Hailuo AI video is MiniMax's text and image to video tool. Plans start at $14.99 a month for 1,000 credits, new users get a short-lived welcome credit pack, and Subject Reference helps keep a persona consistent. Developers can use Hailuo models through MiniMax's API, priced in video points per clip.
Hailuo AI video is MiniMax's generator for turning text and images into short clips, and for AI persona creators its main draws are a Subject Reference feature for consistent characters and plans that start at $14.99 a month. New users get a one-time pack of welcome credits that expires after three days, so the free route is for testing, not ongoing production. This guide covers plans, the reference workflow, and the API route for developers.
Checked October 2026 against Hailuo's subscription service terms, its character consistency guide and Subject Reference page, and MiniMax's video API pricing. Prices and models change often.
Hailuo is one option among several video tools for personas. For how it fits alongside Runway, Kling and others, see our AI influencer video guide.
Hailuo AI video plans and credits
| Plan | Price | Credits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $14.99/month | 1,000 credits/month | Faster generation, no watermark |
| Pro | $54.99/month | 4,500 credits/month | Faster generation, no watermark |
| Master | $119.99/month | 10,000 credits/month | Faster generation, no watermark |
| Extra credits | $1 per 70 credits | Valid to end of the second calendar year after purchase | Top-up |
| New users | Free | One-time welcome credits | Expire 3 days after granting |
Hailuo's terms say membership credits are valid for one month and do not roll over, while purchased credits last until December 31 of the second calendar year after purchase. Upgrading converts remaining plan credits into purchased credits. The terms also describe older plans, such as a legacy Unlimited plan only sold before June 18, 2025, and higher tiers with Relax Mode generation.
Source: Hailuo subscription terms, checked October 2026
Is Hailuo AI free?
Only for a taste. Hailuo's terms say users who register on or after June 18, 2025 receive a one-time welcome package of free credits that expires three days after it is granted, limited to one package per user. That is enough to test your reference image and a few prompts, not to run a channel. Paid plans add queue priority and watermark-free downloads, which matter for anything you publish.
For a broader list of free starting points, see our roundup of free AI video generators.
Consistent personas with Subject Reference
Hailuo's character consistency guide recommends creating a clear, front-facing portrait of your character first and saving it in high resolution, because it becomes the reference for every clip. Its Subject Reference feature then uses that image to keep the character's visual characteristics through the generated video.
- 1Create the reference portrait
Front-facing, clear features, even lighting, high resolution.
- 2Write a fixed persona description
Reuse the same wording in every prompt.
- 3Generate with Subject Reference
Upload the same reference for every clip.
- 4Review for drift
Check face, hair and outfit against the reference.
- 5Edit clips together
Short clips cut into a Reel or TikTok.
Consistency depends as much on discipline as on the tool: same reference, same description, same lighting words. Our consistent character guide covers this across tools.
Writing prompts for short persona clips
Short clips reward simple prompts. Each generation produces a few seconds of video, so ask for one action, one camera move and one setting at a time. Long prompts that describe a whole scene usually produce clips where only part of the request lands.
- Subject: keep the same persona wording every time, and let the reference image carry the face.
- Action: one verb, such as walks, turns, laughs, pours coffee.
- Camera: one move, such as slow push in, static, handheld follow.
- Setting and light: a short phrase, such as sunlit kitchen, morning.
Save prompts that work in a document with the clip they produced. Over a few weeks that becomes a prompt library for your persona, and it makes results more repeatable than starting from scratch each time.
Planning a monthly credit budget
Hailuo shows the credit cost of a generation in the app before you run it, and costs differ by model, length and resolution. Rather than guessing, run one clip of each type you plan to use, note the credits, and multiply by how many finished clips you need, plus a margin for retries. Then match the total to a plan. Because membership credits expire monthly, it is usually better to pick the plan that covers a normal month and top up with purchased credits in busy months than to overbuy.
- 01Test one clip of each type
Note credits used
- 02Count clips per month
Finished clips needed
- 03Add a retry margin
Not every clip is usable
- 04Match to a plan
Top up when busy
Turning clips into posts
Most persona content on Reels and TikTok is several short clips cut together with voice, captions and music. Generate clips that share the same reference, lighting words and colour palette so they cut together cleanly, then add a consistent voice and on-screen text in your editor. Our guides to AI voice for video and Reels text overlay cover those layers.
