Search the App Store for “AI video” and you get hundreds of results, many with nearly the same icon and name. A few come from the companies that build the video models. Others come from smaller developers whose app names sound almost the same.
Why Picking an AI Video Generator App Is Harder Than It Looks
The best AI video generator app for you depends less on the model and more on three boring details: which phone you use, how the app bills you, and what it does with your photos. Most “best of” lists skip all three.
AI apps are now one of the biggest app categories. Sensor Tower says AI apps across genres were “approaching four billion downloads in 2025 alone” and expects their in-app purchase revenue to exceed $10 billion in 2026 (Sensor Tower, 2026 Predictions). That money flows through the App Store and Google Play, which is why the price inside an app can differ from the price on the company’s website.
So what should you install? This guide compares nine apps from companies that make or license real video models: Google Gemini, Google Flow, CapCut, Kling AI, Hailuo AI, Meta AI, Runway, invideo and Canva. Every fact comes from the official store listing or the company’s help center, read on October 24, 2026.
Key Takeaways
With AI apps nearing four billion downloads in 2025 (Sensor Tower), the safest pick is an app from the model maker itself. Google’s Gemini and Flow apps, Kling AI, Runway and CapCut cover most phone users; Hailuo’s own app showed up on Google Play but not in the US App Store. In-app prices are close to web prices for Runway, but promotions and weekly plans make other apps harder to compare.
Quick Picks: The Best AI Video Generator App for Each Phone
The best AI video generator app for most people is the one from the company behind the model, because it gets new models first and bills you directly: Google’s Gemini app lists Gemini Omni video for Google AI Plus, Pro, Ultra and Workspace users (Google Gemini on the App Store). The table below matches each need to one app.
| If you want… | Start with | Why, from the official pages |
|---|---|---|
| Google’s newest video model in a chat app | Google Gemini | Gemini Omni video for Google AI Plus, Pro, Ultra and Workspace users |
| Veo 3.1 clips with a daily credit allowance | Google Flow | Flow Help lists 50 Flow credits a day; Veo 3.1 Lite costs 10 credits for non-Ultra users |
| AI clips inside a full mobile editor | CapCut | Media, then AI Video, inside a project; Veo clips up to 8 seconds |
| Longer clips from one model family | Kling AI | Listing: up to 15 seconds per clip, extendable to 3 minutes |
| Many models in one phone app | Runway | Listing names Seedance 2.5, Kling 3 Pro, Gen-4.5 and Nano Banana models |
| A script turned into an edited video | invideo | Agent Two plus a multitrack timeline editor |
| AI video inside designs you already make | Canva | Listing: Veo 3 videos with sound from text prompts |
| Animating your own photos for a social feed | Meta AI | Help center: tap an image, then Animate |
| MiniMax’s model on Android | Hailuo AI | Google Play listing by MiniMax AI |
Want a top 3 to try first? On iPhone, start with Gemini or Flow, CapCut and Runway: all three come from the companies that run the models, all three bill through Apple, and all three have Android versions too. On Android, Kling AI and Hailuo AI are worth adding, because both studios publish their own apps on Google Play.
How We Compared: Store Listings, Official Help Pages and Pricing
We did not install or test any of these phone apps. Every fact in this guide comes from the US App Store listing, the US English Google Play listing, or the company’s own help center and pricing page, read on October 24, 2026. That is the honest scope of this comparison.
The one hands-on test behind this guide is older and narrower: we tested InVideo AI’s web app on its free plan on October 21, 2026. That was a browser test, not an app test. It still tells you something useful about how credits work on any device, and the invideo section below covers it.
Why rely on store listings? Because they are the one place where Apple and Google require developers to show price, privacy and seller details in the same format. We recorded four things for each app:
- The seller name, so you can spot copycats.
- The in-app purchase list Apple shows in US dollars.
- The privacy label on the App Store and the Data safety section on Google Play.
- The device requirements, such as the minimum iOS version and iPad support.
We did not score video quality, and we did not copy star ratings, because both change too often to be useful in a guide. When a company’s website showed a first-month promotion or a countdown timer, we left the web price out.
A note on money: Indie Stack Lab may add affiliate links to some tools later. When a link is an affiliate link, it is labeled, and our disclosure page explains how that works. It did not change what we checked or what we wrote down.
