Last updated: 2026-07-27
Vidu is an AI video generation platform developed by ShengShu Technology, a Beijing-based startup founded in March 2023 by Tsinghua University researchers. The platform generates videos from text prompts, still images, or multiple reference images: up to 7 references for characters, objects, and scenes: with a focus on multi-subject consistency across generated clips. Its flagship model, Vidu Q3, is the first to natively generate synchronized audio and video together in a single pass up to 16 seconds, including dialogue with lip-sync, ambient sound, and music. Vidu operates entirely in the browser at vidu.com with no local GPU required. The platform offers three core creation modes: Text-to-Video for generating clips from natural language prompts; Image-to-Video with first-frame and last-frame control for precise motion; and Reference-to-Video, which blends up to seven reference images into a single consistent video. The My References library lets users save characters, props, and scenes for reuse across generations. Vidu also includes an AI Sound Effects Generator (48 kHz), an AI Image Generator, and ViduClaw: an OpenClaw-powered marketing agent that plans and produces complete video campaigns from storyboard to final output. Video output reaches 1080p resolution with clip lengths from 4 to 16 seconds depending on model and mode. Generation speed can be as fast as 10 seconds per clip. The platform is particularly recognized for anime and 2D animation quality, consistently rated top-tier by the creator community. Over 10 million users across 200+ countries use Vidu for social media content, animation production, marketing videos, and commercial advertising. Pricing starts free with bonus starter credits and unlimited off-peak generation. Paid plans: Standard $8/mo (800 credits, ~200 videos, no watermark, commercial use), Premium $28/mo (4,000 credits, ~1,000 videos, priority generation), Ultimate $79/mo (8,000 credits, ~2,000 videos, maximum throughput). API access is separate at $0.005 per credit with per-second pricing varying by model, resolution, and duration: e.g., Vidu Q3-turbo reference-to-video at 720p costs $0.05/second standard, $0.025/second off-peak. Enterprise plans with custom fine-tuning and SLAs start from $200/mo. ShengShu Technology raised $293M (¥2B) Series B in April 2026 led by Alibaba Cloud, with participation from TAL Education Group, Baidu Ventures, and others: the largest single-round funding in China's video generation sector. Total funding exceeds $987M. The company serves 3,000+ enterprise customers with ARR surpassing $20M as of 2025.
About Vidu
Vidu is an AI video generation platform developed by ShengShu Technology, a Beijing-based startup founded in March 2023 by Tsinghua University researchers. The platform generates videos from text prompts, still images, or multiple reference images: up to 7 references for characters, objects, and scenes: with a focus on multi-subject consistency across generated clips. Its flagship model, Vidu Q3, is the first to natively generate synchronized audio and video together in a single pass up to 16 seconds, including dialogue with lip-sync, ambient sound, and music. Vidu operates entirely in the browser at vidu.com with no local GPU required. The platform offers three core creation modes: Text-to-Video for generating clips from natural language prompts; Image-to-Video with first-frame and last-frame control for precise motion; and Reference-to-Video, which blends up to seven reference images into a single consistent video. The My References library lets users save characters, props, and scenes for reuse across generations. Vidu also includes an AI Sound Effects Generator (48 kHz), an AI Image Generator, and ViduClaw: an OpenClaw-powered marketing agent that plans and produces complete video campaigns from storyboard to final output. Video output reaches 1080p resolution with clip lengths from 4 to 16 seconds depending on model and mode. Generation speed can be as fast as 10 seconds per clip. The platform is particularly recognized for anime and 2D animation quality, consistently rated top-tier by the creator community. Over 10 million users across 200+ countries use Vidu for social media content, animation production, marketing videos, and commercial advertising. Pricing starts free with bonus starter credits and unlimited off-peak generation. Paid plans: Standard /mo (800 credits, ~200 videos, no watermark, commercial use), Premium 8/mo (4,000 credits, ~1,000 videos, priority generation), Ultimate 9/mo (8,000 credits, ~2,000 videos, maximum throughput). API access is separate at /usr/bin/bash.005 per credit with per-second pricing varying by model, resolution, and duration: e.g., Vidu Q3-turbo reference-to-video at 720p costs /usr/bin/bash.05/second standard, /usr/bin/bash.025/second off-peak. Enterprise plans with custom fine-tuning and SLAs start from 00/mo. ShengShu Technology raised 93M (¥2B) Series B in April 2026 led by Alibaba Cloud, with participation from TAL Education Group, Baidu Ventures, and others: the largest single-round funding in China's video generation sector. Total funding exceeds 87M. The company serves 3,000+ enterprise customers with ARR surpassing 0M as of 2025.
