Sora Pricing & Shutdown 2026: API Cost, Export and Alternatives
Sora web/app ended April 26, 2026 and the API ends September 24. Official OpenAI API pricing, 1080p correction, export steps, and best alternatives.
Updated April 29, 2026: OpenAI now says Sora web and app experiences were discontinued on April 26, 2026. The Sora API is still listed in OpenAI developer docs and is scheduled to be discontinued on September 24, 2026. That makes this page a Sora shutdown, API pricing, export, and replacement guide.
The official price table still matters for users winding down API usage: sora-2 is $0.10/sec at 720p.sora-2-pro is $0.30/sec at 720p, $0.50/sec at 1024p, and $0.70/sec at 1080p. Do not quote "$0.50/sec 1080p"; that is the 1024p tier in OpenAI's current pricing table.
For replacement pricing, start with the AI video API pricing table, then compare Kling v3 Pro, Veo 3.1, Seedance 2.0, HappyHorse 1.0, and Runway Gen-4.5 against the exact Sora workflow you are replacing.
Status: Sora app/web is already discontinued. OpenAI says exports are available at sora.chatgpt.com/sunset. API users should migrate before September 24, 2026.
Sora Shutdown Timeline
The timeline below uses OpenAI Help as the canonical source. Dates are absolute because the April 26 app deadline has already passed.
| Date | Status | What to do now |
|---|---|---|
| April 26, 2026 | Sora web and app experiences discontinued | Export remaining content through OpenAI's Sora sunset page |
| September 24, 2026 | Sora API scheduled to be discontinued | Migrate API workloads and remove Sora dependencies |
| After final export window | Sora data deletion | Do not assume prompts or generated videos will be recoverable |
Official Sora API Pricing
OpenAI prices Sora video generation per output second. The standard price is for normal API calls; Batch is lower cost for offline queues that can tolerate delayed processing.
| Model | Resolution | Standard price | Batch price | 10s standard cost | Pricing note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sora-2 | 720p | $0.10/sec | $0.05/sec | $1.00 | Cheapest official Sora API tier; app/web no longer available |
| sora-2-pro | 720p | $0.30/sec | $0.15/sec | $3.00 | Higher-quality Pro tier at 720p |
| sora-2-pro | 1024p | $0.50/sec | $0.25/sec | $5.00 | Often mistaken for 1080p pricing; this is 1024p |
| sora-2-pro | 1080p | $0.70/sec | $0.35/sec | $7.00 | Official 1080p Pro price; among the highest video API rates |
The 1080p correction is important for budget planning. A 10-second Sora 2 Pro 1080p clip costs $7.00 at standard API pricing, not $5.00. For high-volume migration planning, compare that against active models in the cost calculator.
Should You Still Use Sora?
Use Sora only when you are finishing an existing API pipeline before the September 24 shutdown. Do not start a new long-lived production workflow on Sora. The product surface is already partially discontinued, the API has a public end date, and replacement models now cover most practical workflows.
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| You used the Sora app or web UI | Export content now; choose an active replacement model |
| You have Sora API jobs in production | Freeze new Sora features and migrate before September 24 |
| You are comparing prices for a new project | Skip Sora; compare Kling, Veo, Seedance, HappyHorse, and Runway |
| You need Sora-like long clips | Plan around shorter clips and stitching; no active replacement cleanly matches every Sora feature |
Best Sora Alternatives
The best replacement depends on which Sora feature mattered most: pricing, native audio, long clips, image references, remix/editing, or production controls.
| Alternative | Best for | Why it replaces Sora |
|---|---|---|
| Kling v3 Pro | Best long-term value and production controls | Use when you need 1080p output, multi-shot structure, native audio options, and a model without a known shutdown date. |
| Veo 3.1 | Best native audio and lip-sync replacement | Use when Sora was mainly a sound-and-video workflow and you care more about dialogue/audio quality than long single-shot duration. |
| Seedance 2.0 | Best flexible reference-input workflow | Use when you need multiple references, music/dance workflows, multilingual lip-sync, or video-to-video style flexibility. |
| HappyHorse 1.0 | Newest native-audio API candidate | Use when you want to test a newly API-available model on FAL or Replicate, while still avoiding open-source/self-hosting claims. |
| Runway Gen-4.5 | Best filmmaking-oriented interface | Use when camera direction, shot styling, and a creator workflow matter more than matching Sora pricing exactly. |
For direct decision pages, use Sora vs Kling, Veo vs Sora, and Sora 2 Review. For the broader market view, use the AI video leaderboard.
Migration Checklist
- Export Sora content. Use OpenAI's Sora sunset export page and keep local copies of videos, prompts, and references.
- Correct budget assumptions. Use $0.70/sec for Sora 2 Pro 1080p, not $0.50/sec.
- Classify each workflow. Separate app-only workflows, API jobs, prompt libraries, and video assets.
- Test two replacements. Start with Kling v3 Pro for value/control and Veo 3.1 for native audio/lip-sync quality.
