10 Best Open Source AI Video Generation Models in 2025

What Are Open Source AI Video Generation Models?

Open-source AI video generation models are frameworks that transform text or images into videos using publicly available code. Open-source AI video generator models stand out for their accessibility, customization, and cost-effectiveness, rivaling even premium closed-source tools. These models differ from proprietary options by offering transparency, flexibility, and accessibility to developers and creatives.

They use diffusion transformers or autoregressive architectures and train on large datasets to produce videos with realistic motion, textures, and storytelling.

Key features include:

• Transparency: Open code builds trust and community contributions.
• Customizability: Users can fine-tune models for games, animations, etc.
• Community Support: Active contributors on GitHub and Hugging Face offer guides and pretrained weights.
• Affordability: These tools are free, requiring only GPUs with 8GB+ VRAM.

To compare their capabilities and performance, check out the AI video generation models comparison resource for detailed insights into text-to-video models.

Which Are the Best Open Source AI Video Generation Models?

The best open-source AI video models in 2025 include HunyuanVideo, Mochi 1, SkyReels V1, and others. These models support both AI text-to-video and AI image-to-video workflows with no commercial restrictions, catering to developers, researchers, and creatives.

Here’s a closer look at the top contenders:

• HunyuanVideo for cinematic films and professional studios
• Mochi 1 for artistic videos and social media creators
• SkyReels V1 for human-centric storytelling and commercials
• LTXVideo for rapid prototyping and social media videos
• Wan-2.1 for hobbyists and small businesses
• CogVideoX for educational demos and beginners
• Pyramid Flow for research and ethical projects
• Open-Sora 2.0 for professional videos and scalable platforms
• StepVideo-T2V for cinematic trailers and high-fidelity films
• VideoCrafter2 for artistic experimentation and creative styles

Below, we dive into these best 10 models, highlighting their capabilities, use cases, and trade-offs to help you choose the best AI text-to-video or AI image-to-video model for your needs.

Pixazo has launched Wan 2.5 with cinematic quality and one-prompt audio-video sync.

1. HunyuanVideo

Developed by Tencent, HunyuanVideo is a 13-billion-parameter behemoth, released in December 2024. This AI video generator combines a 3D variational autoencoder (VAE) for video compression with multimodal language models for precise text encoding. It excels in generating cinematic-quality videos with high text-video alignment, diverse motion, and stunning visual fidelity, making it a top contender among open-source AI models.

Best For:

• Professional filmmakers and studios creating high-resolution cinematic trailers or short films.
• Developers integrating AI video APIs for premium content platforms.
• Users with access to high-end hardware seeking top-tier AI text-to-video results.

Features:

• Generates 720p videos with long, continuous sequences.
• Supports AI text-to-video and AI image-to-video generation.
• Integrates with Diffusers and ComfyUI for streamlined workflows.
• Outperforms closed-source models like Runway Gen-3 in professional evaluations.
• Open-source with detailed documentation on GitHub and Hugging Face.

Pros:

• Exceptional visual quality and motion realism, rivaling proprietary tools.
• Highly customizable for specific artistic styles or industries.
• Strong community support with pre-trained weights and tutorials.
• Flexible AI video APIs for scalable integration.

Cons:

• Requires high-end GPUs (e.g., NVIDIA A100 or H100 with 80GB VRAM) for optimal performance.
• Steep learning curve for non-technical users.
• Resource-intensive, limiting accessibility for smaller setups.

Suggested Read: Best Open Source Lip Sync Models

2. Mochi 1

Released by Genmo AI in October 2024, Mochi 1 is a 10-billion-parameter AI video generator built on an Asymmetric Diffusion Transformer (AsymmDiT) architecture. It shines in creative applications, offering smooth motion and high prompt adherence for both Mochi AI text to video and Mochi AI image to video tasks. Its intuitive design makes it a favorite for developers and artists.

Best For:

• Content creators producing artistic videos for social media or portfolios.
• Developers fine-tuning models for niche applications using LoRA.
• Users with mid-to-high-end GPUs seeking a balance of quality and accessibility.

Features:

• Generates 480p videos at 30 fps with creative flexibility.
• Supports AI text-to-video and AI image-to-video generation.
• Intuitive LoRA trainer for fine-tuning on a single NVIDIA H100 or A100 (80GB).
• ComfyUI integration for seamless creative pipelines.
• Open-source with extensive community resources.

Pros:

• Balances performance and hardware accessibility (12GB VRAM minimum).
• High creative freedom for artistic and experimental videos.
• Fast inference times compared to larger models.
• Strong community support for custom workflows.

Cons:

• Limited to 480p resolution, less suitable for high-definition needs.
• Fine-tuning requires technical expertise.
• Motion quality slightly below HunyuanVideo for complex scenes.

