Correction, 2026-10-02: this page was titled as a guide to free tools but named none, and its summary implied that free tiers watermark their output. It now lists what Kling, Hailuo, Pika, Runway and Google give for free, from each company's own pages (Pika's free plan, for one, has no watermark). It told readers to check TikTok's AI rules without citing them, and said, without a source, that undisclosed realistic synthetic content is the category most likely to be actioned; TikTok's own labelling rules and its For You feed rule on unoriginal content are now quoted. It offered Hailuo H3 Max Turbo and Wan 3.0 at 480p as cheap routes without saying that a 480p vertical clip is under the 540 x 960 pixels TikTok asks for in vertical in-feed ads, and listed Kling v3 Standard without saying it needs a start image on 8frame. It also stated as fact that generated video underperforms on TikTok, which we have not measured; that is now framed as our advice. The closing line now uses our standard wording.
Our advice for TikTok: use generated video for the layer around a real person (cutaways, backgrounds, inserts), not instead of one. The format is built on someone specific talking to the camera, and that is the one part generation can't supply.
There is also a compliance side: TikTok has its own labelling rules for AI-generated content, quoted below from its own pages.
TL;DR
- Free tiers, checked 2026-10-02: Kling and Hailuo watermark free videos and tie commercial use to paid plans; Runway watermarks free videos but puts no non-commercial restriction on what you make; Pika's free plan has no watermark, but also no monthly credits and no commercial licence; Google's Flow help pages disagree on whether you can generate video without a subscription
- Generate 9:16 natively rather than cropping. On 8frame, the shape doesn't change the price of a video
- Mind TikTok's floor for ads: non-Spark vertical in-feed ads need at least 540 x 960 pixels, so a 480p vertical clip (480 pixels wide) is too small and a 720p one clears it
- Cheapest 720p route on 8frame: Pruna p-video Draft, 4 credits for 5 seconds
- Label realistic AI content. TikTok requires creators to label AI-generated content that contains realistic images, audio or video
- Where generation helps: b-roll, backgrounds and inserts around a real person on camera
What the free tiers give you
| Tool | Free allowance | Watermark on free | Commercial use on free |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kling | Basic plan, "$0; free forever", no monthly credits | Yes | No: Basic content is "not for commercial use" |
| Hailuo | A one-time welcome package of credits for new users, expiring three days after it is granted | Yes, on downloads | Granted for content made on a paid plan |
| Pika | "0 credits / month · packs only" | No | No commercial licence (from the $35 Creator plan) |
| Runway | 125 one-time credits that don't expire | Yes, on all Free-plan videos | No non-commercial restriction from Runway |
| Google Flow | 50 Flow credits a day without a subscription, per one help page; another says a Google AI plan is required | Invisible SynthID on everything; a visible one is a setting | Google's terms: it won't claim ownership of what you generate |
Kling. The Basic plan is "$0; free forever" with no monthly credits. Kling's feature page says "Free tier includes watermark (Memberships are watermark-free)", its plan table marks Basic content as "not for commercial use", and its paid-service terms ask non-members to label everything they generate with the Kling brand and logo.
Hailuo. New users get a one-time welcome package of free credits that expires three days after it is granted. Free users' video downloads include a watermark; the Standard plan ($14.99 a month) and higher remove it, and Hailuo's payment policy grants commercial use for content you generate and download on a paid plan.
Pika. The free plan lists "0 credits / month · packs only". It has no watermark and no commercial licence; the licence starts on the $35 Creator plan.
Runway. The free plan is 125 one-time credits that don't expire and don't refresh, on a limited set of models. Runway's help centre says all Free-plan videos carry a Runway watermark. Its usage-rights page puts no non-commercial restriction on what you make, names TikTok uploads as an example, and does not separate plans.
Google. Video in the Gemini app now runs on Gemini Omni and needs a Google AI plan (Google's US page offers college students a free Pro plan for a year), and the Gemini API lists no free tier for Veo 3.1. Google's Flow help pages disagree: one says everyone gets 50 Flow credits a day (an 8-second Gemini Omni Flash clip at 720p costs 12), another says Flow requires a Google AI Plus, Pro or Ultra subscription. All Flow output carries an invisible SynthID watermark. Gemini Apps also attach Content Credentials, which TikTok can read to label a post "AI-generated" automatically (see below).
Every free tier above has at least one catch for posting: a watermark, no commercial licence, no monthly credits, or unclear access. 8frame is not free for generation either: a new account has no credits, and plans start at $19/month for 1,000 credits. Output there is watermark-free on every plan, and commercial use is cleared on paid plans.
Where generation helps on this platform
Cutaways and b-roll. A talking clip needs visual variation, and a generated insert costs from 4 credits for 5 seconds on 8frame (Pruna p-video Draft, 720p).
Backgrounds behind text. Abstract motion under a caption sequence.
Concept and metaphor shots. Visualising something you are describing that you cannot film.
Variants for ads. For paid placements you may want several versions of each hook to test, so the price per clip matters more. See best free AI ad generators.
Where it does not
Replacing the person. TikTok's format is built on presence. A faceless generated feed competes on volume, and anyone can generate volume.
Trend participation. Trends depend on specific sounds, specific formats, and being recognisably part of something. A generated approximation can read as missing the point.
Anything the audience can verify. Product, place, food, your actual life.
Disclosure: TikTok's own rules
TikTok's Community Guidelines "require creators to label AI-generated or significantly edited content that shows realistic-looking scenes or people", and say unlabeled content "may be removed, restricted, or labeled by our team, depending on the harm it could cause." Its support page on AI-generated content adds:
- Two labels. Creators can turn on the AI-generated content setting before posting, which shows "creator labeled as AI-generated". TikTok may also apply an "AI-generated" label itself, for example when an upload carries Content Credentials (C2PA metadata); an automatic label can't be removed.
