What Is Hailuo AI? A Beginner's Guide to Features, Pricing, Commercial Use, and Japanese Support (From Official Sources)

Hailuo AI is an AI video and image generation service from the AI company MiniMax. This article walks through its features, pricing, commercial-use checkpoints, and where it does and doesn't fit, based on what we found on Hailuo AI's and MiniMax's official pages on October 4, 2026 (UTC).

What is Hailuo AI?

Hailuo AI is a browser-based service that generates video from text or images. The official site's menu offers tools for creating Video, Image, and Audio, along with "Hailuo Agent" and "Tools," a collection of templates organized by use case (official homepage).

As of October 4, 2026, the model the official site puts front and center is MiniMax's video generation model "MiniMax H3" (MiniMax H3 page). MiniMax's official blog describes H3, announced on July 31, 2026, as a general-purpose multimodal generation model that understands text, images, video, and audio together as context and can generate video with stereo audio (MiniMax official blog). According to the same page, H3 is the generation that follows "Hailuo 01" and "Hailuo 02."

Main features and models

Generation modes and reference features

Hailuo AI's MiniMax H3 page lists the following creation modes (MiniMax H3 page):

Text-to-Video, which generates video from text
Image-to-video generation, where you specify a first frame, or both a first and a last frame
"Omni Reference," which combines images, video, and audio as reference material (up to 9 images, 3 videos, and 3 audio clips, with a total of up to 12 files; audio references must be used together with an image or video)
Editing of existing video, such as replacing, adding, or removing people or objects, and changing the background, lighting, dialogue, or voice

The FAQ on the same page states that video generated with H3 always comes with stereo audio.

Diagram of three ways to use MiniMax H3 on Hailuo AI: generating from text, generating from an image, and editing an existing video

Officially stated clip lengths and resolutions

The H3 page lists 5 to 15 seconds at 24 fps, with support for 21:9, 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, and 9:16 aspect ratios. On resolution, however, the same page is inconsistent: it says "up to 1440p/2K" in one place, "768p or 2K" in its setup steps, and, in its FAQ, that 768p is an option "coming later." Meanwhile, the plan comparison on the pricing page listed H3 as 4 to 15 seconds at 768p/2K. Because the official pages don't agree on duration and resolution, check the settings actually available on the generation screen.

The Tools list also has pages for the following models:

MiniMax H3 Max: a derivative model that fal built by further training H3. 480p or 768p, 5 to 15 seconds, generated from text or an image (H3 Max page). The speed figure of "generating a 5-second 768p video in under 3 seconds" is presented as a figure published by fal
Hailuo 2.3: a model that generates video from text and images. Examples are given at 768p and 1080p and at 6 and 10 seconds, and there is also a faster version, "Hailuo 2.3-Fast," which for now focuses on image-to-video (I2V) generation (Hailuo 2.3 page)

The Tools list also includes templates bearing the names of other companies' video and image models, such as Kling 4.0 and Seedance (Tools list). The H3 and H3 Max pages also show external leaderboard rankings and price comparisons with other companies' models, but all of this is information published by Hailuo AI, and we have not verified it.

Pricing, credits, and what you can use for free

Free plan

The pricing page showed a $0 free plan. It comes with 0 monthly credits; instead, it includes one-time trial credits and is limited to Hailuo's own models. The payment policy (subscription terms, updated July 14, 2025) linked from the pricing page states that videos downloaded by free users include a watermark. The same policy also states that one-time free credits for new users who registered on or after June 18, 2025, expire 3 days after being granted. However, we found no explicit statement on whether videos generated on the free plan can be used commercially.

Free-credit campaigns limited by period or conditions are also advertised. Any of these may change or end.

The FAQ on the H3 page: new users who download MiniMax Design receive 3 free H3 trials and 3,000 credits (the page says to check the banners on the official site for current offers)
The Hailuo 2.3 page: during a new model's launch period, free trial credits that refresh daily and do not carry over may be provided
The homepage: an announcement that you can earn credits by answering a survey

Paid plans (as shown on the pricing page)

When we viewed the pricing page without logging in, it showed the following four plans in US dollars. Most of the monthly prices were discounted displays, shown next to a crossed-out original price and an "OFF" discount label. For annual billing, the page showed a per-month amount and the total billed per year. Credits are the amount each plan grants per month.

