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Sora app closed 26 Apr 2026 · API removed 24 Sep 2026

Sora 2 Video Generator — shut down. Here's what to use now

OpenAI has shut Sora down — the app in April and the API in September 2026. Here's what happened, what to do with your videos, and the same prompt on four models that replace it.

Try
Rain and ripples around a puppy in a yellow raincoat on a cobblestone street
  • Sora is discontinued
  • Export ended with the sunset
  • Veo 3.1 · Kling 3.0 · Seedance · Wan 3
  • Same-prompt comparison

Updated by the

Made with Kenerate

Quick answer

Updated

What is Sora 2?

Sora 2 was OpenAI's video model with synced audio, launched on 30 September 2025 and now discontinued: the Sora apps closed on 26 April 2026 and the API was removed on 24 September 2026, so OpenAI no longer offers it anywhere and Kenerate's Video Studio no longer lists Sora 2 Pro. The closest alternatives with sound are Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0, Seedance 2.5 and Wan 3, all in Kenerate AI's studio.

Key facts

Sora app
Closed 26 Apr 2026
Sora API
Removed 24 Sep 2026
Replacement
None named
Alternatives here
60+ video models
Longest alternative clip
30 s · Seedance 2.5, Wan 3

Real demo

One prompt, four Sora alternatives

The same text prompt on Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0, Seedance 2.5 and Wan 3. Turn the sound on and switch.

  • Veo 3.1. 6 s at 720p with sound (Veo makes 4, 6 or 8 s).
  • Kling 3.0. 5 s with sound (Kling sets its own resolution).
  • Seedance 2.5. 5 s at 720p with sound.
  • Wan 3. 5 s at 720p with sound.

Prompt: "A golden retriever puppy in a tiny yellow raincoat splashes through puddles on a cobblestone street in the rain, slow motion, cinematic, rain and happy barks" — unedited outputs.

Run your own prompt

Real results

Sora-style clips from the alternatives

Five text-to-video clips, one from each alternative — the kind of whimsical, cinematic shots Sora was known for.

Real text-to-video clips from Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0, Seedance 2.5, Wan 3 and Grok Imagine. Open one to copy the prompt.

How to

How to move from Sora 2 to Kenerate

Time needed
Steps
4 steps

  1. Step 1

    Save what you had

    Sora's export ran through its sunset page before the final deletion window; keep any downloads safe.

  2. Step 2

    Pick an alternative

    Veo 3.1 for dialogue, Seedance 2.5 or Wan 3 for 30-second shots, Kling 3.0 for expressive motion.

  3. Step 3

    Reuse your prompts

    Sora-style prompts — subject, action, camera, style, sound — work as-is.

  4. Step 4

    Generate and compare

    Run one prompt on two models and keep the better take.

1Describe the scene2Or start from an image3Pick a video model4Set ratio and length, then Create5Watch and download
Kenerate AI Video Studio in Text to Video mode with a lighthouse scene prompt typed in

Open Video Studio in Text to Video mode and write the shot — subject, action, camera move and light.

1 / 5 · Describe the scene

Watch the tour · 1:19

Text, image & reference to video, models, edit, extend & chat

Chapters

Engines

Sora alternatives in the studio

From the studio's own model list — Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0, Seedance 2.5 and Wan 3 generate sound.

  • Veo 3.1 title card — two fictional adult characters in dialogue on a rainy noir street
    Closest to Sora

    Google DeepMind

    Veo 3.1

    Input
    Text, image or 3 refs
    Output
    4/6/8 s · up to 4K · sound

    Best for

    Dialogue and cinematic sound

    Open Veo 3.1
  • Kling 3.0 Pro title card — two fictional adult dancers in an expressive tango under a spotlight

    Kuaishou

    Kling 3.0 Pro

    Input
    Text or image (+ end frame)
    Output
    3–15 s · sound

    Best for

    Expressive motion

    Open Kling 3.0 Pro
  • Seedance 2.5 title card — a multi-shot cinematic triptych of a heist sequence in crisp 4K

    ByteDance

    Seedance 2.5

    Input
    Text, image or 30 refs
    Output
    4–30 s · up to 4K · sound

    Best for

    Long multi-shot clips

    Open Seedance 2.5
  • Wan 3 title card — a long cinematic clip with sound

    Alibaba

    Wan 3

    Input
    Text, image or 10 refs
    Output
    2–30 s · up to 1080p · sound

    Best for

    Long clips with references

    Open Wan 3
  • Grok Imagine 1.5 title card — a punchy social clip still of confetti exploding at a rooftop party of fictional adults

    xAI

    Grok Imagine 1.5

    Input
    Text, image or 7 refs
    Output
    1–15 s · up to 1080p

    Best for

    Quick social clips

    Open Grok Imagine 1.5

The demo and clips above are unedited outputs of these models.