3. SkyReels V1

SkyReels V1, a 2025 community-driven fine-tune of HunyuanVideo, is tailored for cinematic realism. Trained on over 10 million high-quality film and TV clips, it specializes in lifelike human characters with detailed facial expressions and movements, making it ideal for storytelling and professional video production.

Best For:

• Filmmakers and animators creating human-centric narratives or commercials.
• Studios needing realistic character animations with professional composition.
• Users with high-end hardware seeking Hollywood-quality AI video generators.

Features:

• Supports AI text-to-video and AI image-to-video with cinematic framing.
• Includes 33 facial expressions and 400+ movement combinations.
• Generates high-quality videos with realistic camera movements.
• Fully open-source with customizable workflows.
• Integrates with professional editing tools via AI video APIs.

Pros:

• Unmatched realism for human characters and storytelling.
• High text-video alignment for precise prompt adherence.
• Community-driven updates ensure continuous improvements.
• Ideal for professional-grade video production.

Cons:

• Requires high-end GPUs (e.g., NVIDIA H100) for training and inference.
• Limited to specific use cases (human-centric content).
• Resource-heavy, less accessible for hobbyists.

4. LTXVideo

Developed by Lightricks in March 2024, LTXVideo is a diffusion transformer-based AI video generator optimized for speed and efficiency. It delivers near real-time video generation at 768x512 resolution, making it perfect for rapid prototyping and social media content creation. Its lightweight design ensures compatibility with modest hardware.

Best For:

• Social media marketers and content creators needing quick video outputs.
• Developers integrating AI video APIs for real-time applications.
• Users with mid-tier GPUs seeking fast, high-quality results.

Features:

• Generates 24 fps videos at 768x512 resolution in near real-time.
• Supports AI text-to-video, AI image-to-video, and video-to-video (V2V).
• ComfyUI integration for creative workflows.
• Runs efficiently on GPUs with 12GB VRAM (e.g., NVIDIA RTX A6000).
• Open-source with active community support.

Pros:

• Fastest open-source model for rapid content creation.
• Hardware-friendly, accessible to users with mid-tier GPUs.
• Versatile for multiple video generation tasks.
• Seamless API integration for scalable applications.

Cons:

• Lower resolution (768x512) compared to models like HunyuanVideo.
• Less suitable for complex cinematic productions.
• Limited motion diversity in longer sequences.

5. Wan-2.1

Released by WaveSpeed AI (Alibaba) in 2025, Wan-2.1 is a suite of efficient AI video generation models, including Wan-2.1-i2v-480p and Wan-2.1-i2v-720p. Its Wan T2V-1.3B model requires only 8.19GB VRAM, making it highly accessible. Wan-2.1 excels in AI image-to-video and delivers smooth transitions and natural motion.

Best For:

• Hobbyists and small businesses with consumer-grade GPUs.
• Developers building scalable AI video APIs for budget-conscious projects.
• Creators needing high-quality AI image-to-video outputs on modest hardware.

Features:

• Generates 480p and 720p videos with minimal VRAM (8GB+).
• Supports AI text-to-video and AI image-to-video generation.
• Accelerated inference for smooth motion and transitions.
• Outperforms many open-source and commercial models in benchmarks.
• Fully open-source with Alibaba’s backing.

Pros:

• Highly accessible, runs on consumer GPUs (e.g., NVIDIA RTX 3060).
• Efficient and fast, ideal for quick prototyping.
• Strong performance for both T2V and I2V tasks.
• Cost-effective for small-scale projects.

Cons:

• Limited to 720p maximum resolution.
• Less suitable for complex, high-fidelity cinematic needs.
• Community support still growing compared to older models.

Suggested Read: Alibaba’s Wan 2.1: A New Era in Open-Source Video Generation

6. CogVideoX

Developed by Tsinghua University’s THUDM, CogVideoX, updated in 2024, is a reliable open-source AI video generator designed for AI text-to-video generation. It produces 6-second videos at 720x480 resolution with decent quality, making it a go-to for users with limited hardware. Its accessibility and community support make it a staple in the open-source ecosystem.

Best For:

• Hobbyists and educators creating short educational or demo videos.
• Developers testing AI text-to-video models on consumer-grade hardware.
• Users seeking a lightweight, community-supported AI video generator.

Features:

• Generates 6-second videos at 720x480 resolution, 8 fps.
• Supports AI text-to-video and AI image-to-video with upscaling to 1080p via tools like Pinokio.
• 5B parameter model optimized for modest hardware.
• Open-source with extensive documentation and community resources.
• Compatible with text to video APIs for basic integration.

