Sora Pricing in 2026
The situation changed in 2026: OpenAI discontinued the consumer Sora app. Here's what Sora costs now, what remains for developers, and why the price question got complicated.
Last updated June 21, 2026
The short answer for 2026
If you came here expecting a tidy "Sora costs $X per month" answer, the reality in 2026 is different. OpenAI discontinued the consumer Sora app, the web and mobile experiences, on April 26, 2026. There is no longer a consumer plan you can buy that includes Sora video generation. What survives is a deprecated developer API, billed by the second, and even that is scheduled to shut down on September 24, 2026. So for most people, the practical answer is: Sora is no longer purchasable, and you should look at alternative AI video tools. Always confirm the current status on OpenAI's official site, since timelines can change.
How Sora used to be priced
Earlier in 2026, before the shutdown, Sora was not sold on its own, it rode along with a ChatGPT subscription. ChatGPT Plus at $20/month included Sora access with everyday limits, and ChatGPT Pro at $200/month unlocked higher resolutions, longer clips, and more generations. That meant the effective price of Sora was simply the price of the ChatGPT tier you were on. When the consumer product was retired on April 26, 2026, that bundled access ended; a ChatGPT subscription today no longer grants Sora video generation.
The deprecated Sora 2 API (developers)
The one remaining way to touch the model is the Sora 2 API, which is billed per second of generated video and is itself deprecated. Approximate rates: Sora 2 standard around $0.10/sec at 720p; Sora 2 Pro around $0.30/sec at 720p, $0.50/sec at 1024p, and $0.70/sec at 1080p, with batch tiers cutting those numbers. In practice, a 10-second 720p standard clip costs roughly $1.00, while a 10-second 1080p Pro clip is around $7.00. Because the endpoint is scheduled to sunset on September 24, 2026, building anything durable on it is risky, and you should verify the exact figures on the official OpenAI pricing page, as deprecated pricing can change without much notice.
Why the price question got complicated
Sora's shutdown is a useful lesson in the economics of AI video. Reporting around the discontinuation pointed to operating costs of roughly $1 million per day, against in-app purchase revenue measured in just a few million dollars over the product's lifetime. Video generation is dramatically more compute-intensive than text or images, and consumer willingness to pay did not cover the bill. OpenAI has hinted it may revisit a future licensed version, but as of June 2026 there is no active Sora consumer product. For anyone budgeting AI video in 2026, the takeaway is to assume per-second or per-clip pricing, test alternatives on their free tiers, and watch costs closely, they add up fast.
FAQ
How much does Sora cost in 2026?
As of mid-2026, the Sora consumer app is no longer available, OpenAI discontinued the Sora web and app experiences on April 26, 2026. There is no longer a consumer subscription that grants Sora video generation. The only remaining access is the deprecated Sora 2 API for developers, priced at roughly $0.10 per second (Sora 2 standard, 720p) up to about $0.70 per second (Sora 2 Pro, 1080p), and that API is scheduled to shut down on September 24, 2026. Always check OpenAI's official site for the latest, as deprecation timelines can change.
Was Sora included in ChatGPT Plus or Pro?
Yes, before the shutdown. Earlier in 2026, Sora video generation was bundled into ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) and ChatGPT Pro ($200/month), with Pro offering higher limits and resolutions. That access ended on April 26, 2026 when OpenAI retired the consumer Sora product. Subscribing to ChatGPT Plus or Pro today does not give you Sora video generation, because the consumer experience no longer exists.
Why did OpenAI shut down Sora?
OpenAI cited unsustainable economics and declining engagement. Reporting around the shutdown described operating costs of roughly $1 million per day against in-app purchase revenue of only a few million dollars over the product's entire lifetime. Generating video is far more compute-intensive than text or images, and the consumer demand did not cover those costs. OpenAI has said it may share more about a possible future licensed version, but as of June 2026 there is no active Sora consumer product.
What does the Sora 2 API cost per video?
Pricing is per second of generated video. Sora 2 standard runs about $0.10/sec at 720p; Sora 2 Pro is higher, roughly $0.30/sec at 720p, $0.50/sec at 1024p, and $0.70/sec at 1080p, with batch tiers cutting those figures. A 10-second 720p standard clip therefore costs around $1.00, while a 10-second 1080p Pro clip is around $7.00. These are deprecated-API rates and the endpoint is set to sunset September 24, 2026, so treat them as a moving target and confirm on the official OpenAI pricing page.
Is there a standalone Sora subscription I can buy?
No. There was never a separate standalone Sora subscription sold independently of ChatGPT, and the consumer app that delivered Sora has been discontinued. The only way developers can still touch the model is the deprecated Sora 2 API billed per second of video, which is itself winding down. For ongoing AI video generation, most people are now moving to alternative tools rather than waiting for a Sora return.
What are good alternatives to Sora now?
Because Sora's consumer product is gone, AI video creators in 2026 are turning to other text-to-video tools. The right choice depends on budget, clip length, and whether you need API access or a friendly app. Compare a few on free tiers before committing, and watch pricing closely, AI video is compute-heavy, so per-clip or per-second costs add up fast. Check our other AI pricing guides for current comparisons.
More: compare AI pricing guides.