Gemini and Google Flow: Google’s Video Models on Android and iPhone
Google now puts its video models in two apps: the Gemini app makes videos with Gemini Omni, and the Google Flow app gives you Veo 3.1 with a credit counter (Gemini Apps Help; Google Flow Help). Which one you want depends on whether you prefer chatting or directing.
The Gemini app
Gemini Apps Help calls Gemini Omni “our latest AI video generation model.” On Android and iPhone the steps are the same: open the Gemini app, tap Menu, then Videos, type a prompt, and tap Submit. You can upload one video and up to 5 images as references, and you can keep editing the same clip in the conversation.
There are three requirements before any of that works. A personal account needs a Google AI plan, you must be signed in, and the feature “isn’t available to users under 18.” Uploading your own video to edit it isn’t available in the EEA, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and some US states.
How much does the plan cost in the app? Apple’s US listing shows Google AI Plus (400 GB) at $4.99, Google AI Pro (5 TB) at $19.99 and Google AI Ultra (30 TB) at $199.99 among its in-app purchases. The iPhone app requires iOS 18.2 or later. On Android, the Google Play listing adds one detail worth knowing: if you opt in, Gemini replaces Google Assistant as the main assistant on your phone.
The Google Flow app
Flow is Google’s AI filmmaking tool, and it now has its own phone app. The listing promises camera roll and live camera uploads, a library that “stays in sync with your desktop experience,” and background generations that send a notification when they finish (Google Flow on the App Store).
The credits page is the clearest price list Google publishes. It says your credits are shared across your account “regardless of which device you use.” Non-Ultra users pay 10 credits for a Veo 3.1 Lite generation, 20 for Veo 3.1 Fast and 100 for Veo 3.1 Quality. The same page says: “With no subscription, you receive only 50 Google Flow credits per day to try Google Flow.”
Here’s the catch. Flow’s “Get started” page lists a Google AI Plus, Pro or Ultra subscription, a verified age of 18 or older, and a supported region as requirements (Get started with Google Flow). The two pages don’t agree, so open the app and check the credit counter under your profile picture. The iPhone app is “Only for iPhone,” with no iPad version, and carries an 18+ age rating.
For plan details on the Google side, see which Google plan unlocks Veo 3.1 and how Flow credits work.
CapCut: AI Video Inside a Free Mobile Editor
CapCut is a free video editor first and an AI video generator second: its App Store listing describes trimming, keyframes, auto captions and 4K 60fps exports, while CapCut’s own Veo page shows the AI video steps inside the mobile app (CapCut on the App Store; CapCut Veo AI video generator). That makes it the easiest app to try if you already edit on your phone.
The mobile steps, per CapCut’s page:
- Start a new project and tap Media on the toolbar.
- Select AI Video.
- Pick the Veo model, type a prompt or import a photo, and adjust the settings.
- Tap Generate. The clip lands on your project timeline.
The same page says Veo in CapCut supports “high-quality videos up to 8 seconds long.” You can then trim it, add music or captions, and export, all in one app. Would you rather generate in one app and edit in another? CapCut is the one tool on this list that removes that step.
Is it free? CapCut’s pages disagree. The Veo page answers “Yes, CapCut offers free access to its AI video generator, including the VEO 3.1 model, with generous usage limits.” CapCut’s main AI video generator page says instead that it “provides 7-day free trial to this AI video generator” and that credits and features “vary depending on your workflow, account tier and regional terms” (CapCut AI video generator). Treat the free part as a trial until your own account shows otherwise.
The paid side is clearer. Apple’s US listing shows a Standard Monthly Subscription at $9.99, a Pro Monthly Subscription at $19.99 and a Yearly Subscription at $89.99. CapCut runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and Google Play lists more than 1 billion downloads for the Android version. If you mostly need to cut and caption footage rather than generate it, our list of free editors and what each one leaves on your export puts CapCut next to the alternatives.
Kling and Hailuo: Model-First Apps From the Video Studios
Kling AI and Hailuo AI are apps from the studios that train the models, and both sell credits on top of subscriptions: Kling’s listing says you can “Generate up to 15 seconds in native 1080p or cinema-grade 4K, then use Video Extension to create videos up to 3 minutes long” (Kling AI on the App Store). They suit people who want the model, not an editor.
