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Veo 3.1 vs Sora 2 Pro — Which AI Video Model Should You Use?
Google DeepMind's Veo 3.1 and OpenAI's Sora 2 Pro represent two different philosophies for AI video. Veo prioritizes cinematic polish with built-in audio generation and lip sync, while Sora pushes creative boundaries with longer durations and artistic reinterpretation. Through agent-media CLI, you can run both from the same terminal and decide per project.
TL;DR — Quick Verdict
Choose Veo 3.1 for professional, cinematic content where visual fidelity and synchronized audio matter. Veo generates 4K output with built-in soundtrack and lip-sync capabilities that no other model currently matches. It is the premium choice for film-quality footage. Choose Sora 2 Pro for longer, more creatively interpreted sequences. Sora supports up to 12-second clips and treats prompts as creative inspiration rather than literal instruction, making it ideal for music videos, mood pieces, and experimental storytelling.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Veo 3.1 | Sora 2 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Google DeepMind | OpenAI |
| Max Resolution | 4K | 720p-1080p |
| Duration Range | 4-8 seconds | 4-12 seconds |
| Generation Speed | ~90s (8s clip) | ~3 min (8s clip) |
| Credit Cost | 300-500 credits | 250-600 credits |
| Cost per Generation | ~$1.60 | ~$0.65 |
| Audio Generation | Yes (built-in) | No |
| Lip Sync | Yes | No |
| Image-to-Video | No | No |
| Best Output Style | Cinematic / professional | Artistic / creative |
When to Use Veo 3.1
- You are producing cinematic content — Veo generates footage that looks like it came from a professional film set, with accurate depth of field, lighting, and color grading
- Your video needs synchronized audio — Veo is the only model that generates a matching soundtrack alongside the video, eliminating the need for separate audio production
- Characters need to speak — Veo's lip sync capability produces accurate mouth movements matched to generated dialogue, making it viable for short narrative clips
- You need the fastest turnaround — Veo generates an 8-second clip in roughly 90 seconds, about half the time Sora takes for the same duration
- Resolution is non-negotiable — Veo outputs at 4K, making it suitable for large displays, broadcast, and print-quality screenshots
When to Use Sora 2 Pro
- Duration is a priority — Sora supports up to 12-second clips, giving you 50% more footage per generation than Veo's 8-second maximum
- You want artistic reinterpretation — Sora often adds its own creative flourishes to prompts, producing unexpected visual metaphors that work well for music videos and mood pieces
- Budget matters — at ~$0.65 per generation, Sora costs less than half of Veo's ~$1.60 per clip, making it practical for iterating on creative ideas
- Your workflow does not require audio — if you plan to add a separate music track or voiceover anyway, Veo's built-in audio is not a differentiator
- You are exploring abstract or surreal concepts — Sora handles impossible physics, dream logic, and non-literal visual storytelling more effectively than Veo's realism-first approach
Run Both Models from One CLI
Google vs OpenAI — same terminal, same credits, one command apart.
# Veo — cinematic 4K with audio, 8 seconds
$ agent-media generate veo3 -p "A chef plating a dessert in a Michelin-star kitchen, ambient restaurant sounds" -d 8 --sync
# Sora — creative abstract, 12 seconds
$ agent-media generate sora2 -p "Time-lapse of a city transforming from ancient ruins to a futuristic metropolis" -d 12 --sync
Price Comparison
Veo is the most premium model in the lineup. Sora offers a more budget-friendly path with longer clips. Both are included in every agent-media plan.