Veo 3.1 vs Kling 4.0: specs, API access and price

Specs side by side

Kling figures come from Kling’s own feature and developer pages, with press used only for the launch date. Veo figures come from Google Cloud’s documentation. Where a maker hasn’t published something, the table says so.

Two details matter more than the table suggests. Kling 4.0 Flash is a different product from the full model: it tops out at 720p and 20 seconds and takes a first frame only. And Kling’s feature page contradicts itself on 4K, so we list Kling 4.0 at 1080p, which reseller listings confirm.

What it costs

Because Kling 4.0 has no official API price yet, the cleanest comparison is per second at 1080p using each model’s most direct developer route. Google’s Veo prices are per “count”, which we read as one second.

Read plainly: at 1080p, Kling 4.0 through a reseller costs less than Veo 3.1 Quality on Google Cloud and more than Veo 3.1 Fast. Veo 3.1 Fast through imaginary.app costs more per second than Kling’s resellers ($2.13–$2.50 per 8-second clip). What you get for that is no Google Cloud project, one-time packs instead of a subscription, and credits back when a generation fails. Our full credit table for every Veo 3.1 setting is on the Lite vs Fast vs Quality page, and the Veo 3.1 cost calculator works these numbers out for a monthly volume.

8 seconds vs 30 seconds in practice

Clip length is the biggest practical difference. A 30-second Kling take keeps one continuous camera move and one consistent scene. With Veo 3.1 you build the same 30 seconds from four or more shots and cut between them, which suits edited content such as ads, explainers and social clips, and suits long unbroken takes less well. To keep shots consistent on Veo, use a still from the end of one clip as the first frame of the next (image-to-video), or set both the first and last frame. Our guide to working past the 8-second limit and the Veo 3.1 image-to-video page show the steps.

When to choose Kling 4.0

• You need one continuous shot longer than 8 seconds, up to 30.
• You work from many references: Kling accepts up to 10 images, 5 videos and 7 subject elements.
• You want to place several keyframes (up to 10) rather than only a first and last frame.
• You need 21:9 or 1:1 output, which Veo 3.1 doesn’t offer.
• You’re happy to use Kling’s app, or a reseller API until Kling opens its own 4.0 API.

When to choose Veo 3.1

• You need an official API now: Veo 3.1 and Fast are generally available on Google Cloud, with a published support date (“May 4, 2027 or later”).
• You need 4K: Veo 3.1 (Quality) generates it on Google Cloud.
• Your content is made of short shots with dialogue or sound effects, where 8 seconds per shot is enough.
• You want Veo 3.1 Fast or Quality after Google Flow retires them on December 5, 2026.
• You want to choose between three price points from the same model family; see Lite vs Fast vs Quality.