MiniMax video generator for developers: API pricing
MiniMax offers Hailuo models through its API platform, with video packages priced in video points per clip. Its pricing guide lists:
| Model | Clip | Video points |
|---|---|---|
| Hailuo 2.3 Fast | 768p, 6s | 0.7 points |
| Hailuo 2.3 or Hailuo 02 | 768p, 6s | 1 point |
| Hailuo 2.3 or Hailuo 02 | 768p, 10s | 2 points |
| Hailuo 2.3 or Hailuo 02 | 1080p, 6s | 2 points |
| Hailuo 02 | 512p, 6s | 0.3 points |
MiniMax's docs note that the video packages support Hailuo video models and that MiniMax H3 is not supported yet. If you want to run MiniMax's H3 model locally instead, our MiniMax H3 in ComfyUI guide covers that route.
Hailuo AI vs Kling
- Plan credits vs clips you need
- Subject Reference on your persona
- Watermark rules on your plan
- Queue speed at your tier
- API route if you automate
- Plan credits vs clips you need
- Its reference features on your persona
- Watermark rules on your plan
- Queue speed at your tier
- API route if you automate
We have not benchmarked the two side by side, so this is a checklist rather than a verdict. The fair test is to run the same reference image and the same three prompts on each, then compare character consistency and the credits each clip used. Our Kling image-to-video tutorial covers the Kling side, and our Runway Gen 4 guide covers a third option.
Labelling and consent
Build personas that are fictional or based on people who consented, and label realistic AI video where platforms require it: TikTok requires labels on AI-generated content with realistic images, audio or video, and Meta requires its AI-disclosure tool for photorealistic video that was digitally created or altered. For the full persona system, from character to content plan to monetization, our AI Influencers program covers each step.
- Test your reference with the welcome credits
- Estimate clips per month and match to plan credits
- Confirm watermark-free downloads on your plan
- Keep one reference image and one persona description
- Label realistic AI video on each platform
Hailuo AI video: FAQ
What is Hailuo AI video?
Hailuo AI is MiniMax's video and image generator for creators. It turns text and images into short video clips, and offers a Subject Reference feature for keeping a character consistent across clips. MiniMax also offers its Hailuo video models to developers through its API platform. Checked October 2026.
Is Hailuo AI free?
Partly. Hailuo's subscription terms say new users who registered on or after June 18, 2025 receive a one-time welcome package of free credits that expires three days after it is granted. Ongoing use, faster generation and watermark-free downloads come with paid plans. Check the current terms before relying on free credits.
How much does Hailuo AI cost?
Hailuo's subscription terms list Standard at $14.99 a month with 1,000 credits, Pro at $54.99 with 4,500 credits, and Master at $119.99 with 10,000 credits, each with faster generation and watermark-free downloads. Extra credits cost $1 for 70 credits. Membership credits expire monthly. Checked October 2026.
How do I keep a character consistent in Hailuo?
Use Subject Reference. Hailuo's character consistency guide recommends creating a clear, high-resolution front-facing portrait of your character first, then uploading it as the reference for every clip so the system keeps those visual characteristics. Using the same reference image every time is what keeps the persona recognisable.
How does Hailuo AI compare with Kling?
Both turn images and text into short clips and offer ways to reference a character. The practical differences for a creator are plan pricing, credit cost per clip, and how well each holds your specific character. Compare current pricing pages and run the same reference and prompt on each before committing to one.
Can developers use Hailuo models through an API?
Yes. MiniMax's API platform documents video packages for Hailuo models priced in video points. For example, it lists one point for a 6-second 768p clip on Hailuo 2.3 or Hailuo 02, and two points for a 10-second 768p or 6-second 1080p clip. Its docs note that MiniMax H3 is not yet supported in those packages.
AI persona video, on a budget that works.
The AI Influencers program, included in All Access, covers personas, image and video workflows, voice and monetization, with the other three programs, live coaching and the private community in one subscription.
Free AI creator updates
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