AI Image & Video API Providers 2026: The Complete Comparison

Choosing the right AI API can save you thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours. But with FAL.AI, Replicate, OpenAI, Runway, Luma, and Stability AI all competing for your business, how do you decide?

This guide compares every major AI image and video generation API so you can make an informed choice.

Quick answer: For most developers, FAL.AI is the best choice—600+ models, lowest prices, fast inference. But there are specific use cases where other providers shine.

The AI API Landscape in 2026

Provider Deep Dives

1. FAL.AI — The Model Aggregator King

What it is: An API platform that aggregates 600+ AI models from different providers under one unified interface.

Key models available:

• Image: Flux 2 (Pro, Dev, Schnell), Recraft V3, Ideogram 3.0, Nano Banana Pro, SDXL, GLM Image
• Video: Kling 2.6 Pro, Veo 3.1, Sora 2, Wan 2.6, LTX 2.0, Hunyuan Video

Pricing highlights:

Pros:

• ✅ Largest model selection (600+)
• ✅ Cheapest prices (30-50% below competitors)
• ✅ Exclusive models (Kling O1, early Veo access)
• ✅ Fast inference with global CDN
• ✅ $10 free credits to start
• ✅ Unified API across all models

Cons:

• ❌ Documentation could be more comprehensive
• ❌ Smaller community than Replicate
• ❌ No custom model hosting

Best for: Production applications, cost-sensitive projects, video generation, developers who want variety.

API Example:

import { fal } from "@fal-ai/client";

fal.config({ credentials: process.env.FAL_KEY });

const result = await fal.subscribe("fal-ai/flux-2-flex", {
  input: {
    prompt: "A professional product photo of wireless headphones",
    image_size: "landscape_16_9"
  }
});

console.log(result.data.images[0].url);

2. Replicate — The Developer-Friendly Alternative

What it is: An API platform for running open-source AI models, with a strong focus on developer experience and community.

Key models available:

• Image: Flux 2, SDXL, Ideogram, various community models
• Video: Kling, Veo, Wan (fewer options than FAL.AI)

Pricing highlights:

Pros:

• ✅ Excellent documentation
• ✅ Large community with example projects
• ✅ Custom model hosting (deploy your own)
• ✅ Simple, intuitive API
• ✅ $5 free credits to start

Cons:

• ❌ 30-50% more expensive than FAL.AI
• ❌ Fewer models (~200 vs 600+)
• ❌ Slower cold starts on some models
• ❌ Missing some exclusive models (Sora 2, Kling O1)

Best for: Prototyping, learning, custom model deployment, teams that prioritize documentation.

API Example:

import Replicate from "replicate";

const replicate = new Replicate();

const output = await replicate.run(
  "black-forest-labs/flux-pro",
  {
    input: {
      prompt: "A professional product photo of wireless headphones",
      aspect_ratio: "16:9"
    }
  }
);

console.log(output);

3. OpenAI — The Text-in-Image Specialist

What it is: OpenAI's direct API for their proprietary image generation models.

Key models available:

• Image: GPT Image 1.5, DALL-E 3, DALL-E 2
• Video: None

Pricing highlights:

Pros:

• ✅ Best text rendering (near-perfect typography)
• ✅ Excellent for infographics and diagrams
• ✅ Reliable, enterprise-grade infrastructure
• ✅ Identity preservation across images
• ✅ Multi-turn editing with GPT Image 1.5

Cons:

• ❌ Most expensive option
• ❌ Limited to OpenAI models only
• ❌ No video generation
• ❌ Less photorealistic than Flux 2

Best for: Logos with text, infographics, diagrams, images that require accurate typography.

API Example:

import OpenAI from "openai";

const openai = new OpenAI();

const response = await openai.images.generate({
  model: "gpt-image-1.5",
  prompt: "A professional infographic showing '5 Steps to Success' with icons",
  size: "1536x1024",
  quality: "high"
});

console.log(response.data[0].url);

4. Runway — The Professional Video Editor's Choice

What it is: A creative AI platform focused on professional video production with proprietary Gen-4 models.

Key models available:

• Image: Limited (basic generation)
• Video: Gen-4, Gen-4 Turbo, Gen-4.5

Pricing highlights:

Also offers subscription plans:

• Basic: $15/month (625 credits)
• Standard: $35/month (2,250 credits)
• Pro: $95/month (unlimited)

Pros:

• ✅ Exclusive Gen-4 models (not available elsewhere)
• ✅ Professional editing tools built-in
• ✅ Good for video post-production workflows
• ✅ Active creative community

Cons:

• ❌ No access to Kling, Veo, or other models
• ❌ Subscription recommended for best rates
• ❌ Limited image generation
• ❌ API is secondary to web interface

Best for: Video editors, creative professionals, production studios, post-production workflows.

5. Luma AI — The Consumer-Friendly Option

What it is: A consumer-focused AI platform best known for Dream Machine video generation.

Key models available:

• Image: None
• Video: Dream Machine 2

Pricing highlights:

Per-generation: ~$0.20-$0.25 for 5-second video

Pros:

• ✅ Easy-to-use web interface
• ✅ Good free tier for testing
• ✅ Dream Machine 2 is high quality
• ✅ No technical knowledge required

Cons:

• ❌ Only one model (Dream Machine)
• ❌ No image generation
• ❌ API is limited
• ❌ More expensive per-video than FAL.AI

Best for: Non-technical users, social media creators, quick prototypes, hobbyists.

6. Stability AI — The Fine-Tuning Specialist

What it is: The company behind Stable Diffusion, offering direct API access to their models plus fine-tuning capabilities.

Key models available:

• Image: Stable Diffusion 3.5, SDXL, SD 1.5
• Video: Stable Video Diffusion

Pricing highlights:

Pros:

• ✅ Best for fine-tuning and LoRA training
• ✅ Full control over model parameters
• ✅ Enterprise agreements available
• ✅ Original Stable Diffusion creators

Cons:

• ❌ Limited to Stability AI models
• ❌ More expensive SDXL than FAL.AI
• ❌ Smaller model selection
• ❌ Video capabilities limited

Best for: Custom model training, LoRA fine-tuning, enterprises with specific requirements.

Head-to-Head Comparisons

Image Generation Comparison

Winner for images: FAL.AI (best value), OpenAI (best text), Stability AI (best fine-tuning)

Video Generation Comparison

Winner for video: FAL.AI (best value & selection), Runway (best for editors)

Decision Matrix: Which API Should You Choose?

Integration with TeamDay

TeamDay provides skills that integrate with these AI APIs:

Image Generation:

# Uses FAL.AI (recommended)
bun .claude/skills/generate-image/scripts/generate-image.ts "your prompt" output.webp

# Uses OpenAI GPT Image 1.5
bun .claude/skills/generate-image/scripts/generate-image-openai.ts "your prompt" output.webp

# Uses Google Gemini (Nano Banana)
bun .claude/skills/generate-image/scripts/generate-image-gemini.ts "your prompt" output.webp

Video Generation:

# Uses FAL.AI (Kling 2.6 Pro)
bun .claude/skills/image-to-video/scripts/image-to-video.ts --image source.png --prompt "animate"

Conclusion

The AI API market in 2026 has clear winners for different use cases:

Our recommendation: Start with FAL.AI for most projects. Add OpenAI if you need text-heavy images. Use Runway if you're a video professional with editing needs.

Related Resources

• FAL.AI vs Replicate: Detailed Comparison
• AI API Pricing Guide 2026
• Best AI Video Models 2026
• Best AI Image Models 2026