Correction, 2026-10-02: the composition advice said platform interface covers the top and bottom of a vertical video and that 720p "is enough for most placements", with no source for either. Both are now replaced by what TikTok, Meta and YouTube publish, fetched today. The price table listed Runway Gen-4 Turbo and Kling v3 without saying that both need a start image. The Gemini Omni Flash notes quoted features of Google's API (1080p and 4K upscaling, 40 seconds with extensions) that the Omni Flash tool on 8frame does not offer: on 8frame it makes 3- to 10-second clips. We also called cropping "the single most common expensive mistake" without data to show it. The page now lists every model that follows the start image's shape, and it says plainly that we have not measured which model frames vertical shots best.
Correction, 2026-10-01: we said Kling offers 16:9, 9:16 and 1:1 from text, next to a table that lists Kling v3. On 8frame, Kling v3 needs a start image and follows its shape; the Kling model that makes those three shapes from text is Kling 2.6 Pro.
Correction, 2026-09-30: we suggested generating three ratios on Veo 3.1 Lite. Veo 3.1 offers only 16:9 and 9:16 on every tier, so the three-ratio example now uses a model that offers 1:1, and the 4:5 answer is corrected: no video model on 8frame generates 4:5.
An expensive habit in AI video is generating 16:9 and cropping to 9:16 afterwards. The crop throws away about two thirds of the frame you paid for, and on 8frame it saves nothing: aspect ratio is not part of the price on any video model. Credits depend on the model, the length, the resolution, audio and some input types, never on the shape.
TL;DR
- Shape costs nothing extra. A 9:16 clip costs the same credits as a 16:9 clip on every video model on 8frame
- Cropping 16:9 to 9:16 keeps about 32 percent of the frame
- Every video model on 8frame makes 9:16. Kling v3 and Runway Gen-4 Turbo need a start image, and Kling v3 takes that image's shape
- Lowest prices for a 5-second vertical clip: Pruna p-video Draft at 4 credits (720p) and Creatify Boreal at 7 (720p, with sound). These are prices, not a quality ranking
- We have not measured which model frames vertical shots best, so test your shot on a cheap draft before the final take
- Keep text away from the edges: Meta asks Reels advertisers to keep at least 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side free of text and logos
Why cropping costs you
You lose most of the image. Cropping 16:9 to 9:16 at full height keeps about 32 percent of the frame. Everything you composed at the sides is gone.
The composition moves. A subject placed on a third in 16:9 lands wherever the crop puts it, and the space around it that made the shot work disappears.
You end up enlarging. A 1920 x 1080 frame cropped to 9:16 leaves 608 x 1080 pixels. Filling a 1080 x 1920 vertical frame means enlarging that slice about 1.8 times, and 8frame has no video upscaler.
There is no saving. Native vertical costs the same credits. You pay the same for less picture.
Every model that makes 9:16, with the facts
All prices are for 5 seconds unless noted, and they are identical in 9:16 and 16:9. A credit is about $0.01 at pack rate.
