Is Sora AI Free Now? According to demand：Image or Video

In an era where generative AI is rapidly transforming creative workflows, OpenAI’s Sora AI has emerged as one of the most talked-about tools for both image and video creation. As organizations and individual creators explore its potential, a key question looms large: Is Sora AI free? This article synthesizes the latest developments, pricing announcements, and user-reported experiences to provide a comprehensive and balanced view of its cost structure.

What is Sora AI?

It is important to distinguish between:

• OpenAI’s Sora: A text‑to‑video generator bundled with ChatGPT paid tiers.
• OpenAI’s Sora Turbo image generator: A related feature for static image creation, now offered free within ChatGPT.

Origins and Development

Sora AI was first introduced by OpenAI in early 2024 as a text-to-video generation model, following the success of text and image generators such as GPT-4 and DALL·E. Initial access was limited to a controlled group of safety testers in February 2024, who helped identify issues such as unnatural character movements and visual inconsistencies. The model leveraged advanced diffusion and transformer techniques to simulate realistic motion and lighting, though early versions exhibited “uncanny valley” artifacts, especially in more complex scenes .

Core Capabilities

At its core, Sora AI enables users to generate novel video content up to 20 seconds in length, based solely on text prompts. Key features include:

• Remix: Modify or replace elements within an existing clip.
• Re-cut: Isolate and extend promising frames to craft smoother transitions.
• Loop: Create seamless, repeating clips.
• Blend: Merge two separate video inputs into one coherent scene.
• Storyboard: Organize and rearrange clips on a personal timeline.

These capabilities position Sora as more than a simple generator; it is a creative toolkit for previsualization, prototyping, and rapid iteration in both film and advertising contexts .

Is Sora AI free to use?

Free Tier for Image Generation

In a recent update (May 2025), OpenAI integrated Sora’s image-generation module directly into ChatGPT, allowing all users—including those on the free ChatGPT Basic plan—to generate up to three AI-created images per day at no cost. This rollout aligns with OpenAI’s strategy to democratize access to visual AI tools and compete with standalone image generators. Users simply enter a text prompt, and Sora’s image engine delivers a photorealistic picture in seconds, without any subscription requirement .

Access Limitations for Video Generation

Contrary to the image module, video generation remains behind a paywall. Currently, Sora’s video features are accessible only through ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Pro plans:

• ChatGPT Plus ($20/month):
  • Up to 720p resolution
  • Maximum 10-second clips
  • Standard generation speeds
• ChatGPT Pro ($200/month):
  • Up to 1080p resolution
  • Maximum 20-second clips
  • Faster generation times and up to 5 concurrent jobs
  • Ability to download videos without watermarks .

No free tier exists for video generation at this time, and there is no publicly available pay-as-you-go or developer API pricing for its video model. Access remains strictly subscription-based.

Regional Availability

While ChatGPT’s core text and image features are globally available, Sora video is not offered in all jurisdictions. Specifically, the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, and the United Kingdom were initially excluded due to regulatory and copyright concerns. However, as of February 28, 2025, OpenAI launched Sora video for UK subscribers amidst a copyright dispute that saw UK creatives demanding more control over AI-trained content . Access in the EEA and Switzerland remains restricted pending further legal guidance.

CometAPI Sora AI platform

CometAPI is a unified AI model aggregation platform that provides developers with one API endpoint to access over 500 different AI models—ranging from language models like GPT‑4.5 to image and video generators like Runway Gen‑3 Alpha and Sora. Instead of managing individual keys, endpoints, and billing across multiple vendors, you use a single API key and base URL to route calls to your desired model by specifying its name in each request .

How does Sora Video Generator’s cost compare to other video‑generation tools?

Several major players now contend in text‑to‑video, each with different free‑access models.

Google’s Veo 2

Google’s Veo 2 is available via early access but lacks a free public tier; interested users must join a waitlist and receive invitation codes for trials.

Runway Gen‑3 Alpha

Runway’s Gen‑3 Alpha offers limited free credits upon signup, after which usage shifts to paid credits; their model is integrated into creative SaaS platforms and targets professional workflows .

OpenAI Sora vs. Others

OpenAI’s Sora is unique in its tight integration with ChatGPT subscriptions, granting seamless access to video, coding, chat, and image‑generation features under one billing umbrella .

In summary, Sora AI’s fixed‑fee model suits users who generate many short clips regularly, whereas pay‑as‑you‑go platforms may better serve those needing occasional, longer videos without a large upfront subscription.

Conclusion and Recommendations

In summary, Sora AI’s free offerings are currently limited to three daily image generations within the ChatGPT Basic plan, while video generation remains an exclusive benefit for ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers. Regional rollouts continue to evolve, with the UK now included despite ongoing copyright debates, and broader EEA access still on hold. For developers and SMBs seeking risk-free experimentation, the free image tier provides an enticing glimpse into Sora’s capabilities; however, unlocking the full potential of text-to-video requires a paid subscription. Looking ahead, OpenAI’s planned enterprise and volume-based pricing models promise greater flexibility for organizations, but exact terms and costs will not be known until later in 2025.

Getting Started

CometAPI provides a unified REST interface that aggregates hundreds of AI models—under a consistent endpoint, with built-in API-key management, usage quotas, and billing dashboards. Instead of juggling multiple vendor URLs and credentials.

Developers can access Sora API  through CometAPI. To begin, explore the model’s capabilities in the Playground and consult the API guide for detailed instructions. Before accessing, please make sure you have logged in to CometAPI and obtained the API key.