Pros:

• Runs on GPUs with 12GB VRAM (e.g., NVIDIA RTX 3060), highly accessible.
• Strong community support with tutorials and pre-trained weights.
• Reliable for short, simple video generation tasks.
• Easy to set up and experiment with.

Cons:

• Slow inference (20–50 minutes for 20 steps on mid-tier GPUs).
• Limited to 720x480 resolution natively, less competitive for high-definition needs.
• Motion quality lags behind newer models like HunyuanVideo.

7. Pyramid Flow

Released in October 2024 by Peking University, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and Kuaishou Technology, Pyramid Flow is an autoregressive AI video generator using flow matching. It generates high-quality 10-second videos, competing with closed-source models like Runway Gen-3. Its use of open datasets ensures ethical development, making it a favorite for researchers.

Best For:

• Researchers and developers exploring ethical AI models with open datasets.
• Creators producing mid-length videos for creative or academic projects.
• Users with mid-to-high-end GPUs seeking high-quality AI text-to-video outputs.

Features:

• Generates 10-second videos with flow matching for smooth motion.
• Supports AI text-to-video and AI image-to-video generation.
• Trained on open-source datasets, MIT-licensed.
• Efficient training and inference on consumer-grade hardware.
• Competitive performance against commercial models.

Pros:

• Ethical design with transparent, open datasets.
• High-quality motion and visual fidelity for mid-length videos.
• Accessible on 16GB+ VRAM GPUs, suitable for many users.
• Strong academic backing with detailed documentation.

Cons:

• Less optimized for real-time applications compared to LTXVideo.
• Community support still developing compared to older models.
• Requires moderate technical expertise for setup and fine-tuning.

8. Open-Sora 2.0

Developed by HPC-AI Tech and released in March 2025, Open AI Sora 2.0 is an 11-billion-parameter AI video generator that unifies AI text-to-video and AI image-to-video pipelines. With Flux text-to-image integration, it delivers cinematic-quality videos at 256px or 768px resolutions, rivaling HunyuanVideo and StepVideo-T2V in benchmarks.

Best For:

• Filmmakers and studios creating professional-grade videos on a budget.
• Developers integrating AI video APIs for scalable content platforms.
• Users with high-end hardware seeking versatile, high-quality outputs.

Features:

• Supports 256px and 768px resolutions with 11B parameters.
• Unified T2V and I2V pipeline with Flux integration.
• Fully open-source with checkpoints and training codes (~$200K training cost).
• Matches top models on VBench and human preference metrics.
• Customizable via ComfyUI and Diffusers.

Pros:

• High-quality outputs comparable to closed-source models.
• Transparent training process with open-source datasets.
• Versatile for both T2V and I2V tasks.
• Strong community support for customization.

Cons:

• Requires high-end GPUs (e.g., NVIDIA H200) for training and inference.
• Resource-intensive, less accessible for hobbyists.
• Complex setup for non-technical users.

Suggested Read: How to Use Sora Text-to-Video AI in 2025

9. StepVideo-T2V

Launched in February 2025 by a Chinese AI lab, StepVideo-T2V is a 30-billion-parameter AI text-to-video model that generates ~8-second videos at 540p, 30 fps. Trained on thousands of H800 GPUs, it delivers cinematic quality comparable to Meta MovieGen and Sora, making it a powerhouse for professional video production.

Best For:

• Professional studios creating cinematic trailers or short films.
• Developers building high-fidelity AI video APIs for premium applications.
• Users with access to high-end hardware seeking top-tier results.

Features:

• Generates ~8-second videos at 540p, 30 fps.
• Supports AI text-to-video with exceptional prompt adherence.
• Trained on massive GPU clusters for high-fidelity outputs.
• Open-source with detailed paper and demo showcasing cinematic results.
• Integrates with professional editing tools via AI video APIs.

Pros:

• Matches closed-source giants in visual quality and motion.
• Ideal for professional-grade storytelling and filmmaking.
• Comprehensive documentation and community resources.
• Highly customizable for specific industries.

Cons:

• Extremely resource-intensive, requiring high-end GPUs (e.g., NVIDIA H800).
• Limited accessibility for users with consumer hardware.
• Steep learning curve for setup and optimization.

10. VideoCrafter2

VideoCrafter2, a 2025 community-driven evolution of VideoCrafter, is a versatile AI video generator optimized for AI text-to-video and AI image-to-video generation. It excels in blending artistic styles with real-world scenes, offering improved concept combinations in low-data scenarios, making it ideal for creative experimentation.

Best For:

• Artists and creators producing stylized or experimental videos.
• Developers testing AI models for niche creative applications.
• Users with mid-tier GPUs seeking artistic flexibility.

Features:

• Supports AI text-to-video and AI image-to-video with enhanced motion dynamics.
• Optimized for diffusion models with PyTorch implementation.
• Generates cinematic videos blending artistic and realistic elements.
• Open-source with active community contributions.
• Efficient on 16GB+ VRAM GPUs.

