TL;DR: ai video cost per second: pricing, process & examples The ai video cost per second ranges from roughly $0.50 for simple motion graphics to $10+ for photorealistic live-action shots, with most studio projects landing between $2 and $5 per finished second. CarlosVideo18+ publishes fixed package...
AI Video Cost Per Second: Pricing, Process & Examples
The ai video cost per second ranges from roughly $0.50 for simple motion graphics to $10+ for photorealistic live-action shots, with most studio projects landing between $2 and $5 per finished second. CarlosVideo18+ publishes fixed package pricing instead — $94, $150, and $250 — with 7-day delivery and crypto accepted, so you budget by project rather than by frame.
What it costs
| Package | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Short clip | from $94 | 10–15 s social cut, one style |
| Standard | $150 | 30–60 s, custom style, voiceover, 2 revision rounds |
| Premium | $250 | 60+ s, complex scenes, 2 revision rounds |
Why "cost per second" is a misleading starting point
Quoting AI video purely on a per-second basis sounds precise, but it hides the variables that actually move a number: resolution, shot count, character consistency, revision rounds, and how much manual cleanup happens after generation. Two ten-second clips can differ threefold in effort even when the runtime matches exactly.
That is why the figure below works best as a planning benchmark — a way to sanity-check a quote before you commit, not a substitute for one. When you compare the ai video cost per second against a fixed package, the package usually wins for anything longer than a handful of shots, because generation retries and edits stop being your billable risk.
At CarlosVideo18+, we price by deliverable. You can see the full breakdown on the pricing page, inspect real finished work in the portfolio, and start a brief in minutes through order.
Current ai video cost per second benchmarks (2024–2025)
The following rates reflect what studios and freelance operators actually charge for finished, edited output — not raw model tokens. Raw generation is cheap; the money goes into prompting, consistency passes, upscaling, sound, and color.
| Video type | Typical ai video cost per second | 10-second example | What drives the price |
| 2D motion graphics / explainers | $0.40 – $1.20 | $4 – $12 | Flat assets, easy iteration |
| Stylized animation (anime, 3D cartoon) | $1.00 – $3.00 | $10 – $30 | Character consistency, style locking |
| Photoreal product shots | $2.00 – $5.00 | $20 – $50 | Lighting accuracy, brand colors |
| Live-action style with human figures | $3.00 – $7.00 | $30 – $70 | Hands, faces, motion artifacts |
| Cinematic scene with VFX and sound design | $5.00 – $12.00 | $50 – $120 | Compositing, custom audio, grading |
| Full commercial package (60 sec) | Fixed: $94 / $150 / $250 | ≈ $2.48 / $3.32 / $4.98 | Brief, script, edits, delivery |
Read the last row first. A sixty-second deliverable at $94 lands near $2.48 per second, and the $250 tier lands at $4.98 — inside the mid-range of the table, with revisions and delivery timelines already handled.
How the three fixed tiers compare to per-second billing
CarlosVideo18+ runs on three flat packages, so the ai video cost per second becomes an output of your project length rather than the input to it.
All three include a 7-day delivery window, and crypto is accepted only; cards are not accepted. If your project runs longer than 90 seconds, the same tiers stack cleanly — the cost per second keeps dropping as runtime grows, because briefing and setup are fixed overhead paid once.
What actually changes the number
Shot count beats runtime. Four distinct setups in ten seconds cost more than one continuous camera move in thirty seconds. Each new setup means a new prompt chain, a fresh consistency pass, and more chances for an unusable generation.
Character and brand consistency. Holding the same face, outfit, or product across cuts requires reference sheets and seed control. This is the single largest line item in human-in-the-loop AI video work, and it is exactly what separates a demo from a deliverable.
Resolution and aspect ratio. 4K upscaling, vertical 9:16 for paid social, and square 1:1 crops each need their own framing decisions. Order three aspect ratios and you are effectively ordering three compositions.
Revisions. Raw generation retries are cheap; directorial feedback rounds are not. Fixed packages absorb this risk on your behalf, which is the core reason a flat rate beats metered billing for most clients.
Sound. Music licensing, voice-over, foley, and final mix routinely add 20–35% to a per-second quote. Our pricing tiers fold audio into the package rather than billing it as an extra.
A worked example: 30-second product launch clip
A consumer brand wants a thirty-second launch video with four product angles, one human hand interaction, a stylized text sequence, licensed music, and two aspect ratios.
Metered approach: photoreal product shots at $3.50/sec for 18 seconds = $63. Hand interaction at $6/sec for 6 seconds = $36. Motion graphics at $0.80/sec for 6 seconds = $4.80. Two revision rounds, upscaling, and sound design add roughly $80–$120. Total: $184–$226.