Tips

Getting Sora-like results

What carried over best in our tests.

  • Describe camera moves and lenses — every model follows them.

  • Put dialogue in quotes for Veo 3.1.

  • Need long takes? Seedance 2.5 and Wan 3 reach 30 s.

  • For a character across shots, use reference to video.

  • Upscale your old Sora clips to 4K with the video upscaler.

  • Real people need their permission.

Example uses

How creators use Sora 2

Illustrative examples of typical workflows, not customer reviews.

  • Street magician releasing a dove in a crowded square at dusk

    Short-form creator

    A former Sora user could paste saved prompts into Veo 3.1 and keep dialogue in quotes for scenes with speech.

  • Fisherman pulling a net of glowing lanterns on a misty lake

    Music video director

    A music video director could move long, moody takes to Seedance 2.5 or Wan 3, which reach 30 seconds.

  • Figure skater spinning on a frozen lake under the northern lights

    Social video editor

    A social video editor could run one prompt on two models and keep the better take, using Kling 3.0 for expressive motion.

FAQ

Sora 2 questions

Is Sora still available?

No. OpenAI closed the Sora web and mobile apps on 26 April 2026 and removed the Sora API — including sora-2 and sora-2-pro — on 24 September 2026, without naming a replacement.

Link to this answer

Is Sora free?

Sora launched free with limits in 2025, but it has been shut down — there's no free or paid Sora now.

Link to this answer

Is Sora 2 free and unlimited?

No — Sora 2 no longer exists as a service. Alternatives like Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0, Seedance 2.5 and Wan 3 run on credits in Kenerate.

Link to this answer

Is there a Sora v2 or Sora 2.0?

No. We found no Sora v2 or Sora 2.0 release from OpenAI as of 29 October 2026. The model people search for under those names is Sora 2, which OpenAI has discontinued. Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0, Seedance 2.5 and Wan 3 are the closest replacements on Kenerate.

Link to this answer

Can I still download my Sora videos?

OpenAI offered an export through its Sora sunset page before permanently deleting Sora data after the final export window.

Link to this answer

What is the best Sora alternative?

Veo 3.1 for dialogue and cinematic sound, Seedance 2.5 or Wan 3 for 30-second shots, Kling 3.0 for expressive motion. The demo above runs one prompt on all four.

Link to this answer

Is the Sora 2 API still working?

No — OpenAI removed the Sora API and the sora-2 and sora-2-pro models on 24 September 2026.

Link to this answer

Can I still use Sora 2 Pro on Kenerate?

No. Kenerate's Video Studio no longer lists Sora 2 Pro: it was hidden from the model list because OpenAI removed sora-2-pro from its API on 24 September 2026. For the same kind of shot, use Veo 3.1 for dialogue, Seedance 2.5 or Wan 3 for clips up to 30 seconds, or Kling 3.0 for expressive motion.

Link to this answer

In depth

Sora 2, explained

What Sora 2 was

OpenAI launched Sora 2 on 30 September 2025 with an invite-only iOS app (Android followed in November): video with synced audio, 'Cameos' of your own likeness, a TikTok-style feed and a moving watermark.

Explore

Every Kenerate video tool

Generators, tools, models and guides — all in one studio.

See more of Kenerate AI in your Google resultsAdd kenerateai.com as a preferred source — Google shows more from your preferred sources in Top Stories and AI answers.

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By Last updated and reviewed

Sources: Kenerate video studio · OpenAI — API deprecations (Videos API, sora-2, sora-2-pro: shutdown 24 Sep 2026), checked 23 October 2026 · OpenAI Help — Sora discontinuation · Wikipedia — Sora (text-to-video model)

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