Head-to-head comparison
Grok Imagine Video 1.5vsKling 4.0
Grok Imagine Video 1.5 and Kling 4.0 sit at opposite ends of the autumn 2026 video field. xAI's model, especially the new Lite variant, competes on price with per-second rates from about $0.02 and native audio in short clips. Kling 4.0 competes on control and length: 30-second generations, 4K with stereo sound, up to 10 keyframes, with the full model and API still arriving.
At a glance
| Grok Imagine Video 1.5 | Kling 4.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video | Video |
| Function | Video generation | Video generation |
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starting price | Lite from about $0.02 per second (480p) to $0.14 (1080p); full model $4.20/min per launch coverage | Flash early access on Kling Ultra Yearly plans; full model and API pricing in October |
| Released | October 2026 | September 2026 |
Grok Imagine Video 1.5
Pros
- Among the cheapest per-second video pricing published
- Native audio in one pass
- Broad gateway availability
Cons
- Lite trades quality for speed; 1080p is upscaled 720p
- Release dates and prices come from gateway listings, not an xAI announcement
- Shorter clips than the 30-second Chinese models
Kling 4.0
Pros
- Keyframe steering gives directors real control over a long clip
- Flash tier is already usable while the full model finishes
- Kling's physics and character consistency carried forward
Cons
- Full model, API, and pricing not yet available
- Early access limited to annual Ultra subscribers
- HDR is announced, not shipped
Which one should you pick?
Pick Grok Imagine Video 1.5 if
You need cheap, short clips with sound at API scale, you build on OpenRouter or Vercel AI Gateway, or you are an X Premium subscriber.
See Grok Imagine Video 1.5 details →Pick Kling 4.0 if
You direct shots with keyframes and references, need long single takes at 4K, and can wait for the full release or already have Kling Ultra access.
See Kling 4.0 details →Bottom line
Grok Imagine Video for volume and price. Kling 4.0 for control and quality. Neither is the choice for productions that need licensed training data; that remains Moonvalley.