Sora 2 vs Veo 3.1
Same exact prompt. Same four-second, 720p, audio-off output request. Veo received the source image; Saga's Sora route received the same words without it. Watch both real files and compare the current price for each mode.
Quick verdict from this run: Veo 3.1 carried more of the supplied source composition and is currently cheaper. Sora 2 Pro made the more assertive cinematic interpretation from text alone. The input-mode difference is disclosed, so this is useful evidence rather than a universal ranking.
Watch the delivered footage.
Both files were generated through Saga from the exact prompt below. Veo also received the displayed source image; Sora did not. Each delivered exactly four seconds at 720 × 406, with no audio stream in the file.
Sora 2 Pro
4.000 s · 720 × 406 delivered
Veo 3.1
4.000 s · 720 × 406 delivered
Replay resets both clips to their first frame. Browser decoding can still introduce a small start-time difference.
One prompt, matched output, disclosed input modes.
The words, duration, resolution and audio request were held constant. The reference input was not: Veo ran image-to-video while Saga's Sora route ran text-to-video. That difference is part of the result and must stay visible.
A motocross rider accelerates through a sculpted desert canyon at golden hour. Sand sprays from the rear tire while a low chase camera glides forward. Cinematic natural motion, crisp rider and bike, warm rock detail, no text, no logos.
Method note: settled capture cost records what these generations charged when produced. The live board below quotes each documented mode separately: Sora text-to-video and Veo image-to-video, both at four seconds, 720p and audio off.
What changed in this shot.
Veo carried the source
Veo stayed near the supplied image's rear wide chase composition. This reflects both model behavior and the extra visual input it received.
Sora chose a closer angle
Without the source frame, Sora moved into a front three-quarter view. The rider fills more of the frame and lateral blur creates stronger apparent speed.
Veo cost less
The recorded Sora generation settled at $1.200 and the recorded Veo generation at $0.800. Current normalized quotes appear below.
Four seconds, 720p, audio off.
The price cells load from the same endpoint as Saga's composer. Sora is quoted in text-to-video mode and Veo in image-to-video mode, matching the documented inputs rather than forcing a false equivalence.
| Model | Live 4s price | Requested mode | Delivered test file | Observed tendency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sora 2 Pro | Loading… | Text to video · 720p | 4.000 s · 720 × 406 | Stronger cinematic interpretation |
| Veo 3.1 | Loading… | Image to video · 720p | 4.000 s · 720 × 406 | Closer source composition |
Choose a model without moving the goalposts.
- Lock one shot. Keep the exact prompt, duration, resolution and audio setting unchanged; record any model-specific reference limitation.
- Render one take in each model. Do not rewrite the losing prompt until both have seen the same instruction.
- Score usable seconds. Check reference fidelity, instruction following, camera continuity, physics and editability.
- Re-roll only the finalist. A lower per-render price can lose its advantage if the shot needs several more attempts.
Open the models, footage and current rate board.
Sora 2 vs Veo 3.1, answered plainly.
Is Sora 2 Pro better than Veo 3.1?
Neither wins every shot. In this run, Sora made a stronger cinematic interpretation from text alone while Veo carried more of the supplied source composition. Because only Veo received the image, do not treat source fidelity here as a direct model score.
Which model is cheaper?
Veo 3.1 is currently less expensive for the documented four-second 720p modes shown above. Use the live cells because provider rates can change.
What was held constant?
Both used the exact prompt, four-second duration request, 720p resolution request and audio-off setting, and both delivered four-second 720 × 406 MP4 files without an audio stream. Veo also received the source image; Sora received text only.
Can I use both in Saga Studio?
Yes. Sora 2 Pro and Veo 3.1 are available from one Saga composer, with the exact dollar price shown before generation.