The Vidu Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Vidu 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.
Vidu
The Insider’s Guide
AI video generator with reference-to-video and image-to-video
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI image and video generators, read from Vidu’s own pages.
Made by Vidu · checked Nov 12, 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 Vidu’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Vidu’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 106 of the 168 other AI image and video generators we grade
Vidu is a web video generator that makes clips from text, a start image or reference images, using its own Vidu Q-series models. It also offers an image generator, templates, an AI agent and an API platform. Plans give a monthly credit allowance, with faster queues and off-peak quotas on higher tiers.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Vidu, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Credits, models, resolutions and queue types take some learning before you know what a clip will cost.
- 1
Best for short video clips from text or reference images
Vidu is a web video generator that works from text, a start image or reference images, with an image generator and an API platform.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8.25 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $8.25 per month for 800 credits, billed yearly ($10 billed monthly).
- 3
There is a free plan
Q4 model at 540P for 2 credits per second and 10 references a month; credit amount not shown.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Vidu Q-series models
The site offers Vidu Q4 and Q3, with the plan table listing 720p and 1080p generation and 11 to 16 second Q3 videos.
- 6
Reference-to-video
Multi-reference consistency lets you supply reference images so characters or objects stay consistent across a clip.
- 7
Text, image and sound tools
Text-to-video, image-to-video, text-to-image and an AI sound effect generator sit beside templates.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 106 of 168
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 Vidu 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.
Vidu at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $8.25 per month for 800 credits, billed yearly ($10 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Vidu
- Category
- AI Image & Video Generators
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for short video clips from text or reference images
Vidu is a web video generator that works from text, a start image or reference images, with an image generator and an API platform. The free plan is capped at 540P and the credit amount isn't shown, and the cheapest paid plan is $8.25 a month on yearly billing.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $8.25 a month on Standard, billed yearly, for 800 credits, or $10 billed monthly, just over the $8 that marks the cheaper quarter. Premium is $35.42 and Ultimate $95.83. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A free plan with the Q4 model at 540P and 10 references a month, with sign-up and daily login credits. The page doesn't say how many credits that is. |
| Features | B | Text, image and reference-to-video, a text-to-image tool, sound effects, off-peak queues and an API platform. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Credits, models, resolutions and queue types take some learning before you know what a clip will cost. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, with an API platform for developers, and no phone or desktop apps. |
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 Vidu is for
- Fits if you want characters or objects to stay consistent across a clip
- Works for people making short clips on a modest monthly budget
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want refunds: the page says it can't provide them
- Tight if you stay free, as it's 540P and the credit amount isn't shown
- Watch out: yearly prices are a limited-time 18% offer, so they may change
- Watch out: the Ultimate plan's credit total reads 8,000 and 10,000 in different places
Good to know
Good for
- Creators who need consistent characters across several video clips
- Social and animation makers who want an inexpensive entry plan
- Developers who want video generation through an API
Worth knowing
- The page describes the yearly prices as a limited-time offer ('Yearly Billing 18% Off').
- The Free plan's credit amount is not shown, and the Q4 model uses 2 credits per second at 540P.
- Credits are sold at $1.03, $1.01 and $0.96 per 100 on the paid tiers.
- The Ultimate plan's credit total reads inconsistently on the page, so check it before buying.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8.25
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Vidu has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8.25 per month for 800 credits, billed yearly ($10 billed monthly).
The page doesn't say how many credits that is.
Free
$0
Q4 model at 540P and 10 references a month; no commercial-use line on the page.
Standard
$8.25
per month for 800 credits, billed yearly ($10 billed monthly)
Fast generation channel, 3 to 16 second videos, up to 4 videos at once, commercial use.
Premium
$35.42
per month for 3,500 credits, billed yearly ($43 billed monthly)
Ultra-fast channel and an off-peak quota of 20 videos a day; yearly total is $425.
Ultimate
$95.83
per month for 10,000 credits, billed yearly ($115 billed monthly)
Off-peak quota of 200 videos a day; page shows 8,000 and 10,000 credits in different spots.
The free plan
Q4 model at 540P for 2 credits per second and 10 references a month; credit amount not shown.
Read from vidu.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Yearly billing, 18% off
The pricing page shows a Yearly Billing toggle labeled 18% off, for example $99 a year for Standard against $10 monthly.
Stated on vidu.com
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
AI video generator with reference-to-video and image-to-video. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, templates, image generation, video generation.