- Move before September 24, 2026. Do not wait until the API cutoff to swap endpoints, prompts, durations, and review flows.
FAQ
Is Sora still available?
Sora web and app experiences were discontinued on April 26, 2026. The Sora API remains available until September 24, 2026, according to OpenAI Help. After that API date, teams should expect Sora access to end and should migrate to active video models.
How much does the Sora API cost in 2026?
OpenAI official API pricing lists sora-2 at $0.10/sec for 720p. Sora 2 Pro costs $0.30/sec at 720p, $0.50/sec at 1024p, and $0.70/sec at 1080p. Batch pricing is half of standard pricing: $0.05/sec, $0.15/sec, $0.25/sec, and $0.35/sec respectively.
Is Sora 2 Pro 1080p $0.50/sec?
No. OpenAI currently lists $0.50/sec for Sora 2 Pro at 1024p. Sora 2 Pro at 1080p is $0.70/sec on the official OpenAI API pricing page.
Should I buy ChatGPT Plus or Pro for Sora now?
No, not for Sora access. The Sora web and app product has already been discontinued. If you need video generation now, compare active API models such as Kling v3, Veo 3.1, Seedance 2.0, HappyHorse 1.0, Runway, and Wan instead.
How do I export Sora content?
OpenAI says you can export Sora content by going to sora.chatgpt.com/sunset and clicking Export. OpenAI recommends exporting as soon as possible because Sora data will be permanently deleted after discontinuation and any final export window.
What is the best Sora alternative?
For production longevity, start with Kling v3 Pro if you need control and value, Veo 3.1 if you need stronger native audio and lip-sync, Seedance 2.0 if you need flexible reference inputs, and HappyHorse 1.0 if you want to test the newest API-available native-audio model.
Sources
- OpenAI Help - Sora discontinuation — Official Sora web/app discontinuation date, API sunset date, export guidance, and data deletion warning
- OpenAI API pricing — Official Sora 2 and Sora 2 Pro per-second standard and batch API pricing
- OpenAI Sora 2 model page — Official model page for sora-2 input/output modalities, endpoint support, and rate limits
- OpenAI video generation guide — Official API guide for video generation, references, characters, extensions, edits, and batch jobs
- VidScore AI video API pricing table — Current replacement-model pricing across active AI video APIs
Related reading
Sora 2 Review: Is OpenAI's Video Model Worth It?
Sora 2 starts at $0.10/sec, but web/app access ended April 26 and API access ends September 24, 2026. Updated pricing, 1080p correction, and alternatives.
Sora 2 vs Kling v3: Full Comparison + Migration Guide (2026)
Sora app/web ended April 26, 2026 and API ends Sept 24. Kling v3 Pro replaces it with verified 1080p API output, multi-shot, lip-sync, and voice control.
Veo 3 Pricing 2026: API Pricing, Cheapest Buying Path & Subscription Costs
Veo 3 API pricing runs $0.10-$0.40/sec across verified 720p-1080p tiers. See the cheapest way to buy Veo 3, when a Google subscription beats API pricing, and how FAL.ai, Replicate, and Vertex AI compare.
Related models
Compare next
Minimax Hailuo offers Standard at $0.045/s (768p) and Pro at $0.08/s (1080p) for 10 seconds without audio. Sora 2 base API pricing is $0.10/s at 720p with built-in audio, while higher-resolution Sora 2 Pro tiers cost more. Sora is 1.25-2.2x more expensive than Minimax on comparable per-second cost, but buys audio generation and stronger overall quality. This is a clear budget-vs-premium comparison.
Sora 2 generates up to 20 seconds at 1080p with built-in audio for $0.10/s, while Kling v3 Pro produces up to 15 seconds at verified 1080p with multishot support for $0.112/s without audio or $0.168/s with native audio. Sora offers longer single-clip duration and slightly lower per-second cost, but Kling counters with native audio options, flexible frame rates (24/30/60fps), and 6-shot multishot capability.
Veo 3 and Sora 2 are both premium audio-capable models. Veo 3 Fast costs $0.10/s without audio and Standard costs $0.40/s with audio at 720p-1080p for 8 seconds max. Sora 2 costs $0.10/s with audio at 720p, while Sora 2 Pro reaches higher-resolution tiers at higher prices. Sora offers longer clips and better value with audio included, while Veo Standard leads on lip-sync quality.
Use cases
Compare the cheapest AI video generators in 2026 by real API cost per second. PixVerse v6 leads at $0.025/sec, followed by Pika 2 at $0.04/sec and Kling 2.5 Turbo at $0.042/sec.
Compare the best AI video generators for product demo videos in 2026. Runway Gen-4 offers precise control, Veo 3 delivers photorealistic 1080p output, and Sora 2 handles complex scene composition.
Compare the best AI video generators for YouTube Shorts in 2026 by visual quality, cost, and generation speed across Kling 2.5 Turbo, Pika 2, and PixVerse v6.