Which AI video model should I use?
Pick by constraint, not by reputation. If the clip needs sound, use a model with native audio generation. If it must be 4K, that narrows the list to two. If it runs longer than ten seconds, that narrows it differently. For cheap proofs, use the lowest-resolution model available and re-render the winner on a premium one. Most disappointing results come from picking a model before knowing which constraint actually binds.
Start from the binding constraint
There is no single best video model, because the models differ along axes that rarely overlap: whether audio is generated alongside the picture, maximum resolution, clip length, how many reference images are accepted, and whether the end frame can be pinned. Write down which of those your shot actually requires. Usually only one or two bind, and they eliminate most of the list immediately. Choosing this way takes a minute and saves the credits you would otherwise spend discovering that your chosen model caps at eight seconds.
Iterate cheap, finish expensive
Per-render cost across video models spans more than an order of magnitude. The practical workflow is to settle framing and motion on the cheapest model that renders your shot recognisably, then re-render the chosen take on a premium model. A 360p proof tells you whether the camera move works just as well as a 4K render does, at a fraction of the cost. Platforms that put every model behind one balance make this switch trivial; platforms that require a separate subscription per model make it expensive enough that people skip it.
Check the specs before you commit
Model capabilities change with each release, so treat any list of specs as a snapshot. Before committing a project to a model, confirm its current clip length, resolution ceiling, reference-image limit and whether audio generation is included. On Floniks each model page carries these details alongside the live credit cost, so the figures match what you will actually be charged rather than what was true at the time of writing.
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