- Distribution. TikTok says turning on the AI-generated content setting "won't affect the distribution of your video as long as it doesn't violate our Community Guidelines."
- Not allowed, even with a label: AI-generated content showing fake authoritative sources or crisis events, public figures in certain contexts (being bullied, making an endorsement or being endorsed), anyone under 18, or an adult private figure's likeness without permission.
Separately, the same guidelines make content ineligible for the For You feed "if it includes unoriginal or reused material without anything new." These pages change, so check them before you build a format on them. For ads, see do you have to disclose AI-generated ads.
What it costs on 8frame
A credit is $0.01 at pack rate, and 9:16 costs the same as any other shape:
| Route | Clip | Output | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pruna p-video Draft | 5s | 720p | 4 |
| Hailuo H3 Max Turbo | 5s | 480p | 17 |
| Wan 3.0 | 5s | 480p | 24 |
| Wan 3.0 | 5s | 720p | 48 |
| Wan 3.0 Prime | 5s | 480p | 46 |
| Veo 3.1 Lite, silent | 8s | 720p | 33 |
| Veo 3.1 Lite, with audio | 8s | 720p | 54 |
| Kling v3 Standard, silent, from a start image | 5s | 720p | 57 |
| Gemini Omni Flash, with audio | 8s | 720p | 135 |
| Merge Videos, 2 to 10 clips | one run | 10 |
The 480p rows are for drafts and organic tests: a 480p vertical clip is under the 540 x 960 pixels TikTok asks for in non-Spark vertical in-feed ads, so regenerate anything you run as an ad at 720p. Kling v3 needs a start image on 8frame and follows its shape, so make a 9:16 still first (Nano Banana 2 at 1K, 11 credits). Pruna p-video and H3 Max Turbo are new to 8frame, so we quote their price, not their quality. TikTok's full ad requirements are in TikTok ad video specs.
Twelve cutaways for a month of posting: 48 credits on p-video Draft (about $0.48), 288 on Wan 3.0 at 480p ($2.88), or 576 at 720p ($5.76).
A format to try
Film yourself for 20 seconds saying one specific thing. Cut in three or four generated inserts where you would otherwise hold on your own face. Caption it properly. Post consistently.
That is unglamorous, and it keeps a real person at the centre of the account while generation removes the friction of finding visuals to cut to. If an insert shows a realistic scene, TikTok's labelling rule above applies.
FAQ
Is there a free AI TikTok video generator without a watermark? Pika's free plan has no watermark, but it has no monthly credits and no commercial licence. Kling, Hailuo and Runway watermark free videos. 8frame has no watermark on any plan, but generation there is paid: a new account has no credits, and plans start at $19/month.
Can I post fully AI-generated videos on TikTok? Yes, within its rules. TikTok requires a label on AI-generated content that contains realistic images, audio or video, and does not allow some AI content even with a label (fake crisis events, fake endorsements by public figures, minors, private people without permission). Check its current pages; they change.
Does AI content get suppressed? TikTok says turning on its AI-generated content setting won't affect distribution as long as the video doesn't break its Community Guidelines. Separately, content made of "unoriginal or reused material without anything new" is ineligible for the For You feed, whoever or whatever made it.
What resolution should I generate? For ads, at least 540 x 960 pixels in 9:16, per TikTok's spec for non-Spark in-feed ads: a 720p vertical clip clears it, a 480p one does not. Generate vertical natively rather than cropping.
What is the cheapest way to add b-roll? On 8frame, Pruna p-video Draft at 4 credits for 5 seconds at 720p; Wan 3.0 is 24 at 480p and 48 at 720p.
Sources
- TikTok Ads Manager help, "TikTok Auction In-Feed Ads" (non-Spark ads: vertical 9:16 recommended, 540 x 960 pixels or more): ads.tiktok.com/help/article/tiktok-auction-in-feed-ads, checked 2026-10-02
- TikTok Community Guidelines, Integrity and Authenticity (labelling AI-generated content, unlabeled content, unoriginal content and the For You feed): tiktok.com/community-guidelines/en/integrity-authenticity, checked 2026-10-02
- TikTok Support, AI-generated content (creator label, automatic label and Content Credentials, distribution, content not allowed): tiktok.com/support/faq_detail?id=7636670084747893268, checked 2026-10-02
- Kling: feature page (free tier watermark), Kling 3.0 credit guide (Basic plan), terms of service section 4.6 and terms of paid service section 7.2, checked 2026-10-02
- Hailuo subscription terms (welcome credits, watermark, Standard at $14.99, commercial use on paid plans): hailuoai.video/doc/payment-policy.html, checked 2026-10-02
- Pika pricing (free plan, watermark, commercial licence): pika.art/pricing, checked 2026-10-02
- Runway: pricing, help centre Free plan details and Usage rights, checked 2026-10-02
- Google: Gemini Omni video page, Gemini API pricing, Flow help 16526234 and 16353333, Gemini watermark settings and Google Terms of Service (effective 2026-07-30), checked 2026-10-02
- 8frame prices, output resolutions and inputs (p-video Draft, H3 Max Turbo, Wan 3.0, Wan 3.0 Prime, Veo 3.1 Lite, Kling v3 Standard, Gemini Omni Flash, Merge Videos, Nano Banana 2; Kling v3's start-image requirement): 8frame tool registry cost functions, video generation code and content fact sheet, read 2026-10-02
Be on camera, generate the cutaways.
Try it without signing up: the 8frame canvas opens on a real board. The canvas is free and unlimited; generation is paid from $19/month.