Ray 3.2 API pricing starts at $0.2145 per 5-second clip at 540p. The same duration costs $0.429 at 720p or $1.7145 at 1080p; $10 covers 46 whole clips at the entry tier. Ray 3.2 is available on HiAPI: open the text-to-video model page to choose a format and generate your first shot.
The useful budgeting distinction is that Ray charges per clip. Duration and resolution select a price tier, so the displayed clip price already includes its full length.
How Much Does Each Ray 3.2 Clip Cost?
| Clip length | 540p | 720p | 1080p |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 seconds | $0.2145 | $0.429 | $1.7145 |
| 10 seconds | $0.643 | $1.286 | $5.143 |
Text-to-video supports both lengths. Ray 3.2 image-to-video produces a fixed 5-second clip at the same prices as the 5-second row. An optional end frame adds control over the final composition without changing the price tier.
Pay attention to the jump in duration: a 10-second generation costs approximately three times its 5-second counterpart at the same resolution. Choose it when the action needs a longer uninterrupted shot. For a short cutaway or a transition you plan to trim tightly, start with the shorter tier.
A $10 test budget covers 46 clips at 5 seconds/540p, 23 at 5 seconds/720p, or 5 at 5 seconds/1080p. Those are whole successful generations, before any creative selection. Start a 540p prompt test →
What Does a Monthly Batch Cost?
Multiply the number of generated clips by the chosen tier. These examples help separate a predictable rendering bill from the editorial decision about which takes make the final cut.
| Successful generations | 5s · 540p | 5s · 720p | 5s · 1080p | 10s · 720p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 clips | $21.45 | $42.90 | $171.45 | $128.60 |
| 1,000 clips | $214.50 | $429 | $1,714.50 | $1,286 |
| 10,000 clips | $2,145 | $4,290 | $17,145 | $12,860 |
A clip library built from 1,000 short 540p renders costs $214.50. Moving the same batch to 720p makes it $429. A 10-second 1080p batch needs a different budget entirely: 1,000 generations cost $5,143.
Count every successful variation you request, including versions you later leave out. Keep a record of prompt, settings, and selected take so the next batch starts with what you learned. This makes the expected generation volume much easier to estimate than budgeting only for finished videos.
Which Settings Keep Iteration Affordable?
Use 5 seconds at 540p to settle the shot: subject placement, camera direction, action, and lighting. Change one of those decisions at a time so each result answers a clear question. A broad instruction such as “make it more cinematic” gives you less useful feedback than specifying the camera path or the direction of light.
Move to 720p when reviewing composition at the intended delivery size. Reserve 1080p for shots that need that output resolution. A higher-resolution render is a fresh generation; review its motion and framing again before adding it to an edit.
Choose the aspect ratio early. Ray text-to-video accepts 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, and 21:9. Those choices let you compose for the destination instead of relying on a crop after the subject has already been framed.
For an existing product photograph or a planned opening frame, use the image-to-video endpoint. Its first-frame input anchors the image, while the optional end frame is useful when the ending composition matters. Keep its fixed 5-second length in mind when planning the edit.
Try a Concrete 720p Shot
This lighthouse example uses 5 seconds, 720p, and 16:9, a $0.429 tier.
A lone lighthouse keeper climbs the spiral stairs at dusk, storm waves crash against the rocks below, the beam sweeps across the sea, slow cinematic crane shot
Generate with this lighthouse prompt → Select 5 seconds, 720p, and 16:9 after opening the page; the link fills the prompt.
The prompt gives the scene a subject, an action, a surrounding environment, and a camera move. Use those four pieces to plan your own shot, then check whether the result gives the editor the beginning and ending needed for the cut.
How Does the Price Compare With Runway Gen-4.5?
Match duration and resolution before comparing. Runway Gen-4.5 on HiAPI outputs 720p and costs $0.1715 per second.
| Matched output | Ray 3.2 | Runway Gen-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 seconds · 720p | $0.429 | $0.8575 |
| 10 seconds · 720p | $1.286 | $1.715 |
Ray is about 50% lower at 5 seconds and about 25% lower at 10 seconds. Runway also offers an 8-second option for landscape text-to-video, priced at $1.372. Ray gives you the additional choice of 540p or 1080p.
For the visual decision, compare the lighthouse and rice-valley examples from both models. Budget and the required output format should narrow the shortlist before you compare how each model interprets a shot.
FAQ
Does the signup bonus cover a Ray 3.2 clip? The signup bonus is 200 credits, worth $0.10. Add balance to cover the $0.2145 entry tier before generating.
Should I multiply the Ray price by the number of seconds? Use the full clip price from the table. Multiply it by your number of generations; duration is already included in the selected tier.
Does an end frame increase image-to-video pricing?
The optional end_image_url keeps the same 5-second price for the selected resolution.
What should my script save to control repeat spending?
Save the returned taskId. Resume status checks with that ID when continuing an existing job; a new create request starts another generation.
Copy the lighthouse prompt and generate your first 5-second shot →.
Continue with the Ray 3.2 API setup guide for a working request, or the Ray 3.2 prompt recipes for more shot ideas.
