Sora 2 vs HeyGen
Sora 2: OpenAI's AI video app and website, discontinued in April 2026; the Sora 2 API followed in September. HeyGen: AI avatar videos: your digital twin or a stock avatar speaks your script, with translation into 175+ languages.
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Updated
Sora 2 has been discontinued. The Sora app and website were discontinued on April 26, 2026. This page compares what it offered with HeyGen, which you can still use, and lists other Sora 2 alternatives. See also what happened to Sora 2 and the models in Luren AI that replace it.
| Sora 2 | HeyGen | Luren AI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | No longer available | Web, iOS, Android | iPhone and Android app |
| Mobile app | No | Yes | Yes, iPhone and Android |
| Free plan | None: the Sora app and website were discontinued on April 26, 2026. | Yes: 3 videos a month up to 1 minute each, 500+ stock avatars, 1 custom video avatar and up to 3 photo avatars; free videos carry a HeyGen watermark. | Free to download and try |
| Pricing | No longer sold. OpenAI Support said remaining Sora credits could be used with Codex or refunded through the usual process. | Free plan, then subscriptions: Creator at $29 a month, Pro from $49 a month with larger credit tiers, and Business at $149 a month plus $20 per seat (as listed on its pricing page), and Enterprise on request. | Pay per creation with coins, or a weekly or yearly Pro subscription |
| What you need to start | Not applicable: the service has been discontinued. | None for stock avatars; one face photo for a photo avatar, or one short video clip for a video avatar of yourself. | One photo, or just a prompt; no training |
| AI models | OpenAI's own Sora 2 and Sora 2 Pro, which OpenAI shut down in its API on September 24, 2026. | Its own avatar models (Avatar IV and Avatar V on its site) and Seedance 2.0 integrated into the platform; the Pro plan adds access to all its advanced AI models. | Nano Banana Pro, Nano Banana 2.1, GPT Image 2.5, Seedream, Qwen-Image 3.0, Grok Imagine; Veo 3.1, Kling, Seedance |
| Images | Not offered | Not offered | 300+ styles, your own prompt with a model picker, and an AI agent |
| Video | Discontinued; Sora 2 generated video with synced audio from text or images | Talking avatar videos from a script, prompt-to-video with Video Agent, and highlights from long videos | Image to video, text to video, UGC videos and 40+ AI dances |
| Editing | Not offered | Captions, video translation with lip-sync, and script editing | Restore, upscale, change clothes, backgrounds, pose and expression |
Sora 2 today
- Former Sora users who need to export what they made
- Anyone comparing today's AI video tools with OpenAI's former Sora
Sora was OpenAI's AI video app and website, built on its Sora video models; OpenAI's developer docs describe Sora 2 as generating video with synced audio from text or images. OpenAI discontinued the Sora web and app experiences on April 26, 2026, and shut down the Sora 2 models and Videos API on September 24, 2026, with no one-to-one replacement API.
Strengths
- OpenAI's docs describe Sora 2 as generating richly detailed clips with synced audio from text or images
- Sora 2 Pro was OpenAI's higher-quality variant, with 1080p exports
- After the shutdown, OpenAI pointed users to an export page for what they had made
Limits to know
- The Sora app and website were discontinued on April 26, 2026
- The Sora 2 models and Videos API were shut down on September 24, 2026, and OpenAI lists no one-to-one replacement
- New videos can no longer be made with Sora
Choose HeyGen if…
- Founders, sales teams and real estate agents who want to appear on video without filming each time
- Training and e-learning videos
- Translating existing videos into other languages
HeyGen makes AI videos starring a digital avatar of you, built from a short clip or a photo, or one of its stock avatars. You type a script and the avatar delivers it; it also offers a prompt-based Video Agent and video translation into 175+ languages and dialects, on the web and in iPhone and Android apps.
Strengths
- Avatars of yourself from one short clip or one photo
- Video translation into 175+ languages and dialects
- Available on the web and as iPhone and Android apps, with team and enterprise plans
Limits to know
- Free plan videos are limited to 1 minute, 3 a month, with a watermark
- 4K export starts on the Pro plan
- Built around talking presenters rather than photo generation
Key differences
- HeyGen has a mobile app; Sora 2 runs on .
- Sora 2 is listed among ai video generators; HeyGen among ai video generators and ai ugc and ad makers.
- Free plans: Sora 2: None: the Sora app and website were discontinued on April 26, 2026. HeyGen: Yes: 3 videos a month up to 1 minute each, 500+ stock avatars, 1 custom video avatar and up to 3 photo avatars; free videos carry a HeyGen watermark.
Both kinds of model, in one phone app
Luren AI puts Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2.5, Seedream, Veo 3.1 and Kling side by side on iPhone and Android, with 300+ ready-made styles, UGC ads, AI dances and an AI agent that makes the picture for you. Start from one photo, no training.
Sora 2 vs HeyGen: questions
Is Sora 2 better than HeyGen?
It depends on the job. Sora 2 suits former Sora users who need to export what they made; anyone comparing today's AI video tools with OpenAI's former Sora. HeyGen suits founders, sales teams and real estate agents who want to appear on video without filming each time; training and e-learning videos; translating existing videos into other languages.
Is Sora 2 free?
None: the Sora app and website were discontinued on April 26, 2026.
Is HeyGen free?
Yes: 3 videos a month up to 1 minute each, 500+ stock avatars, 1 custom video avatar and up to 3 photo avatars; free videos carry a HeyGen watermark.
Which is better for video, Sora 2 or HeyGen?
Sora 2: Discontinued; Sora 2 generated video with synced audio from text or images. HeyGen: Talking avatar videos from a script, prompt-to-video with Video Agent, and highlights from long videos.
Is Sora 2 still available?
No. OpenAI Support said the Sora web and app experiences ended on April 26, 2026, and OpenAI's developer docs say the Sora 2 models and Videos API were shut down on September 24, 2026, with no one-to-one replacement API.
Is there an alternative to Sora 2 and HeyGen on my phone?
Luren AI is an iPhone and Android app with image models like Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2.5 and Seedream, video models like Veo 3.1 and Kling, 300+ ready-made styles and an AI agent. It is free to download and try.
More comparisons
Sources
- developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/video-generation
- developers.openai.com/api/docs/models/sora-2
- developers.openai.com/api/docs/deprecations
- community.openai.com/t/release-sora-2-open-weights-before-shutdown/1388719
- community.openai.com/t/the-opening-of-sora-bad-economy/1379906
- www.heygen.com/
- www.heygen.com/pricing
- apps.apple.com/us/app/id6711356409
- play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.heygen.app
Sora 2 and HeyGen are trademarks of their owners. Luren AI is not affiliated with either. Details are as each company publishes them on its own site and store listings on the date above; plans and prices change, so check their sites before you buy.
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