We compared twelve tools that turn a still photo or illustration into video, on how faithfully they keep your image, start and end frames, reference images, length, sound and price.
Hailuo’s MiniMax H3 is the best image-to-video AI in 2026: it tops blind voting for image-to-video with sound, keeps your picture’s framing and costs from $9.99 a month. Google Flow is best for polished cinematic motion, Wan 3.0 animates a photo for up to 30 seconds, and Seedance 2.0 is best when you need several reference images.
Filter by what matters to you. Tick “Compare” on up to three tools to see them side by side.
01
Best overall
1. Hailuo
by MiniMax · MiniMax H3
AI-generatedMade on GoCrazyAI with MiniMax H3 · image to video · 10s
MiniMax H3 leads the Artificial Analysis image-to-video board with audio and sits fourth without it. It keeps the input’s aspect ratio, supports start and end frames, and can combine up to nine reference images. See our MiniMax H3 prompt guide for image-to-video prompts that work.
#1 with audio
Start + end frame
9 references
Paid plans from
From $9.99/mo (Standard, per Hailuo)
Longest take
15 seconds
Start + end frame
Yes
Native audio
Yes
What we like
Top of the blind-vote image-to-video board with sound.
Follows your photo’s framing: the output keeps its aspect ratio.
Start and end frames, or up to nine reference images.
Watch out for
Start and end frames and multi-image references are separate modes.
Published prices vary between Hailuo pages; confirm at checkout.
Veo 3.1 and more artistic control in Flow · official video by Google
Gemini Omni Flash is first on the no-audio image-to-video board and third with audio, and Flow adds first-and-last-frame control and “ingredients” references. Veo 3.1 takes are 8 seconds; Omni Flash runs to 10.
#1 without audio
First + last frame
Ingredients
Paid plans from
$4.99/mo (Google AI Plus, 200 Flow credits)
Longest take
8 seconds
Start + end frame
Yes
Native audio
Yes
What we like
Gemini Omni Flash leads the blind-vote text-to-video leaderboard at Artificial Analysis.
The lowest entry price here, plus daily no-cost credits to try it.
Veo 3.1 clips can be extended 7 seconds at a time, up to 148 seconds in total.
Watch out for
Veo 3.1 image-to-video takes are 8 seconds; longer shots need extensions.
Ingredients references work on the Lite and Fast Veo models, not Quality.
AI-generatedMade on GoCrazyAI with Wan 3.0 Prime · image to video · 10s
Wan 3.0 animates a single photo for up to 30 seconds with sound, twice most rivals, and ranks second on the no-audio board. Choose adaptive framing to follow your image, or pick one of six ratios. It is also in our studio as Wan 3.0 Prime.
30s from one photo
#2 without audio
Up to 10 images
Paid plans from
$10/mo (Wan Pro)
Longest take
30 seconds
Start + end frame
Yes
Native audio
Yes
What we like
A native 30-second single take, the longest one-pass clip on this list.
Ranked second on the Artificial Analysis blind-vote leaderboard.
Takes up to 20 reference assets to keep characters and products consistent.
Watch out for
First-and-last-frame and reference inputs cannot be combined in one clip.
Seedance 2.0 takes up to nine images plus reference video and audio clips, which makes it the strongest choice for products, outfits and scenes that must match exactly. It ranks fourth on the with-audio board.
9 images + video + audio refs
Up to 4K
#4 with audio
Paid plans from
$15/mo (Dreamina Basic, 1,575 credits)
Longest take
15 seconds
Start + end frame
Yes
Native audio
Yes
What we like
Excellent prompt adherence and multi-reference control: strong for product and ad videos.
Up to 4K with a 9:16 option, inside CapCut’s editor.
Ranked fifth on the Artificial Analysis blind-vote leaderboard.
Watch out for
Photos of real faces cannot be used directly as references.
Start and end frames and multi-image references are separate modes.
Disclosure: GoCrazyAI publishes this guide. We rank ourselves only where we think we genuinely fit.
06
Best value
6. PixVerse
by AIsphere · PixVerse V6
PixVerse V6 is here · official video by AIsphere
PixVerse V6 is fifth on the no-audio image-to-video board yet costs $10 a month, with daily credits to try it. Transition mode handles start and end frames, and Fusion mixes up to ten images.
#5 without audio
$10/mo
Fusion: 10 images
Paid plans from
$10/mo (Standard)
Longest take
15 seconds
Start + end frame
Yes
Native audio
Yes
What we like
Multi-shot clips with sound in a single pass.
Among the lowest prices per second of video.
Watch out for
Ranks around 21st on the Artificial Analysis blind-vote leaderboard.
Commercial-use terms are not spelled out on the pricing page.
Kling 3.0 Model: Everyone a Director · official video by Kuaishou
Kling 3.0 turns a start frame into a 15-second multi-shot sequence with sound, and Elements keep up to three extra references consistent. It sits mid-table in blind voting.
Multi-shot
Start + end frame
Native 4K
Paid plans from
$10/mo (Standard, 660 credits)
Longest take
15 seconds
Start + end frame
Yes
Native audio
Yes
What we like
Multi-shot scenes of up to 15 seconds with sound in one generation.
Motion Control transfers movement from a reference video to your character.
Watch out for
Headline prices are first-month offers; the renewal price is higher.
Mid-table (around 12th) on the Artificial Analysis blind-vote leaderboard.
Welcome to Vidu Q3 model · official video by Shengshu
Vidu Q3’s reference-to-video mode blends up to seven images into one 16-second clip with sound, and a separate mode animates between a start and end image.
