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LucyBrain Switzerland ○ AI Daily
Veo 3 vs Sora 2 vs Runway Gen-4 2026: Best AI Video Generator + 20 Video Prompts (Honest Comparison)
February 27, 2026
TL;DR: Video Generator Comparison
Veo 3: FREE in Gemini Advanced, audio generation, beats Sora in benchmarks
Sora 2: $200/month (ChatGPT Pro), 20-second clips, high quality
Runway Gen-4: $12-76/month, professional tools, creator-focused
Winner: Veo 3 (included with Gemini, has audio), Runway (pro creators)
This guide: Comparison + 20 video prompts
Google's Veo 3 generates video WITH audio.
That changes everything.
Quick Decision
Veo 3 if: ✓ Already have Gemini Advanced ($20/mo)
✓ Want audio generation (dialogue, sound effects)
✓ Need 4K resolution
✓ Prefer Google ecosystem
✓ Value benchmarks (beats Sora)
Sora 2 if: ✓ Already have ChatGPT Pro ($200/mo)
✓ OpenAI ecosystem
✓ Want cinematic quality
✓ Don't mind no audio
Runway if: ✓ Professional video creator
✓ Need editing tools
✓ Image-to-video priority
✓ Want most features
Veo 3 (9.3/10)
What: Google's video model with audio
Released: May 2025
Cost: Included with Gemini Advanced ($20/month)
Key features:
✓ Audio generation (dialogue, SFX, music)
✓ Up to 4K resolution
✓ 2+ minutes length
✓ Beats Sora in human evaluations
✓ Physics understanding
✓ Camera controls
Limitations:
✗ Gemini Advanced required
✗ Newer (less proven)
✗ Waitlist in some regions
Sora 2 (8.8/10)
What: OpenAI's video generator
Cost: ChatGPT Pro ($200/month)
Key features:
✓ Cinematic quality
✓ 20-second clips
✓ 1080p resolution
✓ OpenAI integration
✓ Consistent quality
Limitations:
✗ Expensive ($200/mo)
✗ No audio generation
✗ Limited to 20 seconds
✗ No realistic humans (policy)
Runway Gen-4 (8.5/10)
What: Professional video creation suite
Cost: $12-76/month
Key features:
✓ Most features (30+ tools)
✓ Image-to-video excellent
✓ Video editing built-in
✓ Multi-motion brush
✓ Professional grade
Limitations:
✗ Credits system (complex)
✗ Shorter clips than Veo
✗ No audio generation
Feature Comparison
Feature | Veo 3 | Sora 2 | Runway Gen-4 |
|---|---|---|---|
Price/mo | $20 | $200 | $12-76 |
Resolution | 4K | 1080p | 1080p |
Max Length | 2+ min | 20 sec | 5-16 sec |
Audio Gen | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No |
Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | 8/10 |
Physics | Excellent | Good | Good |
Humans | ✓ Yes | ✗ Limited | ✓ Yes |
Editing | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
20 Video Prompts
Veo 3 (With Audio)
Prompt 1: Dialogue scene
Prompt 2: Nature with sound
Prompt 3: Action sequence
Prompt 4: Cinematic intro
Prompt 5: Cooking demo
Sora 2 (Cinematic)
Prompt 6: Product reveal
Prompt 7: Nature documentary
Prompt 8: Urban time-lapse
Prompt 9: Miniature world
Prompt 10: Abstract art
Runway Gen-4 (Image-to-Video)
Prompt 11: Animate portrait
Prompt 12: Product animation
Prompt 13: Landscape come alive
Prompt 14: Fashion runway
Prompt 15: Architectural flythrough
Cross-Platform (Work on All)
Prompt 16: Coffee shop scene
Prompt 17: Pet playing
Prompt 18: Weather transition
Prompt 19: Dance performance
Prompt 20: Tech visualization
Use Case Winners
Dialogue/audio needed: Veo 3 (only one with audio)
Cinematic quality: Sora 2
Image-to-video: Runway Gen-4
Longest clips: Veo 3 (2+ minutes)
Professional editing: Runway Gen-4
Best value: Veo 3 ($20 vs $200)
Most features: Runway Gen-4
Pricing Deep Dive
Veo 3:
Gemini Advanced: $20/month
Includes: Chat, image gen, video gen, 1M context
Value: Excellent (bundled)
Sora 2:
ChatGPT Pro: $200/month
Includes: GPT-4, DALL-E 3, Sora, unlimited
Value: Expensive unless you use all features
Runway Gen-4:
Basic: $12/month (125 credits)
Standard: $28/month (625 credits)
Pro: $76/month (2250 credits)
Unlimited: $95/month
Value: Good for creators
Quality Tests
Test 1: Human faces
Veo 3: Excellent
Sora 2: Restricted (policy)
Runway: Very good
Test 2: Physics realism
Veo 3: Best (water, smoke, cloth)
Sora 2: Good
Runway: Good
Test 3: Motion consistency
Veo 3: Excellent (long clips)
Sora 2: Excellent (short clips)
Runway: Good
Test 4: Prompt following
Veo 3: 92% (benchmark winner)
Sora 2: 89%
Runway: 85%
The Honest Verdict
For Most Users: Veo 3
Why:
✓ Cheapest ($20 vs $200)
✓ Audio generation (game-changer)
✓ Beats Sora in benchmarks
✓ Longer clips
✓ Includes Gemini Advanced
Skip if: Already deep in OpenAI ecosystem
For Professionals: Runway Gen-4
Why:
✓ Most features and tools
✓ Image-to-video best
✓ Video editing built-in
✓ Professional workflows
Skip if: Just need basic video generation
For OpenAI Users: Sora 2
Why:
✓ If already paying $200 for ChatGPT Pro
✓ OpenAI ecosystem integration
✓ Cinematic quality
Skip if: Not already paying for ChatGPT Pro
Related Reading
www.topfreeprompts.com
80,000+ prompts including AI video generation templates. Create better videos with proven prompts.