Text, image and reference-to-video, a text-to-image tool, sound effects, off-peak queues and an API platform.
- Vidu Q-series models
- The site offers Vidu Q4 and Q3, with the plan table listing 720p and 1080p generation and 11 to 16 second Q3 videos.
- Reference-to-video
- Multi-reference consistency lets you supply reference images so characters or objects stay consistent across a clip.
- Text, image and sound tools
- Text-to-video, image-to-video, text-to-image and an AI sound effect generator sit beside templates.
- Off-peak mode
- Premium and Ultimate add an off-peak quota of 20 or 200 videos a day, queued outside busy hours.
- API platform
- A separate API platform is linked from the site for developers and enterprise customers.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Vidu is made by Vidu.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
106/168
Other AI image and video generators it is graded above
Vidu's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 106 of the 168 other AI image and video generators we grade, and level with 25.
It stands best on features (B, above 104 of 168) and worst on ease of use (C, above 12).
Its paid plans start at $8.25 a month, against a middle price of $11.88 for the category: 29 of the 120 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 169 AI image and video generators we grade, cut by the letter each got. Vidu’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 16 of 168
- CFree plan and trialAbove 53 of 168
- BFeaturesAbove 104 of 168
- CEase of useAbove 12 of 168
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 75 of 168
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 123 AI image and video generators. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Vidu 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 Vidu 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 $99 a year.
What you could make
- Templates: an app builder makes this well.
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.
- An API that other software can build on.
- 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. Vidu’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
Kling AI, Runway, PixVerse, Hailuo AI and Pika
The 5 tools Vidu is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Kling AI
Free plan · from $8.80/mo
AI video and image generator with monthly credit plans.
- Vidu also covers templates.
- 2.6GPA
Runway
Free trial · from $12/mo
AI video, image and audio studio with its own Gen-4.5 model.
- Vidu has a free plan. Runway does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Runway lists iOS and Android apps.
- Vidu also covers templates.
- 2.6GPA
PixVerse
Free plan · from $8/mo
AI video app built on PixVerse V6, with templates and an agent.
- Only PixVerse lists iOS and Android apps.
- PixVerse also covers video editing and AI agents.
- 2.4GPA
Hailuo AI
Free trial · from $8.40/mo
MiniMax's video and image generator, running its H3 model.
- Vidu has a free plan. Hailuo AI does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Hailuo AI lists an Android app.
- 2.6GPA
Pika
From $8/mo
Video, image and sound apps built on Pika and partner models.
- Vidu has a free plan. Pika does not.
- Only Pika lists an iOS app.
- Vidu also covers templates.
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 Vidu free?
Vidu has a free plan. Q4 model at 540P for 2 credits per second and 10 references a month; credit amount not shown.
How much does Vidu cost?
Vidu lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Vidu work on?
Vidu is available on Web.
Does Vidu offer any discounts?
Vidu publicly lists the following: Yearly billing, 18% off.
Does Vidu have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Vidu is listed for Web.
Does Vidu have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Vidu is listed for Web.
Is Vidu open source?
Vidu is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Does Vidu have an API?
Yes. Vidu offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes Vidu?
Vidu is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Vidu?
The closest alternatives to Vidu in our directory are Kling AI, Runway, PixVerse, Hailuo AI and Pika.
How does Vidu compare with other AI image and video generators?
Vidu's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 106 of the 168 other AI image and video generators we grade, and level with 25.
Is Vidu good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Vidu C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8.25 a month, against a middle price of $11.88 for the category: 29 of the 120 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Vidu?
To replace Vidu 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 Vidu’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Vidu's own pages on 12 November 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 Vidu. Prices change, so check vidu.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 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.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Vidu, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/vidu
- 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, "Vidu: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/vidu
Know someone choosing between AI image and video generators?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/vidu/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI image and video generators after Vidu, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Image & Video Generators Insider's GuideEvery one of the 169 AI image and video generators we grade, compared
- Pixlr Insider's GuideBrowser photo editors with AI image, video and audio tools3.2 GPA
- Adobe Firefly Insider's GuideAdobe's image, video and audio generator, with partner models3.0 GPA
- ComfyUI Insider's GuideOpen-source node editor for image and video AI workflows, plus a cloud3.0 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 Vidu’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. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Vidu is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Vidu. Prices and plans change: check vidu.com before you buy.