Standard: monthly billing $10.50 (original price $14.99, shown as 30% OFF). Annual billing $8.40 per month, $100.80 per year (shown as 44% OFF). 1,000 credits per month
Pro: monthly billing $38 (original price $54.99, shown as 31% OFF). Annual billing $30.40 per month, $364.80 per year (shown as 45% OFF). 4,500 credits per month
Master: monthly billing $89 (original price $119.99, shown as 26% OFF). Annual billing $71.20 per month, $854.40 per year (shown as 41% OFF). 10,500 credits per month
Max: monthly billing $216. Annual billing $184 per month, $2,208 per year. 27,000 credits per month

These amounts include the discounts displayed at the time we checked. From the display alone, we couldn't tell how long the discounts will last, whether they apply only to the first billing, or whether the amount stays the same after renewal. We also did not check price differences by region or account, or the final amount at checkout. The payment policy states that sales tax or VAT may apply depending on the billing location and is calculated automatically at checkout. It also states that you can cancel at any point during the billing period, that cancellation takes effect at the start of the next billing period, and that payments already made are not refunded. The policy also lists plans and monthly prices, but some of them, such as Master's credit amount and Max's price, differ from what the current pricing page shows, so this article does not use it as a basis for current or renewal prices. The site header also showed "From $9.99," but since that doesn't match the amounts in the plan details above, we don't use it as the lowest price. Before buying, check the latest terms on the pricing page and at checkout.

Credit usage examples

The Hailuo 2.3 page gives credit usage examples of 25 credits for 768p at 6 seconds, 50 credits for 768p at 10 seconds, and 50 credits for 1080p at 6 seconds. However, the same page notes that the specs and prices actually available may vary by plan. Usage for other models such as H3 also varies by mode, resolution, and duration. In addition, the payment policy states that credits granted with a subscription are valid for one month and that any unused credits do not carry over to the next month.

About the API (a separate product)

For developers, H3 and H3 Max are also offered on MiniMax's API platform. The API documentation states that H3 outputs 768P or 2K at 4 to 15 seconds (whole seconds) and H3 Max outputs 480P or 768P at 5 to 15 seconds, and directs users to choose the pay-as-you-go API to use them (MiniMax API documentation). The API is a separate product with separate pricing from the Hailuo AI subscription, so API prices cannot be applied to Hailuo AI's pricing.

What to check for commercial use

The pricing page's FAQ (in the items for paid users) explains that downloadable videos without a watermark can be used commercially and that users keep the rights. The H3 page's FAQ also says that H3 is designed for commercial-grade production and is used for ads, brand videos, and client work. However, these are FAQ explanations, not the applicable terms of use themselves. The H3 page's FAQ itself says that usage rights are "subject to Hailuo AI's Terms of Use" and that you should "check the terms for license details by plan."

The terms-of-use page linked from that H3 page (Hailuo user agreement on intl.minimaxi.com) returned HTTP 404 (page not found) when we checked on October 4, 2026 (UTC). Meanwhile, the payment policy page linked from the pricing page is a set of terms for the paid service, "Hailuo AI Video Subscription Service Terms" (updated July 14, 2025), which describes itself as part of the Hailuo AI Video Terms of Service. It states that, for content generated and downloaded while on a paid plan, the operator does not claim ownership and users keep the intellectual property rights, including for commercial use. It also states that users grant the operator and its affiliates a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use the content to operate, improve, and promote the service. However, we could not check the text of the Terms of Service into which this policy is incorporated, so whether commercial use is allowed on the free plan and the specific scope of prohibited content remain unknown.

The official site displays a notice that "content is generated by AI; please use this feature lawfully and in a friendly manner" (Japanese-language homepage). If you use the service for work, check at least the following points against the terms that apply at that time:

Who owns the rights to generated video and audio, and which plans allow commercial use
How content generated with the free plan, free credits, or campaigns is treated
Restrictions on using real people's faces or voices, or other people's copyrighted works, as reference material
How uploaded material and prompts are handled

As an editorial note: if you use other people's images, video, or audio as reference material, you also need to check copyright, portrait rights, and publicity rights, separately from the terms.

Japanese-language support

It helps to consider the UI (the display language of the interface) separately from the input and output languages.