Kling AI
The Kling AI app runs on iPhone, iPad, Apple silicon Macs and Vision Pro, and Google Play lists it with more than 10 million downloads. The App Store seller is KLING AI PTE. LTD., and the Google Play developer is KLING AI. Check that name before you install, because the App Store search for “Kling AI” also returns apps from other sellers.
One number to read carefully: the store listing says 15 seconds per clip, while Kling’s web plan page describes Kling 4.0 with “native 30s-generation” (Kling AI membership plans). The app listing may lag the website, so check the model menu in the app before you plan a long shot.
What does Kling cost in the app? Apple’s list includes a Standard plan (monthly) at $10.00, a Pro plan (monthly) at $37.00, a Premier plan (monthly) at $92.00, credit packs such as 660 Credits for $10.00, and a Standard Membership for one week at $1.19 or $1.49. The listing’s terms say an Apple subscription “will automatically renew unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing cycle.” A one-week plan renews every week, so set a reminder.
Hailuo AI
Hailuo AI, from MiniMax, is easy to find on Android: the Google Play listing “Hailuo AI: Image&Video Maker” by MiniMax AI shows more than 10 million downloads and lists text-to-video, image-to-video and subject reference for consistent characters (Hailuo AI on Google Play). It adds that “Some advanced features are available with an optional subscription.”
On iPhone, it is a different story. When we looked up MiniMax’s Hailuo app in the US App Store on October 24, 2026, the store returned no listing, and the search for “hailuo ai” showed similarly named apps from other developers instead. If you are on iPhone in the US, use Hailuo in a browser, or wait until MiniMax lists the app there.
Meta AI and Vibes: Animating Images Into Short Clips
The Meta AI app makes short AI videos, called vibes, by animating an image: Meta’s help center says you tap an image in your Meta AI thread, tap Animate, add an optional prompt and music, and tap Animate again (Meta Help Center). It is built for a social feed, not for a film project.
Here is what the help center describes:
- You can generate an image from a prompt, or upload your own photo, and turn it into a vibe.
- You can add lip syncing or a voiceover to an animated image.
- A finished vibe can be posted to the Meta AI and Vibes feed.
- Meta sends a notification when the video is ready.
The likeness settings deserve a look before you start. Meta lets you add photos of yourself and choose who can put you in AI images and videos: “Only me,” “Followers I approve,” “Followers I follow back” or “Everyone” (Meta Help Center). Pick “Only me” unless you have a reason to share your face.
Is Meta AI the right pick for you? Only if your videos start as photos and end up in a feed. Two limits matter. Meta says the Meta AI and Vibes apps “are not yet available everywhere,” and some features may not be available in your area. And the current App Store listing for Meta AI talks about image creation, research and AI glasses, not video, so the help center is the better guide to what video features you’ll see. The iPhone app requires iOS 18.4 or later.
Runway, InVideo and Canva Mobile Apps
Runway, invideo and Canva all have phone apps, but each one treats the phone differently: Runway’s help center says its iOS app “does not support iPad” and recommends “a desktop or laptop for the full experience,” while invideo and Canva run on both iPhone and iPad (Runway Help Center). Pick by where you finish your work.
Runway
Runway’s phone app pitches “every model you need in one app,” naming Seedance 2.5, Kling 3 Pro, Gen-4.5, Nano Banana Pro and Nano Banana 2 (Runway on the App Store). It also includes Runway Agent, which plans the shots, generates them and assembles the video from a plain-language request. The listing says your first generation “takes about two minutes.”
There is one mismatch to know about. The app listing names Gen-4.5, but Runway’s Gen-4.5 help page lists “Web” as its platform (Creating with Gen-4.5). Open the model picker in the app before you buy credits for a specific model. If you already have a Runway account, the listing says your work syncs between phone and computer automatically.
For a full walk-through of Runway’s plans, see how Runway’s mobile and web plans price each model.
invideo
The invideo app, listed as “invideo: AI Video Editor,” lets you “Direct and edit films, ads & social videos with AI agents” and generate visuals and audio “with 200+ AI models” (invideo on the App Store). It pairs the Agent Two assistant with a multitrack timeline editor, so you can let the agent build a draft and then fix cuts by hand.