| Model | Shapes you can set | Start image | Resolution | Length | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pruna p-video Draft | 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4, 3:2, 2:3, 1:1 | optional | 720p, 1080p | 1 to 20 s | 4 at 720p |
| Creatify Boreal | 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4 | optional | 720p, 1080p, 2K | 1 to 20 s | 7 at 720p, sound always on |
| Wan 3.0 | 16:9, 9:16, 1:1 | optional | 480p, 720p, 1080p | 2 to 30 s | 24 / 48 / 95 |
| Grok Imagine | 16:9, 4:3, 3:2, 1:1, 2:3, 3:4, 9:16 | optional | 480p, 720p | 1 to 15 s | 34 / 48, sound always on |
| Runway Gen-4 Turbo | 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 21:9 | required | 720 x 1280 at 9:16 | 2 to 10 s | 40 |
| Kling 2.6 Pro | 16:9, 9:16, 1:1 | optional | 1080p | 5 or 10 s | 47 silent, 95 with sound |
| Kling v3 Standard | none: it takes the start image's shape | required | 720p | 3 to 15 s | 57 silent, 86 with sound |
| Gemini Omni Flash | 16:9, 9:16 | optional | 720p | 3 to 10 s | 85, sound always on |
| Hailuo H3 | 21:9, 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16 | optional | 2K | 5 to 15 s | 88 |
| Happy Horse | 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4 | optional | 720p, 1080p | 3 to 15 s | 95 / 189 |
| Seedance 2.5 | Auto, 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4 | optional | 480p, 720p | 4 to 30 s | 70 / 157 |
| Veo 3.1 Lite | 16:9, 9:16 | optional (8 s with an image) | 720p | 4, 6 or 8 s | 54 for 8 s with sound, 33 silent |
| Veo 3.1 Fast | 16:9, 9:16 | optional (8 s with an image) | 1080p | 4, 6 or 8 s | 168 for 8 s with sound |
| Veo 3.1 Standard | 16:9, 9:16 | optional (8 s with an image) | 1080p | 4, 6 or 8 s | 448 for 8 s with sound |
With a start image, the image decides the shape on several models. Kling v3, Kling 2.6 Pro, Wan 3.0, Hailuo H3 and Grok Imagine take the start image's shape, Pruna p-video ignores the ratio setting when you give it a first frame, Creatify Boreal follows its reference image, and Seedance follows the image when set to "Auto". So make or crop the start image to 9:16 first. Veo 3.1 makes only 16:9 and 9:16, so give it a start image in one of those two shapes. Every model's shapes are in AI video aspect ratios by model, and the shapes themselves are explained in what is aspect ratio.
Gemini Omni Flash: Google's documentation says landscape 16:9 is the default and 9:16 makes portrait video. On 8frame it makes 3- to 10-second clips with sound always on: 85 credits for 5 seconds, 135 for 8.
Which one to use: test it on your shot
We have not measured which model frames vertical shots best, so nothing on this page ranks them by quality. What you can control is how much it costs to find out:
- Draft the framing as a still. A 9:16 image on Seedream 5 Lite is 6 credits. If the subject sits where you want it, use the image as the start frame on a model that takes the image's shape (Kling v3, Wan 3.0, Hailuo H3, Grok Imagine), so the clip starts from the frame you approved. A Seedream 5 Lite frame plus a 5-second Kling v3 Standard clip with sound comes to 92 credits.
- Or draft on the model you plan to use, at its cheapest setting. Wan 3.0 at 480p is 24 credits for 5 seconds (95 at 1080p), Grok Imagine at 480p is 34 (48 at 720p), Seedance 2.5 at 480p is 70 (157 at 720p). A take at the higher resolution is a new generation and will not repeat the draft frame for frame; the draft tells you whether your prompt puts the subject where you want it.
- Compare two models on the same prompt. Wan 3.0 and Grok Imagine at 480p cost 58 credits together, less than half of one 157-credit Seedance 2.5 take at 720p.
Several shapes for one campaign
Generate each shape natively, on a model that offers it. Veo 3.1 Lite makes only 16:9 and 9:16, so that pair with sound is 108 credits, about $1.08. For 16:9, 9:16 and 1:1 from text, three 5-second Wan 3.0 clips at 480p are 72 credits; Kling 2.6 Pro, Seedance, Hailuo H3 and Grok Imagine also offer all three shapes (Kling v3 needs a start image and follows its shape). Three generations are three different clips, not one clip in three shapes, so check each one.
Composing for 9:16
Vertical is not horizontal turned sideways. It has its own rules.
Keep text and key elements away from the edges. Meta's Instagram Reels ad guide says: "Consider leaving at least 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom, and 6% on each side of your asset free from text, logos, or other important creative elements." TikTok says the safe zone for in-feed ads depends on the shape, the ad caption length and any extra formats, and it offers downloadable safe-zone templates. Check the template for the placement you are delivering to.
Keep the subject in the clear band. For a Reels ad that band runs from 14% below the top to 35% above the bottom. Put faces and products inside it, not in the bottom third.
Leave room for captions. Burned-in captions need space inside the same band, so ask for a calm, uncluttered area where they will sit.
Choose subjects that are tall. A standing figure, a tall building, a pour, a rising element fill a vertical frame. A wide landscape in 9:16 leaves most of the frame as sky or ground.
