video model comparison
Grok Imagine Video 1.5 Lite vs Veo 3.1 Preview
Grok Imagine Video 1.5 Lite and Veo 3.1 Preview are both current video models, from xAI and Google. Grok Imagine Video 1.5 Lite is 95% cheaper per video second than Veo 3.1 Preview, $0.02 vs $0.40.
Data verified October 12, 2026 · Dataset 2026-10-12
Side by side
Standard-tier prices in effect today. The better value in each row is highlighted.
| Fact | Grok Imagine Video 1.5 Lite | Veo 3.1 Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Price per video second | $0.02 (better) | $0.40 |
| Arena Text-to-Video | Not measured | 1364 Elo (#2 of 4) |
| Arena Image-to-Video | Not measured | 1398 Elo (#3 of 3) |
| Provider | xAI | |
| Release date | Not reported | October 15, 2025 |
| Access | API only | API only |
| Context window | Not reported | Not reported |
| Max output | Not reported | Not reported |
| Input | text, image | text, image |
| Output | video | video, audio |
Scores:Arena · 2026-10-12
When to choose each
Grok Imagine Video 1.5 Lite
Best for
- Cheap drafts and simple clips before committing to a higher-end video model
Watch out for
- xAI has not published a release date; trackers report early October 2026
- No independent video-quality benchmark is recorded here
Veo 3.1 Preview
Best for
- Gemini API video generation with audio
Watch out for
- Preview models may change and have stricter rate limits
Grok Imagine Video 1.5 Lite vs Veo 3.1 Preview FAQ
Which is cheaper, Grok Imagine Video 1.5 Lite or Veo 3.1 Preview?
Grok Imagine Video 1.5 Lite is 95% cheaper per video second than Veo 3.1 Preview, $0.02 vs $0.40.
Related comparisons
Production evaluation
Choosing between Grok Imagine Video 1.5 Lite and Veo 3.1 Preview?
Public benchmarks narrow the shortlist. We run both on your own tasks, data and cost limits, then build the routing and review controls to run the winner in production.
- A head-to-head evaluation on your real workload
- Routing between models by cost and difficulty