7 references
16s
Sound by default
Paid plans from
$8/mo billed yearly (Standard)
Longest take
16 seconds
Start + end frame
Yes
Native audio
Yes
What we like
Reference-to-video combines up to seven images into one clip.
Sound is generated with the video by default.
Watch out for
Monthly-billing prices are not shown clearly; plans change on October 6, 2026.
Mid-table (around 18th) on the Artificial Analysis image-to-video board with audio.
Introducing Midjourney V1 Video · official video by Midjourney
Midjourney animates your images with its distinctive look, and end-frame and loop options make seamless cycles easy. Clips start at 5 seconds, extend to 21, and are silent.
Loop mode
End frame
Midjourney look
Paid plans from
$10/mo (Basic)
Longest take
21 seconds
Start + end frame
Yes
Native audio
No
What we like
Keeps Midjourney’s distinctive look in motion.
Inexpensive if you already subscribe for images.
Watch out for
Image to video only: no text-to-video and no audio.
Starts at 5 seconds; extensions add 4 seconds at a time up to 21.
Transform Photos into Video with Adobe Firefly · official video by Adobe
Firefly’s camera presets (zoom, move, tilt, handheld) animate a photo without writing camera prompts, and partner models like Veo 3.1 and Kling 3.0 sit in the same app. Adobe’s own model makes 5-second clips.
Camera presets
Partner models
Daily generations
Paid plans from
$9.99/mo (Firefly Standard)
Longest take
5 seconds
Start + end frame
Yes
Native audio
No
What we like
Camera presets (zoom, move, tilt, handheld) without writing camera prompts.
Partner models, including Veo 3.1 and Kling 3.0, in the same app.
Watch out for
Adobe’s own Firefly Video model makes 5-second clips with no native sound.
Camera presets switch off once you add an end frame.
Ray3.2 lets you pin keyframes along the clip for precise timing and exports HDR for grading. Image-to-video clips run 10 seconds (5 with an end frame) and have no sound.
Keyframes
HDR / EXR
Loop
Paid plans from
$30/mo (Plus)
Longest take
10 seconds
Start + end frame
Yes
Native audio
No
What we like
Up to 16 keyframes per clip for precise control of the action.
HDR and 16-bit EXR output that drops into a professional colour grade.
Runway is the pick if you already edit there: Gen-4.5 animates a first frame for up to 10 seconds and you can refine the result with Aleph. There is no end frame, reference images or sound in Gen-4.5 image-to-video.
Aleph editing
Choose any ratio
10s
Paid plans from
$15/mo (Standard)
Longest take
10 seconds
Start + end frame
No
Native audio
No
What we like
One plan covers Gen-4.5 plus Kling 3.0, Seedance and Veo 3.1.
Strong editing toolkit (Aleph) for changing shots you already have.
Watch out for
First frame only: no end frame, references or native sound in Gen-4.5 image-to-video.
Outputs 720p; ranks around 26th on the no-audio image-to-video board.
Entry prices buy very different amounts of output: compare what each plan includes on the company’s pricing page.
Find your tool in two taps
Step 1
What are you animating?
How we chose
Blind votes on image-to-video
We use the Artificial Analysis image-to-video arena, where people pick the better of two anonymous clips made from the same image, on both its with-audio and no-audio boards.
Image-to-video features from the docs
Start and end frames, reference limits, clip length and sound come from each company’s own image-to-video documentation, linked below with the date we checked.
Framing matters
We note whether the output keeps your image’s aspect ratio or crops it, because that decides whether your composition survives.
An award per tool
Each tool is ranked on overall usefulness for animating stills and given the one job it does best.
Make it on GoCrazyAI
Animate your photo with the top-ranked engines
MiniMax H3 and Wan 3.0 Prime, first and sixth on the with-audio board, run side by side on GoCrazyAI, with tools to prepare the image and finish the clip.
Hailuo’s MiniMax H3 is the best overall: it leads blind voting for image-to-video with sound and keeps your photo’s framing. Google Flow is best for cinematic motion and Wan 3.0 for clips up to 30 seconds.
Which image-to-video AI supports start and end frames?
Google Flow, Hailuo, Wan 3.0, Seedance 2.0, Kling 3.0, PixVerse (Transition mode), Vidu, Midjourney, Luma and Adobe Firefly all support an end frame. Runway Gen-4.5 animates from a first frame only.
Can image-to-video AI add sound?
Yes. Hailuo, Google Flow, Wan 3.0, Seedance 2.0, Kling, PixVerse and Vidu generate sound with the clip. Luma Ray, Midjourney, Runway Gen-4.5 and Adobe’s own Firefly Video model are silent.
How long can an image-to-video clip be?
Wan 3.0 animates a photo for up to 30 seconds in one pass. Most others top out between 10 and 16 seconds, and Midjourney clips extend to 21 seconds.
How do I get a good start frame for image to video?
Use a sharp, well-lit image at the aspect ratio you want the video in, with some space around the subject if the camera will move. You can create one in the AI Image Studio, adjust it with the AI image editor, sharpen it with the image upscaler or repair an old photo with photo restoration first.
Will the video keep my photo’s aspect ratio?
Hailuo, Midjourney and PixVerse follow your image. Wan 3.0 and Seedance default to adaptive framing but let you pick a ratio, while Runway, Luma and Firefly let you choose one and crop the image to fit.
Can I animate photos of people?
Only with images you have the right to use. Several tools, including Dreamina for Seedance, limit uploading photos of real faces, and GoCrazyAI is for adults (18+) with every upload checked against its community guidelines.
GoCrazyAI publishes this guide and appears in it; we say so on our own entry. Product names are trademarks of their owners, and no company listed here sponsored, reviewed or endorsed this page. Details are summarised from the public sources above and may have changed since the dates shown.