Package approach: this brief sits comfortably in the $150 Standard tier, with the second aspect ratio and both revision rounds included, delivered in 7 days.
The metered number is not wrong — it is simply open-ended. If the hand shot takes four generations to look right, the meter keeps running. That variance is the real cost of per-second pricing.
What "cost per second" does not include
Watch for these add-ons when you compare quotes from any studio, including ours:
1. Strategy and scripting. Some studios bill discovery separately.
2. Stock licensing. Music and footage libraries charge per use.
3. Source project files. Frequently locked behind an upsell.
4. Rush delivery. Under 7 days usually carries a premium.
5. Paid media versions. Alternate hooks and captions for testing.
Ask for a written scope before paying anything. Our order form captures all five of these upfront, so nothing surfaces as a surprise invoice later.
How to evaluate a quote against the ai video cost per second
Take any number a vendor gives you and divide total project cost by finished seconds. Then run three checks:
Compare that adjusted figure against the $94 / $250 / $250 structure. If the adjusted number is higher, you are paying for the studio's uncertainty rather than your video. Browse completed projects with actual runtime and format details in our portfolio to see where each tier lands.
Process: from brief to 7-day delivery
1. Day 1 — Brief. You submit references, runtime, aspect ratios, and tone through order.
2. Day 2 — Direction. We return a style frame and shot list for sign-off.
3. Days 3–5 — Generation and edit. Production runs with consistency passes between scenes.
4. Day 6 — Review. Your revision round happens here, against your tier.
5. Day 7 — Delivery. Final masters in every requested format, with source files on Premium.
Because the schedule is fixed, the ai video cost per second never becomes a negotiation mid-project. Crypto only at checkout.
Should you budget per second or per project?
Budget per second when you are benchmarking an unfamiliar vendor or scoping a one-off test. Budget per project when you have a real deadline, a defined deliverable, and no appetite for a meter that runs while someone experiments. For most marketing teams, the second approach wins within a single campaign cycle.
CarlosVideo18+ keeps pricing public at carlosvideo18.shop/pricing, work visible at carlosvideo18.shop/portfolio, and intake open at carlosvideo18.shop/order. Three tiers — $94, $150, $250 — seven-day delivery, crypto accepted, no per-second math required.
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FAQ
What is a realistic ai video cost per second in 2025?
Most finished AI video falls between $2 and $5 per second for commercial work. Simple motion graphics can drop to $0.40 per second, while cinematic scenes with VFX, custom sound design, and heavy compositing reach $10 or more. Per-second rates cover generation, editing, revisions, and delivery — not just model tokens.
Why do studios quote per second at all?
Per-second pricing is a quick way to compare unfamiliar vendors and size a small test. It also transfers generation risk to the client, since every unusable attempt adds cost. Fixed packages shift that risk to the studio, which is why CarlosVideo18+ quotes $94, $150, and $250 by deliverable instead of metered runtime.
Does the ai video cost per second include sound and music?
Often not. Voice-over, licensed music, foley, and final mix typically add 20–35% to a metered quote, and some studios bill them separately after delivery. Our Standard and Premium tiers include licensed audio and mixing, so the number you see is the number you pay.
How much does a 60-second AI video cost?
At metered rates, a sixty-second commercial with photoreal scenes lands between $120 and $300 before revisions. Our Standard package delivers up to 60 seconds for a flat $150 — about $3.32 per second — with two style directions, two revision rounds, licensed sound, and 7-day delivery included.
How many revisions are included in a fixed package?
One round on the $94 Base tier, two on the $150 Standard tier, and three on the $250 Premium tier. Revisions cover direction changes, pacing, and copy adjustments within the agreed brief. Additional rounds beyond the tier can be added, but most projects never need them.
Is AI video cheaper than live-action production?
For short-form marketing content, yes — typically by a wide margin, because you avoid crew, location, equipment, and talent day rates. Live-action still wins when you need real product physics or a specific actor on camera. Run both quotes against the same brief before deciding which route fits.
Do you accept cryptocurrency?
Yes. CarlosVideo18+ accepts crypto only; cards are not accepted on every tier. Payment is collected when the brief is confirmed, and the 7-day delivery clock starts that same day. Details for either method are on the order page.
Where can I see examples before ordering?
The portfolio shows finished pieces with runtime, format, and tier noted for each, so you can match a real deliverable to a price. If you want a reference for a specific style or industry, mention it in your brief and we will point you to comparable work.