Hailuo AI alternative

The Hailuo alternativethat keeps MiniMax.

Hailuo AI turns a prompt or a photo into a clip with MiniMax H3, on the web and on iPhone. ScreenWeaver starts from your whole screenplay, free to write, builds the storyboard from it, and runs MiniMax H3 among six video models, shot by shot.
Start writing for freeCompare the two
  • Screenwriting free, no expiry
  • Storyboard built from your script
  • MiniMax H3 on the video node
The ScreenWeaver screenplay editor: acts, sequences and beats above a formatted scene from The Yellow Umbrella
ScreenplayStoryboard

Two ways to start

A prompt or a screenplay?

Both get you to moving pictures. The difference is what holds the film together from the first shot to the last.

Prompt-first · Hailuo AI

Start from a prompt or a photo

  1. 1Type a prompt or upload a photo, or start from a photo-to-video template.
  2. 2Omni Reference and subject reference keep a face or an object from one clip to the next.
  3. 3MiniMax H3 generates the clip, with themed effects for ads, memes, cinematic shots and more.
  4. 4Download the clip, or ask the Hailuo agent for the next one.

Fast for expressive single shots and effects, especially from a photo, when the idea is a moment rather than a screenplay.

Script-first · ScreenWeaver

Write the screenplay first

  1. 1Write in a real screenwriting editor: industry formatting, outline and beats. Free.
  2. 2The shot breakdown and storyboard are generated from your scenes. You control each shot.
  3. 3Characters, locations and references carry from shot to shot.
  4. 4Each shot becomes a video node: MiniMax H3, Seedance 2.5, Veo 3.1 and more in one menu.

Built for writers and directors of films and series, who rewrite the script while the boards take shape.

What stays in your hands

The script leads. The AI follows.

  • The screenplay is the reference

    Every storyboard frame is linked to its scene and beat. Rewrite a scene and you know which shots it touches.

  • Manual control of each shot

    Framing, angle, movement and duration: you set them, shot by shot.

  • Continuity from shot to shot

    Characters, locations and references carry from one shot to the next.

  • MiniMax where it shines

    MiniMax H3 for an expressive close-up, Seedance 2.5 for a dialogue: pick the model per shot on the same video node.

The pipeline

Write. Board. Produce.

  1. ScreenWeaver screenplay editor: acts, sequences and beats above the formatted script of The Yellow Umbrella

    01The screenplay, enriched

    An industry-standard screenplay editor, and more: a visual outline and beat editor, your writing inspirations (notes, photos, audio) kept next to the page, and an AI researcher to support your writing, not replace it.

  2. ScreenWeaver storyboard: shot S3 of The Yellow Umbrella with characters, shot settings and the script beside it

    02The storyboard, made easy

    Shot breakdown generated from your screenplay, manual control over every shot (frame, angle, movement, duration), and generative AI previsualization in one click.

  3. ScreenWeaver production canvas: shots S3 and S4 as connected nodes carrying their storyboard panels and prompts

    03AI production, with finesse

    Footage generation pipelines connected to your screenplay and storyboard. Optimized out of the box, fully editable workflow.

Where things stand

What you can use today.

Hailuo and ScreenWeaver both generate video today. Here is exactly what each ScreenWeaver plan includes.
  1. Available

    Screenwriter

    $0does not expire

    Unlimited projects and pages, industry formatting, outline and beats, PDF and Final Draft (.fdx) export.

  2. Available

    Auteur

    $39.99a month, 6,000 credits

    The storyboard generated from your screenplay, then AI video from the same shots, with MiniMax H3 among the models.

  3. Available

    Studio

    $149.99a month, 25,000 credits

    Everything in Auteur, plus real-time collaboration, unlimited seats and Owner, Editor and Viewer permissions.

Side by side

ScreenWeaver vs Hailuo AI

Features as each company describes them. Hailuo's web prices did not load, so we quote its App Store listing.
ScreenWeaverHailuo AI
Starting pointYour whole screenplayA prompt or a photo, with templates
Writing the scriptScreenwriting editor, industry formattingNo script editor listed
Script filesExport to PDF and Final Draft (.fdx)No screenplay files listed
Storyboard from the scriptEvery scene, Auteur plan, $39.99/moNo storyboard tool listed
Shot controlFraming, angle, movement, durationPrompt, reference image and templates
ConsistencyCharacters, locations, references across the filmSubject reference and Omni Reference
Video generation todayYes, in the Auteur plan
Video modelsMiniMax H3, Seedance 2.5 and 2.0, Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0, Grok Imagine Video 1.5MiniMax H3
Clip lengthDepends on the model, up to 30 s with Seedance 2.5Not stated on its home page
Paid plansAuteur $39.99/mo (6,000 credits), Studio $149.99/mo (25,000 credits)In the App Store: Standard $9.99, Pro $34.99, Max $199.99 a month
CollaborationReal-time, Studio planNot listed on its home page
Beyond videoScript, storyboard and production in one projectImages, photo-to-video templates, effects, an agent
On a phoneAny browser on phone, tablet or computer, installable like an app, no app store neededWeb, plus a Hailuo AI app for iPhone

Competitor information as of October 2026, from hailuoai.video and the Hailuo AI listing on the App Store, which also sells a yearly Standard plan at $95.99 and credit packs from $4.99. The web subscription page did not show its prices. Prices in US dollars. Check their site for the latest.

Fair is fair

What Hailuo does well

Hailuo AI is the app of MiniMax, one of the strongest AI video model makers, and it puts the latest model behind a few taps.

