unlimited parallel jobs. Larger credit steps run to $880 a month.
Enterprise
Custom
Custom monthly credits for studios and teams, with dedicated support and early access to new models.
Read from pika.art on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save 20% with yearly billing
The pricing page lists yearly billing at 20% off: Starter $8 instead of $10 a month, Creator $28 instead of $35, Fancy $76 instead of $95.
Stated on pika.art
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: Web and iOS
Video, image and sound apps built on Pika and partner models. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, video editing, image generation, video generation.
Web and iPhone, with ChatGPT and other agents through MCP and a separate developer API.
- Video Studio
- Makes anything from a short clip to a 30-second multi-shot video, using Pika 2.5, Seedance 2.5, MiniMax H3, Wan 3.0 or Gemini Omni.
- Editing apps for footage
- Extend Video adds frames to a clip, Color Grade changes its look, and Swap Anything and Motion Transfer rework existing video.
- Image Studio and Edit Image
- Generate images with models such as GPT Image 2.5, Nano Banana 2 and Seedream, then swap, remove or restyle parts of them.
- Characters and product shots
- Character Studio saves a character to reuse across creations, and Product Shot stages a product without a photoshoot.
- Pika Soundtrack and audio
- Soundtrack scores a clip with music, ambience and sound effects matched to the action; separate studios handle speech, music and SFX.
- MCP, ChatGPT and API
- Pika can be used from ChatGPT and other agents through its MCP server, and developers reach the same models through the Pika API Club.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
What it works with
- ChatGPT
Pika is made by Mellis, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
12/21
Other AI image and video generators it is graded above
Pika's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 12 of the 21 other AI image and video generators we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on ease of use (A, above 17 of 21) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $8 a month, against a middle price of $12 for the category: 2 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 22 AI image and video generators we grade, cut by the letter each got. Pika’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 15 of 21
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 21
- BFeaturesAbove 6 of 21
- AEase of useAbove 17 of 21
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 6 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. Pika 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 Pika 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.
It costs $96 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.
- A real app for iOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, ChatGPT among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Pika’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, Luma, Hailuo AI, PixVerse and Higgsfield
The 5 tools Pika 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 an Android app.
- Runway also covers AI agents.
- 2.0GPA
Luma
Free trial · from $25/mo
Creative agents for video and images, built on Luma's Ray models.
- Only Pika lists an iOS app.
- Luma also covers AI agents.
- 2.2GPA
Hailuo AI
Free trial
MiniMax's video and image generator, running its H3 model.
- Only Pika lists an iOS app.
- Only Hailuo AI lists an Android app.
- Pika also covers video editing.
- 2.4GPA
PixVerse
Free plan
AI video app built on PixVerse V6, with templates and an agent.
- PixVerse has a free plan. Pika does not.
- Only PixVerse lists an Android app.
- PixVerse also covers templates and AI agents.
- 2.4GPA
Higgsfield
Free plan
AI video and image suite with its own studios and many models.
- Higgsfield has a free plan. Pika does not.
- Only Pika lists an iOS app.
- Pika also covers video editing.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
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 Pika free?
No. Pika is a paid product, starting at $8 per month for 900 credits, billed annually ($10 billed monthly).
How much does Pika cost?
Pika lists 4 plans. Starter: $8 per month for 900 credits, billed annually ($10 billed monthly).
What platforms does Pika work on?
Pika is available on Web and iOS.
Does Pika offer any discounts?
Pika publicly lists the following: Save 20% with yearly billing.
How is Pika rated?
Pika's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4,256 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does Pika have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Pika is listed for Web and iOS.
Does Pika have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Pika is listed for Web and iOS.
Is Pika open source?
Pika is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does Pika have an API?
Yes. Pika offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Pika integrate with?
Pika's listing names ChatGPT. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Pika?
Pika is made by Mellis, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Pika?
The closest alternatives to Pika in our directory are Runway, Luma, Hailuo AI, PixVerse and Higgsfield.
How does Pika compare with other AI image and video generators?
Pika's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 12 of the 21 other AI image and video generators we grade, and level with 2.
Is Pika good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Pika B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8 a month, against a middle price of $12 for the category: 2 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Pika?
To replace Pika 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 Pika’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 Pika's own pages on 17 October 2026, and its App Store rating. 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 Mellis, Inc. Prices change, so check pika.art 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
- Pika, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/pika
- 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, "Pika: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/pika
Know someone choosing between AI image and video generators?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/pika/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI image and video generators after Pika, 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 Pika’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. Pika is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Mellis, Inc. Prices and plans change: check pika.art before you buy.