What can a free account do? We tested InVideo AI’s free plan on the website on October 21, 2026, not in the app. The account held 10 credits per period. We pasted a 20-second script, the agent asked six production questions, and then it quoted about 350 credits for the video while our balance was about 5.4. No video came out. What surprised us was that the planning chat alone had used about 4.7 credits.
The app’s purchase list uses the same Plus and Max plan names as the website, so check the credit counter in the app before you build a project there. InVideo’s help center says the free quota “is reset weekly on Monday at 12 a.m. UTC” (Can I use invideo AI for free?). The full test is in our account of InVideo AI’s free plan, from sign-up to the 350-credit quote. For what the agent and models can do, see what each InVideo AI tool spends in credits.
Canva
Canva’s app listing headlines “REVOLUTIONARY AI VIDEO WITH VEO 3,” described as a tool that “generates incredible videos with sound from simple text prompts” (Canva on the App Store). The app runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and the Google Play listing shows more than 500 million downloads.
The strength here is context, not raw power. You make a clip, then drop it straight into a reel, an ad or a presentation with your brand fonts already loaded. Apple’s list of in-app purchases also includes a Canva Credit at $1.99, next to Canva Pro and Teams plans. For which Canva plans include its video clip tool, see what Canva’s AI video features include on each plan.
In-App Prices vs Web Prices: What the App Stores Charge
In-app prices can match the website or differ from it, and Runway is the clean example of a match: Apple lists Runway’s Standard - Monthly at $14.99 and Standard - Yearly at $143.99, while Runway’s website lists Standard at $15 monthly or $12 a month billed yearly (Runway pricing). Twelve months at $12 is $144, one cent more than the app. Other apps are harder to line up.
Here is a sample of what Apple’s US App Store listed on October 24, 2026. Apple shows only some of each app’s purchases, so treat this as a sample, not a full price list.
| App | In-app purchases Apple lists (sample) | Web price we could compare |
|---|---|---|
| Google Gemini | Google AI Plus (400 GB) $4.99; Google AI Pro (5 TB) $19.99; Google AI Ultra (30 TB) $199.99 | Not compared |
| Runway | Standard - Monthly $14.99; Standard - Yearly $143.99; Pro - Monthly $35.00; Max - Monthly $95.00 | Standard $15 monthly; Pro $35 monthly; Max $95 monthly |
| Kling AI | Standard plan (monthly) $10.00; Pro plan (monthly) $37.00; Premier plan (monthly) $92.00; one-week Standard $1.19 or $1.49 | Website showed first-month discounts and a countdown |
| CapCut | Standard Monthly Subscription $9.99; Pro Monthly Subscription $19.99; Yearly Subscription $89.99 | Not compared |
| invideo | Plus $30.00; Max $72.00; Generative $143.99 | Website showed a 50% off promotion |
| Canva | Canva Pro - Monthly $14.99, $15.00 or $18.00; Canva Pro - Yearly $119.99 or $143.99 | Not compared |
Why does one app list three different monthly prices for the same plan? Apple’s list shows every product a developer has set up, including older price points and offers, without saying who sees which one. The price that counts is the one in the purchase sheet on your own phone, right before you confirm.
How much is an AI video generator app, then? The apps themselves are free to download. In this sample, single plan purchases run from $4.99 for Google AI Plus to $199.99 for Google AI Ultra, and Kling’s one-week plan starts at $1.19.
Three billing rules apply to every app on this list:
- Store purchases are billed by Apple or Google. Runway’s help center says app plans “are billed by Apple or Google,” so you cancel them in your device’s subscription settings (Runway Help Center). InVideo’s help center gives the same split between store and website subscriptions (How can I cancel my subscription?).
- Deleting the app does not cancel the plan. Google Play’s help page says: “When you uninstall an app, your subscription won’t cancel” (Google Play Help). Apple lists the same cancel path under Subscriptions in your Apple Account (Apple Support).
- Refunds for App Store purchases go through Apple. Apple’s refund page sends you to reportaproblem.apple.com and says to wait 24 to 48 hours for an update (Apple Support).
Before you pay, compare credits, not just dollars. A plan that costs the same in the app and on the web can still include different credits per month, and our explainer on why AI video generators charge in credits shows how to turn credits into seconds.