  • MiniMax H3: native multimodal generation and precise multimodal editing
  • References: Omni Reference and subject reference for the same face across clips
  • Templates and effects: photo-to-video templates, ads, cinematic, music video and more
  • On the phone: an iPhone app next to the web studio, with an agent

Hailuo is still a good fit if you make single expressive shots or effects from a photo, and the script is a few lines rather than a screenplay.

Our verdict

Keep the model. Add the film.

Hailuo AI makes expressive clips from a prompt or a photo. What it does not hold is a whole screenplay. ScreenWeaver keeps the script as the source of truth: free professional writing, a storyboard generated from every scene, and MiniMax H3 or another model on each shot.

  • Professional writing, free and unlimited, with PDF and Final Draft export
  • A storyboard generated from your screenplay, shot by shot
  • MiniMax H3 among six models, characters kept consistent
Start writing for free

More options

The best Hailuo AI alternatives in 2026

Looking for software like Hailuo? Here are the other tools we compared, each on its own page, with prices checked on their sites.

We make ScreenWeaver, so we list it first. The other tools follow in no particular order, each with what it does best.

  1. ScreenWeaver

    Script, storyboard, AI previs

    Our tool
    Best for
    Writers who want the screenplay, the storyboard and AI previsualization in one tool, starting free.
    Price
    Screenwriter $0, free forever. Auteur $39.99/mo, Studio $149.99/mo.
    Try it free

  2. Runway

    AI video

    Best for
    Generating shots, images and sound from a prompt, with an agent that cuts them together.
    Price
    125 free credits, once. Paid $15, $35 or $95/mo.
    Full comparison

  3. Kling AI

    AI video

    Best for
    Short, high-motion video sequences from a prompt or a pasted scene.
    Price
    Credit memberships, prices shown on kling.ai.
    Full comparison

  4. Pika

    AI video

    Best for
    Playful clips, effects and sound from a prompt.
    Price
    Free plan with credit packs. Paid $10, $35 or from $95/mo.
    Full comparison

  5. Luma Dream Machine

    AI video

    Best for
    Concept and campaign work with agents on an infinite board.
    Price
    Paid $30, $90 or $300/mo, less billed yearly.
    Full comparison

  6. PixVerse

    AI video

    Best for
    Quick social clips and effects from a photo or a prompt, on the phone.
    Price
    Free plan with daily credits. Paid from $10/mo, or $8/mo billed yearly.
    Full comparison

  7. LTX Studio

    AI video

    Best for
    Generating AI video from a prompt, an image or a script.
    Price
    800 free credits, once. Paid $15, $35 or $125/mo.
    Full comparison

Prices in US dollars, list prices as published on each vendor's site in September 2026 (Katalist, Runway, Kling, invideo, PixVerse, Hailuo AI, Pika, Luma, Previs Pro, Dreamina and Vidu in October 2026). Check their sites for the latest.

More comparisons

Read more

Guides and comparisons

FAQ

Questions Hailuo users ask

Is ScreenWeaver an alternative to Hailuo AI?
Yes, and it also runs MiniMax. Hailuo AI generates clips from a prompt or a photo. ScreenWeaver starts with a free screenwriting editor, generates the storyboard from your whole script, and lets you pick MiniMax H3 or another model for each shot.
Can I use MiniMax H3 inside ScreenWeaver?
Yes. MiniMax H3 is in the model menu of the video node, next to Seedance 2.5, Seedance 2.0, Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0 and Grok Imagine Video 1.5. Video generation is in the Auteur plan, at $39.99 a month.
How much does Hailuo AI cost in 2026?
As of October 2026, the Hailuo AI listing on the App Store sells Standard at $9.99 a month, Pro at $34.99 and Max at $199.99, plus credit packs from $4.99. The web subscription page did not show its prices, so check hailuoai.video for the current price before you compare.
Can I write a screenplay in Hailuo AI?
No. Hailuo AI works from prompts, photos and templates, and lists no script editor and no screenplay files. ScreenWeaver is a screenwriting editor with industry formatting, outline and beats, and PDF and Final Draft (.fdx) export, for free.
Can Hailuo AI make a storyboard from a script?
Hailuo AI does not list a storyboard tool. In ScreenWeaver the storyboard is generated from the scenes you wrote, and each frame stays linked to its scene and beat while you rewrite.
How does ScreenWeaver keep characters consistent?
Characters, locations and references carry from shot to shot, tied to the same script. Their sheets are wired into each shot's video node as references, which is what keeps a face the same from one shot to the next.
Which video models does ScreenWeaver use?
Seedance 2.5 is the default. Seedance 2.0, Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0, MiniMax H3 and Grok Imagine Video 1.5 are in the same menu, so you can try another model on the same shot without leaving the project.
Is ScreenWeaver free?
Writing is. The Screenwriter plan costs $0 and does not expire: unlimited projects and pages, PDF and Final Draft export. The Auteur plan costs $39.99 a month for 6,000 credits, and the Studio plan $149.99 a month for 25,000 credits.
What is the best software like Hailuo?
For quick clips and effects from a photo, Hailuo AI, PixVerse and Pika are built for speed, on the web and on phones. For a film or a series you write yourself, ScreenWeaver keeps the script, the storyboard and the footage in one project, with MiniMax H3 as one of its models. Each tool is compared on its own page, linked above.

Hailuo, Hailuo AI and MiniMax are trademarks of their respective owner. ScreenWeaver is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by MiniMax. Product names are used only to identify the products compared.

Write the film first. Then shoot it with MiniMax.

Start with a free screenplay editor. The storyboard is built from your pages, and each shot runs on the model you choose.
Start writing for freeSee the AI storyboard