Comparison · Video
MiniMax H3 vs Kling 3.0
MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 03) vs Kling 3.0: resolution, built-in audio, references, Polish speech and cost per second. Find out which AI video model fits your shot.
What each one accepts
| MiniMax H3 | Kling 3.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | MiniMax | Kuaishou |
| Type | Video | Video |
| Modes | text-to-video image-to-video first-last-frame reference-to-video | text-to-video image-to-video first-last-frame reference-to-video |
| Released | 2026-07 | 2026-02 |
| Duration | 4-15 s | 3-15 s |
| Resolutions | 768p, 2K | 720p, 1080p, 4K |
| Aspect ratios | 21:9, 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16, adaptive | 16:9, 9:16, 1:1 |
| Reference images | up to 9 | up to 2 |
| Reference videos | up to 3 | - |
| Frames | first and last frame | first and last frame |
| Audio | built in | built in, can be turned off |
| Prompt length | up to 7,000 chars | up to 2,500 chars |
Rates and clip costs
| Model | Variant | Rate | 5 s clip | 10 s clip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MiniMax H3 | 768p | $0.161 / s | $0.804 | $1.61 |
| 2K | $0.261 / s | $1.30 | $2.61 | |
| Kling 3.0 | 720p | $0.0963 / s | $0.481 | $0.963 |
| 1080p | $0.124 / s | $0.619 | $1.24 | |
| 4K | $0.461 / s | $2.30 | $4.61 |
Charged from a prepaid USD balance, no taxes added. Kling 3.0: extras like audio or pro mode raise the price; Studio and estimated_cost give the exact figure first. A failed generation is $0.
MiniMax H3, which also ships under the name Hailuo 03, suits 2K shots where the soundtrack comes bundled, and projects where a character's look, movement or voice is driven by references. Kling 3.0 is the better bet for 4K, for English lines with lip sync and for low per-second rates. When I tested speech in Polish, H3 was far ahead.
When to pick MiniMax H3
- A 2K YouTube video should arrive with stereo sound baked in.
- One person has to look and sound the same in every shot, based on photos and voice samples.
- A sample video sets the motion you want.
- The script is in Polish, where H3 left Kling far behind in my test.
When to pick Kling 3.0
- The client asks for 4K.
- Some shots are shorter than 4 seconds; Kling goes down to 3.
- An English speaker needs accurate mouth movement.
- Mute filler footage at 720p or 1080p should cost as little as possible.
Differences you will notice
- Price. MiniMax H3 is billed at from $0.161 per second (2K) and Kling 3.0 at from $0.0963 per second (1080p, silent). Check the 5 s and 10 s rows in the table above: at similar tiers Kling charges less per second, while H3's rate already pays for its sound. On H3, pictures past the fifth reference and the length of reference videos are billed extra, but reference audio costs nothing. On Kling, turning sound on is what raises the rate.
- Resolution. H3 offers 768P (1344x768) and 2K (2560x1440). Kling offers 720p, 1080p and 4K.
- Sound. H3 always outputs stereo, shaped by what you write in the prompt. Kling speaks with lip sync only after you enable
generate_audio. - Inputs. H3 can take nine pictures, three videos and three sound files. Kling takes a pair of reference pictures plus opening and closing frames; H3 handles opening and closing frames too.
- Length, framing, prompt size. H3 does 4-15 s across 7 ratios (21:9, 4:3 and 1:1 among them) with up to 7,000 characters of prompt. Kling does 3-15 s in 16:9, 9:16 or 1:1 with up to 2,500.
How to decide
Language often decides this pair. On a Polish tongue twister of twelve words H3 got eleven right, Kling 3.0 Pro only two. In English it reversed: Kling sounded clean and H3 carried an audible Polish accent (full test, in Polish). Speed and image also differ: in my ranking, run with another provider, H3 finished a 5-second clip in 14-28 s, but the cup in its coffee scene looked see-through. Render one sample of your actual scene in each before ordering a batch. Background reading: the MiniMax H3 (Hailuo) guide and the Kling 3.0 pricing guide.
Questions
Do I pay extra for H3's soundtrack?
No. Sound is part of H3's per-second rate. Describe what you want to hear in the prompt.
Can H3 go above 2K?
No, 2560x1440 is its ceiling. For 4K in this pair, Kling 3.0 is the only route.
Which accepts more reference material?
H3, by a wide margin: nine images, three videos and three audio files, against two images and the start and end frames on Kling.
Samples from the makers
MiniMax H3
Kling 3.0
These clips and images come from the vendors, not from my runs.