Build depth by layering. A vertical frame has less width for depth cues, so put something in the foreground and something behind the subject.
The shape comes from the ratio setting (or the start image), so the prompt is for the composition: "vertical composition, subject in the upper two thirds with headroom, uncluttered lower third, shallow depth of field."
Platform specs to check before you generate
- TikTok in-feed ads: vertical 9:16 is recommended, at 540 x 960 pixels or more; horizontal 16:9 and square 1:1 are also accepted. Details in TikTok ad video specs.
- Instagram Reels ads: 9:16 at 1440 x 2560 pixels, with a minimum width of 250 pixels for ads under 30 seconds and 500 pixels for ads of 30 seconds or longer. Details in Instagram Reels ad specs.
- YouTube Shorts: YouTube categorizes square or vertical uploads up to three minutes long as Shorts. Details in YouTube Shorts length and specs.
8frame has no video upscaler, so generate at the resolution you will deliver. Resolutions per model are in AI video resolution by model.
FAQ
Does vertical video cost more? No. Shape is not part of the price on any video model on 8frame; the model, length, resolution and audio are.
Which AI video generator is best for vertical video? We have not measured framing quality across models, so we do not rank them. Every video model on 8frame makes 9:16. Choose by price, length, resolution and whether you need a start image, then test your shot cheaply: a 9:16 still on Seedream 5 Lite is 6 credits, a 5-second Wan 3.0 draft at 480p is 24.
Can I generate 4:5? Not natively: no video model on 8frame offers 4:5. Generate 3:4 and trim about 6 percent of the height, or crop 4:5 from 9:16, which keeps about 70 percent of the frame against about 45 percent from 16:9.
What resolution for vertical social? TikTok asks for at least 540 x 960 pixels for vertical in-feed ads. Meta lists 1440 x 2560 for Reels ads, with a minimum width of 250 pixels (500 for ads of 30 seconds or longer). There is no video upscaler on 8frame, so generate at the resolution you will deliver.
Why did my vertical clip come out in another shape? With a start image, Kling v3, Kling 2.6 Pro, Wan 3.0, Hailuo H3 and Grok Imagine take the image's shape, and Pruna p-video and Creatify Boreal follow the image too. Make the start image 9:16.
Three ratios or crop one? Generate each shape natively where the model offers it. Veo 3.1 Lite does 16:9 and 9:16 only (108 credits for both with sound); Wan 3.0 at 480p does 16:9, 9:16 and 1:1 for 72 in total.
Sources
- TikTok Ads Manager help, "TikTok Auction In-Feed Ads": vertical 9:16 recommended at 540 x 960 or more, 16:9 and 1:1 accepted, safe zone depends on shape, caption length and formats: ads.tiktok.com/help/article/tiktok-auction-in-feed-ads, checked 2026-10-02
- Meta Ads Guide, Instagram Reels video: 9:16, 1440 x 2560, minimum width 250 / 500 pixels, the 14% / 35% / 6% guidance: facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/instagram-reels, checked 2026-10-02
- YouTube Help, "Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts": square or vertical uploads up to three minutes are categorized as Shorts: support.google.com/youtube/answer/15424877, checked 2026-10-02
- Gemini Omni Flash, 16:9 default and 9:16 for portrait: ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/omni, checked 2026-10-02
- Prices, and the absence of an aspect-ratio price dimension on video: 8frame tool registry credit functions (calculatePrunaVideoCost, calculateCreatifyBorealCost, calculateWan3Cost, calculateGrokImagineCost, calculateKling26Cost, calculateKlingV3Cost, calculateGeminiOmniFlashCost, calculateHailuoH3Cost, calculateHappyHorseCost, calculateSeedance2Cost, calculateVeo31Cost; Runway Gen-4 Turbo 8 per second; Seedream 5 Lite 6), read 2026-10-02
- Shapes, start-image behaviour, lengths and resolutions per model: the 8frame aspect-ratio configuration and front tool registry, read 2026-10-02; Runway 9:16 output size (720 x 1280): 8frame Runway ratio mapping, read 2026-10-02
- Kling v3 start-image requirement: 8frame video generation code, read 2026-10-01
Vertical from the first generation, not from a crop.
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