Veo 3.1 is priced through Google's AI subscriptions, not as a standalone product. The tiers are AI Plus at $7.99/mo, AI Pro at $19.99/mo, and AI Ultra at $249.99/mo, each bundling a pool of Flow credits you spend on video. Developers can also call it directly on the API for $0.03 to $0.60 per second.
The short answer
You don't buy "Veo" — you buy a Google AI plan that includes Veo 3.1 access plus a monthly credit allowance for the Flow video tool. The higher the plan, the more credits and the better the Veo tier you can use. For heavy or programmatic use, the pay-per-second API is the alternative.
Subscription plans
Three consumer tiers unlock progressively more Veo. All prices are monthly; annual billing usually discounts them.
| Plan | Price | Flow credits & Veo access |
|---|---|---|
| Google AI Plus | $7.99/mo | 200 credits, Veo 3.1 Fast, Whisk |
| Google AI Pro | $19.99/mo | 1,000 credits, higher Veo tiers |
| Google AI Ultra | $249.99/mo | 25,000 credits, full Veo 3.1, top priority |
How Flow credits work
Flow credits are a shared currency for Google's generative video and image tools, and each Veo tier burns them at a different rate. As a rule of thumb, 1,000 credits (the AI Pro allowance) buys roughly 100 Veo 3.1 Lite, 50 Veo 3.1 Fast, or 10 Veo 3.1 Quality videos.
| Veo tier | Videos per 1,000 credits | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Veo 3.1 Lite | ~100 | Drafts, quick iteration |
| Veo 3.1 Fast | ~50 | Social, everyday clips |
| Veo 3.1 Quality | ~10 | Cinema-grade 4K + audio |
Because Quality burns credits about 10x faster than Lite, plan your credits around how many finished hero clips you actually need versus rough drafts.
API pricing
For developers and high-volume users, Veo is available on Google's developer platforms at $0.03 to $0.60 per second, depending on the model tier and resolution. Lite and Fast sit at the low end; full-quality 4K with audio sits near the top. Pay-per-second usually beats a subscription once you're generating a lot of finished footage.
Vs Runway & Seedance
Veo's pricing lands in the premium band for a reason — the quality is there. Runway is subscription-first with credit allowances, while Seedance undercuts everyone at roughly $0.04–0.056 per second on the API.
| Model | API per second | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| Veo 3.1 | $0.03–0.60 | $7.99/mo (AI Plus) |
| Runway | Credit-based | ~$12/mo |
| Seedance 2.0 | $0.04–0.056 | None (pay-per-use) |
Is it worth it?
If you want the best-looking AI video with native audio and 4K, Veo 3.1 is worth its premium — and Google AI Pro at $19.99/month is the sweet spot for most creators, since it also bundles the rest of Gemini. Ultra only makes sense if you're producing at volume and need 25,000 credits.
If cost-per-clip is your priority, or you need multimodal input control, Seedance 2.0 will stretch your budget much further. See the full picture in our Veo review, the head-to-head in Seedance vs Veo, or the best AI video generators roundup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Veo cost?
Veo 3.1 is accessed through Google's AI subscriptions: AI Plus at $7.99/month (200 Flow credits), AI Pro at $19.99/month (1,000 credits), and AI Ultra at $249.99/month (25,000 credits). On the API it runs from $0.03 to $0.60 per second.
How many Veo videos do Flow credits buy?
Google AI Pro's 1,000 monthly Flow credits are enough for about 100 Veo 3.1 Lite, 50 Veo 3.1 Fast, or 10 Veo 3.1 Quality videos, depending on which tier of the model you use.
Is there a free way to use Veo?
There's no unlimited free tier, but lower plans like Google AI Plus at $7.99/month include Veo 3.1 Fast with a monthly credit allowance. The cheapest reliable access to the full model is through the paid Google AI plans or the API.
What's the difference between Veo tiers?
Lite is the cheapest and fastest for drafts, Fast is the everyday middle option, and Quality delivers cinema-grade 4K with native audio but burns credits roughly 10x faster than Lite.
Which plan should most creators buy?
Google AI Pro at $19.99/month is the sweet spot — 1,000 Flow credits plus the rest of Gemini. Step up to Ultra only if you need the 25,000-credit allowance for high-volume production.
Is the API cheaper than a subscription?
Often, once you're generating a lot of finished footage. The API's per-second billing ($0.03–$0.60) lets you pay only for what you render, whereas subscriptions cap you at a monthly credit pool.