AI Video Model Rankings April 2026: Complete Leaderboard

The definitive ranking of AI video generation models based on blind user votes from the Artificial Analysis Video Arena.

Last updated: April 14, 2026

Key Takeaway

The Artificial Analysis Text-to-Video Leaderboard (No Audio) now tracks 73 models. HappyHorse-1.0 leads at ELO 1,382 with 14,507 blind comparison samples — 108 points ahead of the second-place Seedance 2.0 (1,274). Data accessed April 14, 2026.

Top 20 Rankings — Text-to-Video (No Audio)

Rankings are based on ELO scores calculated from blind user votes on the Artificial Analysis Video Arena. Users are shown two videos generated from the same prompt and choose which one they prefer, without knowing which model produced which video.

#CreatorModelELOSamplesAPI Price
1Alibaba-ATHHappyHorse-1.01,38214,507Coming soon
2ByteDance SeedSeedance 2.0 720p1,2748,513No API
3KlingAIKling 3.0 1080p (Pro)1,2425,698$13.44/min
4Skywork AISkyReels V41,2426,440$7.20/min
5KlingAIKling 3.0 Omni 1080p1,2285,144$13.44/min
6xAIgrok-imagine-video1,2276,169$4.20/min
7ViduVidu Q3 Pro1,2236,543$9.60/min
8RunwayGen-4.51,2228,908No API
9PixVersePixVerse V5.61,2215,768$9.00/min
10KlingAIKling 3.0 Omni 720p1,2185,159$10.08/min
11GoogleVeo 31,2173,813$12.00/min
12KlingAIKling 3.0 720p1,2145,470$10.08/min
13KlingAIKling 2.5 Turbo 1080p1,2104,584$4.20/min
14PixVersePixVerse V61,21016,749$5.40/min
15GoogleVeo 3.1 Fast1,2094,942$6.00/min
16GoogleVeo 3.11,2095,445$12.00/min
17Luma LabsRay 31,2034,819$13.20/min
18KlingAIKling O1 Pro1,2035,815$10.08/min
19KlingAIKling 2.6 Pro1,1965,201$4.20/min
20OpenAISora 2 Pro1,1945,114$30.00/min

Source: Artificial Analysis Text-to-Video Leaderboard (No Audio), accessed April 14, 2026. Full leaderboard includes 73 models.

Key Observations

The HappyHorse Gap Is Enormous

The 108-point gap between HappyHorse (1,382) and Seedance 2.0 (1,274) is the largest gap between #1 and #2 in the leaderboard's history. For context, the gap between #2 and #10 is only 56 points. HappyHorse is not just leading — it is in a category of its own based on blind user preference.

KlingAI Dominates by Volume

KlingAI has 10 separate model variants in the top 25, more than any other creator. This reflects their strategy of offering multiple tiers (Standard, Pro, Omni, Turbo) across different resolutions and generations. Their highest-ranked model, Kling 3.0 1080p Pro, sits at #3 with ELO 1,242.

Google Veo Holds Steady

Google has four Veo variants in the top 20 (Veo 3, Veo 3.1, Veo 3.1 Fast, and the older Veo 3 Fast Preview at #26). Despite being released in mid-2025, Veo 3 remains competitive at ELO 1,217 — a testament to its quality, though its $12/min pricing makes it one of the more expensive options.

OpenAI Sora Falls Behind

Sora 2 Pro sits at #20 with ELO 1,194 — nearly 190 points behind HappyHorse. At $30/min, it is also the most expensive model in the top 20 by a wide margin. The original Sora is at #49 with ELO 1,045. OpenAI's video generation efforts have not kept pace with the competition.

New Entrants to Watch

Three models were added to the leaderboard in the last month: HappyHorse-1.0, Dreamina Seedance 2.0 720p, and PixVerse V6. SkyReels V4 from Skywork AI is also a notable new entrant, tied for #3-4 with Kling 3.0 at ELO 1,242.

Price vs. Quality

For developers evaluating cost-effectiveness, the leaderboard reveals some interesting value propositions:

ModelELOAPI PriceValue Assessment
xAI grok-imagine-video1,227$4.20/minBest value in top 10
SkyReels V41,242$7.20/minStrong value for top-5 quality
PixVerse V61,210$5.40/minGood mid-range option
Sora 2 Pro1,194$30.00/minPoor value — 7x more expensive than grok
LTX-2 Pro (open weights)1,129$3.60/minBest open-weights option, self-hostable

Methodology Note

The Artificial Analysis Video Arena uses an ELO rating system based on blind pairwise comparisons. Users see two videos generated from the same prompt and vote for their preferred result without knowing which model produced which video. The system has collected over 400,000 total comparisons across all models. ELO scores fluctuate as new votes come in — the numbers in this article reflect a snapshot taken on April 14, 2026.

Sources