Permissions and Privacy: What AI Video Apps Ask For
Every AI video app on this list collects some personal data, and the labels that describe it are written by the developers themselves: Apple tells developers “You’re responsible for keeping your responses accurate and up to date,” and Google says developers use the Data safety section “to share information about how their app handles your data” (Apple Developer; Google Play Help). Read them as the company’s own claims.
The two labels to compare are Apple’s “Data Used to Track You,” which means data linked with other companies’ data for advertising, and Google Play’s “Data shared,” which means data passed to third parties. Here is what each app declared on October 24, 2026:
| App | App Store: data used to track you | Google Play: data shared with third parties |
|---|---|---|
| Google Gemini | None listed | No data shared |
| Google Flow | None listed | No data shared |
| CapCut | Identifiers | No data shared |
| Kling AI | Identifiers, Usage Data | No data shared |
| Runway | Identifiers | No data shared |
| invideo | Identifiers | Device or other IDs, audio files, personal info, photos and videos, crash logs |
| Canva | Identifiers | No data shared |
| Meta AI | None listed | Device or other IDs, personal info |
| Hailuo AI | No US App Store listing | Device or other IDs, emails, videos, personal info, financial info, app activity, crash logs |
“None listed” does not mean “collects nothing.” Meta AI’s App Store label lists 15 categories of data linked to you, including Health & Fitness, Sensitive Info and Surroundings, and its listing warns that the app “may use your location even when it isn’t open.” Gemini’s label lists 12 categories linked to you.
Can two stores disagree about the same app? Yes. Google Flow’s Play listing says the developer “says that this app doesn’t collect or share any user data,” while its App Store label lists data linked to you, such as Purchases, Location and Contact Info. One more detail stood out: Hailuo’s Data safety section lists “Credit score” among the financial data that may be shared. Ask yourself whether a video app needs that before you sign in.
Then check the permissions the app actually requests. A video generator needs your photos only if you animate your own pictures. Grant access to selected photos instead of your whole library when your phone offers that choice, and turn off location if the app works without it.
Fake Apps, APKs and Mods: How to Download Safely
The safest way to get an AI video generator app is the official App Store or Google Play, from the seller name that matches the company: Google Play Protect “runs a safety check on apps from the Google Play Store before you download them” and checks your device for harmful apps from other sources (Google Play Help). An APK from a random website skips the first of those checks.
Why do people go looking for APKs and IPA files at all? Usually for one of three reasons: the app isn’t listed in their country, they want a “mod” that promises unlimited credits, or a search result offers a “free download” of a paid tool. None of those is worth the risk. Google says Play Protect warns you about apps that hide or misrepresent important information, and it may deactivate or remove harmful apps from your device.
On iPhone, the rules are stricter. Apple’s support page says alternative app distribution, meaning app marketplaces and web downloads outside the App Store, is available in Brazil, Japan and the European Union (Apple Support). In the US, an “AI video generator IPA” from a website is not an official way to install an app. Even where alternative distribution exists, Apple says its ability to help with apps downloaded outside the App Store is limited, including with “scams, fraud, and abuse.”
Lookalike apps are the bigger everyday risk. Before you tap Get or Install, check these four things on the listing:
- The seller or developer name matches the company: Google LLC, BYTEDANCE PTE. LTD., KLING AI PTE. LTD., Runway AI, Inc., Invideo Inc, Canva Pty Ltd, Meta Platforms, Inc. or MiniMax AI.
- The download count fits a major app. Google Play lists Gemini and CapCut above 1 billion downloads, Canva above 500 million, Meta AI above 100 million, and Kling AI and Hailuo AI above 10 million each (Google Play: Gemini; Google Play: CapCut; Google Play: Canva).
- The subscription list doesn’t push a weekly plan as the default.
- The developer website link on the listing goes to the company’s real domain.
If an app fails any of those, close it and search again. On Android, keep Play Protect on; Google recommends that you “always keep Google Play Protect on.”
App or Browser? When the Web Version Is Better
The web version is the better choice when you need long sessions, the newest models or a big screen: Google’s Flow help says “For the most powerful editing features, go to Google Flow on a computer,” and Runway recommends “a desktop or laptop for the full experience” (Get started with Google Flow; Runway Help Center). Phones win for quick drafts, photos from your camera roll and notifications when a render finishes.
