YouTube Shorts requires 9:16 vertical video, same as TikTok and Instagram Reels. The 20 models below are Versely video generators that support 9:16, ranked by the best position each one holds on a Versely leaderboard.
Because the format requirement is identical across all three platforms, this ranking uses the same qualifying model set as our TikTok and Instagram Reels pages — pick whichever page matches the platform you're publishing to.
Ranking method
Filtered to video generators supporting the 9:16 aspect ratio, sorted by best leaderboard position (unranked models after, cheapest complete job first).
What YouTube Shorts actually rewards
Shorts is graded like TikTok — algorithmic, subscriber-agnostic — but it lives inside YouTube, the second-largest search engine on earth, so a Short that answers a specific searchable question keeps paying off in search long after the initial push fades.
The mistake most brands make
Creators often treat Shorts as a disposable side project instead of a funnel, posting one-off jokes that don't connect to anything, when a Short that ends on an open loop into a full video compounds a channel's growth instead of just farming isolated views.
- A clipped moment from a longer video
- A single-question, single-answer talking head
- A quick process or 'how it's made' cutdown
Full ranking
| # | Model | Provider | Credits | Max resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HeyGen Video | HeyGen | 8-72 credits | 2K |
| 2 | Wan 3.0 Text to Video | Wan | 4-120 credits | 1080p |
| 3 | Minimax H3 Text to Video | MiniMax | 12-78 credits | 2K |
| 4 | Seedance 2.5 | ByteDance | 22-320 credits | 720p |
| 5 | Flux 3 Text to Video | Black Forest Labs | 34-136 credits | 1080p |
| 6 | Seedance 2.0 | ByteDance | 22-1639 credits | 4k |
| 7 | Grok Imagine Video 1.5 Text to Video | Grok | 4-150 credits | 1080p |
| 8 | Happy Horse 1.1 Text to Video | Alibaba | 17-108 credits | 1080p |
| 9 | Wan 2.7 Text to Video | Wan | 8-90 credits | 1080p |
| 10 | Kling Video V3 Pro Text to Video | Kling | 34-101 credits | — |
| 11 | Pixverse V6 Text to Video | Pixverse | 5-29 credits | 1080p |
| 12 | VEO First Last Frame | 32-128 credits | 4K | |
| 13 | VEO 3.1 | 32-192 credits | 4K | |
| 14 | LTX 2.5 Text to Video Pro | LTX | 58-136 credits | 1080p |
| 15 | Runway Gen-4.5 | Runway | 200-400 credits | — |
| 16 | Vidu Q3 Video | Vidu | 23-67 credits | 1080p |
| 17 | LTX 2.3 Text to Video Fast | LTX | 20-256 credits | 4K |
| 18 | LTX 2.3 Image to Video Pro | LTX | 29-192 credits | 4K |
| 19 | Boreal | Creatify | 4-192 credits | 2K |
| 20 | PrunaAI P-Video | PrunaAI | 2-32 credits | 1080p |
The top 5, explained
#1 — HeyGen Video (HeyGen) costs 8-72 credits and sits at #1 in text to video on Versely's live model rankings. It outputs up to 2K. Max resolution: 2K.
#2 — Wan 3.0 Text to Video (Wan) costs 4-120 credits, discounted from a headline 8 and sits at #5 in text to video on Versely's live model rankings. It outputs up to 1080p. Max resolution: 1080p.
#3 — Minimax H3 Text to Video (MiniMax) costs 12-78 credits, discounted from a headline 24 and sits at #6 in text to video on Versely's live model rankings. It outputs up to 2K. Max resolution: 2K.
#4 — Seedance 2.5 (ByteDance) costs 22-320 credits, discounted from a headline 67 and sits at #8 in text to video on Versely's live model rankings. It outputs up to 720p. Max resolution: 720p.
#5 — Flux 3 Text to Video (Black Forest Labs) costs 34-136 credits and sits at #10 in text to video on Versely's live model rankings. It outputs up to 1080p. Max resolution: 1080p.
Compare these models head-to-head
More platform & format rankings
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI video model for YouTube Shorts?+
HeyGen Video by HeyGen tops this ranking. Filtered to video generators supporting the 9:16 aspect ratio, sorted by best leaderboard position (unranked models after, cheapest complete job first). HeyGen Video costs 8-72 credits and sits at #1 in text to video on Versely's live model rankings.
How is this ranking calculated?+
Filtered to video generators supporting the 9:16 aspect ratio, sorted by best leaderboard position (unranked models after, cheapest complete job first).
How many models qualify for this ranking?+
20 models with a page on Versely meet the criteria for "Best AI video model for YouTube Shorts", across 15 providers.
What's the cheapest option in this ranking?+
PrunaAI P-Video is the cheapest at 2-32 credits, against 8-72 credits for HeyGen Video, the top-ranked entry.
Do all of these models hold a Versely leaderboard position?+
Yes — all 20 models here hold a position on at least one Versely leaderboard. Versely ranks each capability separately, so the leaderboard a position was earned on is named alongside it.
Try HeyGen Video inside Versely
The all-in-one AI studio for creators. 60+ models for video, image, voice, music and lipsync, in your browser or on your phone.
One account for the web and iPhone.
Guides
Best AI Video Models for YouTube Shorts
Best AI video models for YouTube Shorts in 2026: picks for 60-second retention, native audio, video extend, and cinematic quality that earns subscribers.
What Test & Compare won't let you test
Shorts, Made for Kids, private, and age-restricted videos cannot run Test & Compare. The eligibility matrix, what stops a live test, and workarounds.
YouTube Shorts: Viewed vs Swiped Away
Viewed versus swiped away is YouTube Studio's count of people who chose to view a Short. It scores the opening. YouTube does not publish a target percentage.
YouTube Shorts Are Not Qualified Watch Hours
Shorts-feed views do not count as qualified watch hours and do not convert. Long-form hours and Shorts views stay separate, at 4,000 hours or at 8,000.