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 | Happy Horse 1.0 Text to Video | Alibaba | 42-420 credits | 1080p |
| 2 | Seedance 2.0 | ByteDance | 54-4096 credits | 4k |
| 3 | Wan 2.7 Text to Video | Wan | 20-225 credits | 1080p |
| 4 | Kling 2.5 Turbo | Kling | 21-42 credits | 1080p |
| 5 | Grok Imagine Video | Grok | 30-210 credits | 1080p |
| 6 | Vidu Q3 Video | Vidu | 35-231 credits | 1080p |
| 7 | Runway Gen-4.5 | Runway | 250-500 credits | — |
| 8 | VEO 3.1 | 80-320 credits | 4K | |
| 9 | Pixverse 5.6 Text to Video | Pixverse | 35-300 credits | 1080p |
| 10 | Pixverse V6 Text to Video | Pixverse | 13-72 credits | 1080p |
| 11 | Kling Video V3 Standard Image to Video | Kling | 63-189 credits | — |
| 12 | Pixverse V4 | Pixverse | 15-40 credits | 1080p |
| 13 | Kling Video V2.6 Pro Text to Video | Kling | 70-140 credits | 1080p |
| 14 | Kling O3 Pro Text to Video | Kling | 70-210 credits | — |
| 15 | Wan V2.6 Text to Video | Wan | 50-225 credits | 1080p |
| 16 | Luma Ray 2 720p | Luma | 50-100 credits | 720p |
| 17 | Seedance 1.5 Pro Text to Video | ByteDance | 5-70 credits | 1080p |
| 18 | Seedance Image to Video | ByteDance | 4-105 credits | 1080p |
| 19 | Pixverse Text to Video | Pixverse | 15-80 credits | 1080p |
| 20 | Wan 2.6 Image to Video | Wan | 25-113 credits | 1080p |
The top 5, explained
#1 — Happy Horse 1.0 Text to Video (Alibaba) costs 42-420 credits and sits at #3 in text to video on Versely's live model rankings. It outputs up to 1080p. Max resolution: 1080p.
#2 — Seedance 2.0 (ByteDance) costs 54-4096 credits and sits at #3 in image to video on Versely's live model rankings. It outputs up to 4k. Max resolution: 4k.
#3 — Wan 2.7 Text to Video (Wan) costs 20-225 credits and sits at #6 in text to video on Versely's live model rankings. It outputs up to 1080p. Max resolution: 1080p.
#4 — Kling 2.5 Turbo (Kling) costs 21-42 credits and sits at #9 in image to video on Versely's live model rankings. It outputs up to 1080p. Max resolution: 1080p.
#5 — Grok Imagine Video (Grok) costs 30-210 credits and sits at #9 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?+
Happy Horse 1.0 Text to Video by Alibaba 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). Happy Horse 1.0 Text to Video costs 42-420 credits and sits at #3 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 10 providers.
What's the cheapest option in this ranking?+
Seedance Image to Video is the cheapest at 4-105 credits, against 42-420 credits for Happy Horse 1.0 Text to 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.
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