Pricing
Free tier with bonus starter credits + unlimited off-peak generation. Standard $8/mo (800 credits/mo, ~200 videos, no watermark, commercial use). Premium $28/mo (4,000 credits/mo, ~1,000 videos, priority generation). Ultimate $79/mo (8,000 credits/mo, ~2,000 videos, max throughput). API: $0.005/credit; e.g., Q3-turbo reference-to-video 720p $0.05/sec standard, $0.025/sec off-peak. Enterprise from $200/mo with custom credits and fine-tuning.
Key Features
- Native Audio-Video Co-Generation: Vidu Q3 model generates synchronized audio and video together in a single pass up to 16 seconds: including dialogue with lip-sync, ambient sound, and music.
- Multi-Subject Consistency: Reference-to-Video mode blends up to 7 reference images into a single consistent video: maintaining character appearances, object shapes, and scene elements across clips.
- Three Creation Modes: Text-to-Video from natural language prompts; Image-to-Video with first-frame and last-frame control; Reference-to-Video blending up to 7 reference images into one consistent video.
- My References Library: Save characters, props, and scenes for reuse across generations: enabling series production and brand consistency without re-uploading reference images.
- All-in-One Creative Suite: AI Sound Effects Generator (48 kHz), AI Image Generator, and ViduClaw marketing agent: plan and produce complete video campaigns from storyboard to final output in one platform.
Pros
- Native audio-video co-generation: Q3 model generates synchronized audio and video in one pass: up to 16 seconds with lip-synced dialogue, ambient sound, and music.
- Multi-subject consistency: Reference-to-Video mode blends up to 7 reference images into a single consistent video: maintaining character appearances, object shapes, and scene elements across clips.
- Three creation modes: Text-to-Video from natural language prompts; Image-to-Video with first-frame and last-frame control; Reference-to-Video blending up to 7 reference images into one consistent video.
- Generous free tier: Bonus starter credits plus unlimited off-peak generation: thorough testing before any payment.
- Production-grade quality: 1080p resolution, 4-16 second clips, generation as fast as 10 seconds per clip: anime and 2D animation quality rated top-tier by creators.
Cons
- Failed renders still consume credits: users report effective output far below advertised credit allowances due to problematic generations.
- Poor customer support and strict no-refund policy: Trustpilot 2.0/5 with widespread complaints about unresponsive ticket handling.
- Struggles with complex multi-element prompts: reviewers explicitly recommend simple, focused prompts; narrative or physically complex scenes often fail.
- Anime/cinematic aesthetic only: unsuitable for UGC-style ads or realistic product demos without heavy post-processing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Vidu and who built it?
Vidu is an AI video generation platform developed by ShengShu Technology, a Beijing-based startup founded in March 2023 by Tsinghua University researchers. The platform generates videos from text prompts, still images, or multiple reference images: up to 7 references for characters, objects, and scenes: with a focus on multi-subject consistency across generated clips. Its flagship model, Vidu Q3, is the first to natively generate synchronized audio and video together in a single pass up to 16 seconds, including dialogue with lip-sync, ambient sound, and music. ShengShu Technology raised $293M (¥2B) Series B in April 2026 led by Alibaba Cloud, with participation from TAL Education Group, Baidu Ventures, and others: the largest single-round funding in China's video generation sector. Total funding exceeds $987M. The company serves 3,000+ enterprise customers with ARR surpassing $20M as of 2025.
How much does Vidu cost in 2026?
Pricing starts free with bonus starter credits and unlimited off-peak generation. Paid plans: Standard $8/mo (800 credits, ~200 videos, no watermark, commercial use), Premium $28/mo (4,000 credits, ~1,000 videos, priority generation), Ultimate $79/mo (8,000 credits, ~2,000 videos, maximum throughput). API access is separate at $0.005 per credit with per-second pricing varying by model, resolution, and duration: e.g., Vidu Q3-turbo reference-to-video at 720p costs $0.05/second standard, $0.025/second off-peak. Enterprise plans with custom fine-tuning and SLAs start from $200/mo.
What are the main features of Vidu?
