Sora 2 API is shut down: the alternatives and what they cost

OpenAI retired the Sora 2 models and Videos API on 24 September 2026, according to its deprecations notice. To replace an eight-second 720p workflow through API Stock, start by comparing Veo 3.1 Lite at $0.10 for text-only input, Fast at $0.20 for image input, or Seedance 2.0 Mini at $0.304 for variable-length output. No alternative is established here as a quality-equivalent replacement for Sora.

Updated 15 October 2026. Alternative tariffs have changed: an eight-second 720p request costs $0.10 on Veo Lite, $0.20 on Fast and $0.304 on Seedance Mini. The tables below use the checked catalog snapshot, with sound and input-video conditions stated. The original cover retains prices from publication, 28 September 2026.

What shut down, and what should you migrate?

OpenAI's notice covers the Videos API, sora-2, sora-2-pro and their listed snapshots. It names no recommended replacement model. On API Stock, Sora is absent from the current public catalog, so choose a supported video model rather than reusing a retired id.

Your migration has three parts: choose a replacement model, map its input fields and validate how its output fits your editor or downstream pipeline. A model switch can change duration, aspect ratio, sound and subject appearance even when the prompt is unchanged.

Which model fits your old Sora workflow?

The following are concrete request scenarios, all at 720p with no input video. An image input on Fast does not add input-video seconds. The balance debit retains fractional cents; cent-denominated displays may round these amounts.

This table selects by input and length, not an unmeasured quality ranking. Veo Quality is another candidate to test, at $1.20 per eight-second 720p clip; 1080p has a different $1.425 tariff, about $1.43 when displayed to cents. 4K uses a separate tier. See Veo pricing by tier.

How do costs compare for eight seconds with sound?

Kling's silent 720p rate is $0.09/s, compared with $0.135/s with audio. Do not compare a silent request with a sound-enabled one without saying so.

Grok Imagine has no public audio switch, which does not mean its output is silent: our published first Grok result contains an audio track. One result does not guarantee a soundtrack on every request. Grok also offers 6/10/15/20/25/30-second durations rather than eight seconds, so it is not included as an eight-second purchasable request above.

Which alternatives can make a twenty-second clip?

Veo's fixed eight-second clip does not replace a twenty-second take in one request. For twenty seconds at 720p with no input video:

Supplying reference video can change the bill. For Seedance 2.5, ten input-video seconds plus twenty output seconds at 720p cost 30 × $0.129 = $3.87. That is a different workflow from a fresh twenty-second request; the Seedance pricing article explains the input-plus-output calculation.

Several short clips edited together are another option, but separate generations do not establish continuity of the same actor, product or camera movement. Choose cuts deliberately rather than assuming two outputs form one take.

What changes in a migration request?

For a text-only eight-second replacement on Veo Fast:

curl -X POST https://api.api-stock.com/api/v1/generation/create \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_STOCK_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "veo3.1-fast",
    "input": {
      "prompt": "Slow push-in on a red sneaker resting on wet concrete, neon reflections. Sound: rain on a tin roof, no music.",
      "aspectRatio": "9:16",
      "resolution": "720p"
    }
  }'

The request costs $0.20 at the snapshot tariff. Veo has no public duration field; remove a Sora duration value rather than copying it. To start from an image, add your own accessible image URL in urls and the appropriate generationType; Lite does not accept that image workflow. Other families use different image fields, as documented in the image-to-video guide.

The task polling and webhook flow remain the same on API Stock; see tasks and webhooks. Treat this as a migration recipe, not proof that the output will match your old Sora clip.

How should you validate the switch?

Take prompts from your actual backlog and define acceptance criteria before generating: length, dimensions, sound, product consistency and any required first frame. Save every input and output and count all paid attempts, including successful generations rejected in editing. Test downstream file handling as well as visual quality.

The video comparison includes actual first Grok/Kling clips with the input and limitations disclosed. It does not establish a universal replacement winner. Use the compare tool for schemas, then test your chosen workflow.

FAQ

Is the Sora 2 API still supported by OpenAI?

OpenAI's deprecations notice lists 24 September 2026 as the shutdown date for the Videos API and Sora 2 models, with no recommended replacement. Sora is not in the current API Stock public catalog.

What is a low-cost eight-second alternative?

At the 15 October snapshot, Veo Lite costs $0.10 for text-only input and Fast $0.20 when image input is needed, both at 720p. Price alone does not establish equivalent output quality.

Can Grok generate sound?

Our published first result contains an audio track. The public schema has no audio switch, so distinguish the absence of a control from the absence of sound; one sample is not a guarantee for all requests.

Which model can replace a twenty-second Sora take?

Grok Imagine, Wan 3.0 and Seedance 2.5 all accept twenty seconds. At 720p with no input video, the snapshot totals are $0.56, $1.88 and $4.30 respectively; compare outputs on your own brief.

Do I need a new API key?

The same API Stock key and balance work for the supported models. Change the model and its input fields, and verify the new request's quote and result handling before migrating a batch.