Veo 3.1 Lite Hits Gemini API and Vertex AI: Full Stack Breakdown for Production Teams

News

Google Launches Veo 3.1 Lite on Gemini API: Under Half the Cost of Veo 3.1 Fast

Veo 3.1 Lite is now live for paid Gemini API users at $0.05/sec for 720p — less than 50% of Veo 3.1 Fast's current rate. With native audio, text-to-video, image-to-video, and portrait/landscape support, this is a serious option for any team running video generation at volume.

Google Signals Long-Term Video Gen Commitment as Sora Shuts Down

9to5Google flags something important beyond the model launch: Google explicitly called out its commitment to video generation continuing beyond Veo 3.1 Lite, with more updates promised soon. With Sora going offline April 26, Google is making a direct play for the developer mindshare that's now up for grabs.

Analysis

Veo 3.1 Lite Pricing Table: $0.05 at 720p, $0.08 at 1080p, and a Fast Tier Price Cut on April 7

The-Decoder breaks down the full pricing grid clearly: Lite at $0.05–$0.08/sec versus Fast dropping to $0.10–$0.12/sec on April 7. For dev teams budgeting video gen into their products, these numbers finally make high-volume use cases financially viable.

Veo 3.1 Lite vs. Veo 3.1 Flagship: Side-by-Side Feature Comparison

A practical breakdown of exactly what Lite gives up versus the flagship — 4K output and Scene Extension are the two gaps, everything else (native audio, dual input modes, 1080p, portrait mode) carries over. For most social, marketing, and education workflows, Lite covers the full requirement set.