Vidu offers three core creation modes: Text-to-Video for generating clips from natural language prompts; Image-to-Video with first-frame and last-frame control for precise motion; and Reference-to-Video, which blends up to seven reference images into a single consistent video. The My References library lets users save characters, props, and scenes for reuse across generations. Vidu also includes an AI Sound Effects Generator (48 kHz), an AI Image Generator, and ViduClaw: an OpenClaw-powered marketing agent that plans and produces complete video campaigns from storyboard to final output. Video output reaches 1080p resolution with clip lengths from 4 to 16 seconds depending on model and mode. Generation speed can be as fast as 10 seconds per clip. The platform is particularly recognized for anime and 2D animation quality, consistently rated top-tier by the creator community. Over 10 million users across 200+ countries use Vidu for social media content, animation production, marketing videos, and commercial advertising.
Does Vidu have a free tier?
Yes: Vidu offers a free tier with bonus starter credits and unlimited off-peak generation. This allows users to test the platform extensively before committing to a paid plan. The free tier includes access to all core generation modes but with watermarked outputs and standard generation speed. No credit card required to start.
What is Vidu Q3 and how does it differ from other models?
Vidu Q3 is the flagship model and the first to natively generate synchronized audio and video together in a single pass up to 16 seconds, including dialogue with lip-sync, ambient sound, and music. Previous models generated silent video only, requiring separate audio generation and post-production sync. Q3 supports all three creation modes: text-to-video, image-to-video, and reference-to-video with up to 7 references for multi-subject consistency.
What is multi-subject consistency and why does it matter?
Multi-subject consistency means Vidu maintains the same character appearances, object shapes, and scene elements across multiple generated clips when using Reference-to-Video mode with up to 7 reference images. This is critical for coherent storytelling, animation production, and commercial advertising where characters must look identical across different scenes and angles. Vidu's approach to this problem is considered top-tier by the creator community.
How does Vidu compare to Sora, Runway Gen-3, and Kling AI?
Vidu vs Sora: Vidu offers native audio-video co-generation (Sora is silent), multi-subject consistency with up to 7 references, free tier with off-peak unlimited generation, and reference-to-video mode. Sora offers 1080p 60-second clips, diffusion-based video quality, and OpenAI ecosystem integration. Vidu vs Runway Gen-3: Vidu has native audio-video co-generation, multi-subject consistency, reference-to-video with up to 7 references, free tier with off-peak generation. Runway Gen-3 has camera control, Act-One, director mode, and established creative workflow integration. Vidu vs Kling: Vidu has native audio-video co-generation, multi-subject consistency, reference-to-video with up to 7 references, free tier with off-peak generation. Kling offers 1080p 120-second clips, motion brush, and camera control.
Can Vidu be used for commercial projects?
Yes: paid plans (Standard $8/mo and above) include commercial use rights. The free tier includes watermarked outputs which are not licensed for commercial use. Enterprise plans with custom fine-tuning and SLAs start from $200/mo and include dedicated support and custom fine-tuning options.
What are Vidu's system requirements and how fast is generation?
Vidu operates entirely in the browser at vidu.com with no local GPU required. Generation speed can be as fast as 10 seconds per clip. Video output reaches 1080p resolution with clip lengths from 4 to 16 seconds depending on model and mode. No software installation or specific hardware required beyond a modern browser and internet connection.
Top Alternatives
- Sora: Pick Vidu for native audio-video co-generation, multi-subject consistency, reference-to-video with up to 7 references, and free tier with off-peak generation; pick Sora for 1080p 60-second clips, diffusion-based video quality, and OpenAI ecosystem integration.
- Runway Gen-3: Pick Vidu for native audio-video co-generation, multi-subject consistency, reference-to-video with up to 7 references, free tier with off-peak generation; pick Runway Gen-3 for camera control, Act-One, director mode, and established creative workflow integration.
- Kling AI: Pick Vidu for native audio-video co-generation, multi-subject consistency with up to 7 references, and free tier with off-peak generation; pick Kling AI for 1080p 120-second clips, motion brush, and camera control features.
- Runway Gen-3: Pick Vidu for native audio-video co-generation and multi-subject consistency; pick Runway Gen-3 for broader creative control and Act-One performance capture.
HokAI guides covering Vidu
- Best AI Video Generators in 2026: Pick the Category Before You Pick the Tool: Kling AI generates a second of 1080p video for about 13 cents, cheaper than Runway's 23 cents. See how 31 AI video tools split into three buying decisions.