Here is where each tool runs, per its own pages:
| Tool | Phone apps | Computer |
|---|---|---|
| Gemini | Android and iPhone | gemini.google.com in a browser |
| Google Flow | Android and iPhone (no iPad app) | Chromium-based browser such as Chrome or Edge |
| CapCut | Android, iPhone and iPad | Web and desktop workflows for its AI video generator; Mac app on the App Store |
| Kling AI | Android, iPhone and iPad | Website, plus downloads for macOS and Windows on kling.ai |
| Runway | Android and iPhone (no iPad) | Web app, with Chrome recommended |
| invideo | Android, iPhone and iPad | Website, where our free-plan test ran |
| Canva | Android, iPhone and iPad | Website, plus a Mac app on the App Store |
Looking for an AI video generator for PC, a laptop or Windows? You rarely need special software. Every tool in the table runs in a desktop browser, and Kling’s homepage offers Windows and macOS downloads next to its phone apps. If what you really need on a PC is an editor to finish AI clips, see our picks for editing video on a Windows PC. CapCut says its desktop workflow “gives you deeper scene-level controls for multi-shot planning,” while the web workflow is “built for script-led creation” (CapCut AI video generator).
Do you lose your work when you switch devices? Not on the two tools that document it. Flow credits are shared across your account on every device, and Runway’s listing says your work syncs between phone and computer. Start a draft on the train, then finish it at your desk. For more on generating without installing anything, our AI video generators compared by the kind of video each one makes covers the browser side in depth.
Before You Install an AI Video App: Your Next Step
Before you install an AI video generator app, open its store listing and check the seller, the subscription list and the privacy label; those three checks take about a minute and catch most copycats. Then run one short, real idea through the free allowance before you pay. Why one real idea? Because a demo prompt tells you nothing about what your own video will cost.
A short checklist to take with you:
- Is the seller the company that makes the model?
- Does the app bill weekly, monthly or yearly, and is that clear before you confirm?
- What does the privacy label say about tracking and sharing?
- Does your account’s free allowance cover one full video, or only the planning?
- Will you finish the video on your phone, or on a computer?
Still choosing a tool rather than an app? Our roundup of the free AI video plans and the limit each one hits first is the next stop. If your starting point is a photo from your camera roll, see how image-to-video tools animate a single picture. And if you want to compare plan costs before installing InVideo’s app, see InVideo’s plan prices and credit math.
References
- Sensor Tower: 2026 Predictions for the Digital Economy
- App Store: Google Gemini
- App Store: Google Flow
- App Store: CapCut: Photo & Video Editor
- App Store: Kling AI: AI Image&Video Maker
- App Store: Runway: AI Image & Video
- App Store: invideo: AI Video Editor
- App Store: Canva AI Photo & Video Editor
- App Store: Meta AI
- Google Play: Google Gemini
- Google Play: CapCut - Video Editor
- Google Play: Canva: AI Photo & Video Editor
- Google Play: Hailuo AI: Image&Video Maker
- Google Play: Kling AI: AI Image&Video Maker
- Google Play: Meta AI
- Gemini Apps Help: Generate videos with Gemini Apps
- Google Flow Help: Manage your Google Flow credits
- Google Flow Help: Get started with Google Flow
- CapCut: Veo AI video generator
- CapCut: AI video generator
- Kling AI: Membership plans
- Meta Help Center: Generate images and videos using Meta AI and Vibes
- Meta Help Center: How to create images and videos of yourself or others
- Runway: Pricing
- Runway Help Center: Mobile device compatibility
- Runway Help Center: Creating with Gen-4.5
- Runway Help Center: How do I cancel my App Store or Google Play subscription?
- InVideo Help Center: Can I use invideo AI for free?
- InVideo Help Center: How can I cancel my subscription?
- Apple Developer: App Privacy Details
- Apple Support: About alternative app distribution
- Apple Support: Cancel a subscription from Apple
- Apple Support: Request a refund for apps or content that you bought from Apple
- Google Play Help: Use Google Play Protect
- Google Play Help: Data safety section
- Google Play Help: Cancel, pause, or change a subscription