For the UI, the official site has a Japanese-language URL (hailuoai.video/ja), and we confirmed that menus and buttons such as "ホーム" (Home), "ビデオを作成" (Create video), "購読" (Subscribe), and "サインイン" (Sign in) are displayed in Japanese (Hailuo AI Japanese-language homepage). However, even on the Japanese-language version of the H3 page, the body text and FAQ remained in English.

For input, we found no official information stating whether Japanese prompts are officially supported or how well Japanese dialogue and speech can be generated. Since it's unclear whether Japanese prompts produce the intended results or how good Japanese audio quality is, we recommend starting with short clips and comparing against English prompts as needed (editorial opinion).

Good and poor fits

The following is our editorial assessment based on the specs confirmed in official information.

Cases where it is likely to be a good fit:

Short videos for social media, rough drafts of ads, and storyboard-stage visuals (the officially stated maximum length for H3 is 15 seconds)
Adding motion starting from a product image or character image
Creating visuals and audio, such as sound effects and dialogue, together
Editing existing short videos, for example by swapping people or backgrounds

Cases where it may not be a good fit:

Producing long videos of several minutes or more in a single piece
Needing to use output in client deliverables without being able to confirm the applicable terms of use
Budgeting that requires costs to be fixed in advance (because the displayed prices include discounts, the amounts you will pay after renewal aren't clear from the display, and credit usage also varies by model and settings)
Cases where the accuracy of Japanese dialogue or subtitles matters (because the level of Japanese-language support is not officially stated)

Example use (illustrative, not verified)

The following is an example to explain how the service can be used; we did not actually generate or verify it.

Consider a small online shop creating a short vertical video to announce a new product.

Specify a product photo as the first frame and generate a short 9:16 cut in which the product slowly rotates
Once you have a composition you like, use prompts to create variations with different lighting or background moods
Check whether the generated audio suits the purpose, and prepare sound effects or narration separately if needed
Before publishing, check the commercial-use conditions in the terms of use and send the video through your internal review process

Flow of generating a short clip with Hailuo AI from a product photo and motion instructions, checking the visuals and audio, then editing and preparing for publication

Because credit usage varies by model, resolution, duration, and plan, it's probably safest to start with lower settings during the trial stage.

Choosing between Hailuo AI, Kling AI, and Runway

AI video generation services frequently update their models and revise their pricing. This article does not cover the specs or prices of Kling AI or Runway, so we don't make numerical comparisons. When choosing, compare the latest official information from each company on the following points:

Whether the duration, resolution, and aspect ratio you need are available on the plan you want to use
Whether you need generation with audio or editing of existing video
How many image, video, and audio reference files you can use
The pricing structure (monthly plans, credits, pay-as-you-go API) and the expected usage per video
Whether the terms clearly set out the conditions for commercial use and the treatment of rights to the output
Whether you need a Japanese UI or Japanese prompts

You can also find overviews of each tool on the Hailuo AI, Kling AI, and Runway pages.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use Hailuo AI for free?

The pricing page shows a $0 free plan. However, it comes with 0 monthly credits; what you get are one-time trial credits (Hailuo models only). According to the payment policy, videos downloaded by free users include a watermark. Limited-time free-credit campaigns are also advertised.

How much does Hailuo AI cost per month?

When we checked, the pricing page showed monthly billing of $10.50 for Standard, $38 for Pro, $89 for Master, and $216 for Max. The Standard, Pro, and Master amounts were shown as discounted from an original price, and it's unclear how long the discounts will apply. Annual billing lowers the per-month amount; for example, Standard is $100.80 per year. Check the final amount at checkout, including taxes and any regional differences. MiniMax API prices are for a separate product, so they are not a guide to Hailuo AI's pricing.

Can I use generated videos commercially?

The pricing page's FAQ explains that watermark-free videos that paid users can download may be used commercially and that users keep the rights. The payment policy (terms for the paid service) also states that users keep the rights, including for commercial use, to content generated and downloaded while on a paid plan. However, the terms-of-use page linked from the H3 page returned HTTP 404 when we checked, so we could not check the text of the terms. Check the applicable terms before use, including how the free plan is treated.

Can I use it in Japanese?

There is a Japanese-language URL, and menus and similar elements are displayed in Japanese. We could not confirm from official information whether Japanese prompts or Japanese audio are supported.

Date checked and sources

The information in this article was checked on the following official pages on October 4, 2026 (UTC). Pricing and specs may change, so check the latest information before use.