Pros:

• High creative flexibility for artistic and experimental projects.
• Improved performance in low-data scenarios.
• Accessible on mid-tier GPUs, broadening user base.
• Strong community support for custom workflows.

Cons:

• Less competitive for high-resolution or cinematic realism.
• Motion quality can be inconsistent in complex scenes.
• Community-driven, so updates may vary in consistency.

Which Are the Best Open Source AI Video Generators? A Quick Comparison

How Open Source AI Video Generation Models Are Useful?

Open-source AI video generators democratize content creation across industries. They eliminate financial and technical barriers, giving creators access to professional-grade tools.

• Cost Savings: No subscription needed; ideal for small creators and startups.
• Creative Flexibility: Supports AI text-to-video and AI image-to-video for diverse projects.
• Scalability: AI video APIs allow integration into platforms for marketing or education.
• Customization: Tools like ComfyUI let users control output style and industry relevance.
• Ethical AI: Models like Pyramid Flow use transparent datasets to avoid proprietary bias.

How to Identify the Best Model According to Your Objectives?

The best open-source AI video model depends on your goal—cinema, social media, education, or artistic experimentation. Match your need to the model's strengths, hardware, and integrations.

• Cinematic Production: Choose HunyuanVideo, SkyReels V1, or StepVideo-T2V for realism and detail
• Social Media Content: Go with LTXVideo or Wan-2.1 for speed and compatibility with lower-end GPUs
• Artistic Experimentation: Mochi 1 and VideoCrafter2 support creative outputs and style fusion
• Research and Ethics: Pick Pyramid Flow or Open-Sora 2.0 with open datasets and licenses
• Hardware: Wan-2.1 and CogVideoX run on 8GB–12GB GPUs. Others require 16GB–80GB+
• API Integration: HunyuanVideo, LTXVideo, and StepVideo-T2V offer strong automation options
• Community: Opt for models with GitHub/Hugging Face activity for better onboarding

Conclusion: Which Open Source AI Video Model Should You Choose?

In 2025, open-source AI video models like HunyuanVideo, Wan-2.1, and Open-Sora 2.0 empower users across creative, professional, and ethical domains. Whether you're making films or social clips, these tools bring premium capabilities without the proprietary cost.

By leveraging AI Video Models like Mochi 1, Pyramid Flow, or Open-Sora 2.0, creators and developers can produce high-quality AI Text to Video and AI Image to Video content with unparalleled flexibility. Whether you’re a hobbyist, professional, or developer integrating AI Video APIs, these Open Source Video Generation Models empower you to bring your vision to life. Explore their GitHub repositories, test their capabilities, and choose the model that aligns with your creative or business goals.

Suggested Read: PixelForge & Vibeo: Pixazo’s Bold Next Step in Advanced Generative AI

FAQs

What is the best open-source AI video model?

The best open-source AI video model depends on your use case and hardware. For cinematic quality, use HunyuanVideo or StepVideo-T2V. For accessibility and ease of use, Wan-2.1 and CogVideoX run well on consumer GPUs. Pyramid Flow and Open-Sora 2.0 are best for research and ethical development, while Mochi 1 and VideoCrafter2 excel in artistic creativity and experimental styles.

Which open-source model offers the best balance of fidelity and ease of use in 2025?

Wan-2.1 offers the best balance of fidelity and ease of use in 2025. It delivers high-quality video outputs while running on modest hardware, making it ideal for hobbyists, small businesses, and beginners who want reliable results without technical complexity.

What is the best free AI video generator?

Wan-2.1 and CogVideoX are the best free AI video generators in 2025. Wan-2.1 is ideal for small businesses and hobbyists due to its efficient performance and low hardware requirements. CogVideoX is well-suited for educational demos and beginners, offering accessible video generation with solid output quality.

Which AI tool is best for video generation in 2025?

Pixazo is the best AI video tool in 2025 for small businesses, marketers, and beginners. It provides a user-friendly interface, simple workflows, and high-quality video generation, making it perfect for those without technical expertise who need reliable results quickly.

Which open-source AI video model is best for beginners?

Wan-2.1 and CogVideoX are best for beginners in 2025. Both models are designed for ease of use with minimal hardware requirements. Wan-2.1 works well for small business content and personal projects, while CogVideoX is great for educational demos and learning environments.

What are the main limitations of open-source AI video models available in 2025?

Open-source AI video models in 2025 have limitations around output resolution, hardware needs, and stability. Some models require high VRAM for optimal performance, and video quality may vary compared to commercial-grade solutions. Beginners may also face setup challenges, although options like Wan-2.1 and CogVideoX aim to reduce technical barriers.