For most Veo 3.1 work, start on Fast. It costs about a quarter to a third of Quality at 720P and 1080P, keeps the same 4, 6 and 8 second lengths with audio, and is the tier where prompt mistakes are cheap enough to fix. Use Lite for drafts and high-volume variations at 720P, where it costs half of Fast. Save Quality for the final render of a shot you have already proven, especially when you publish in 4K.
This comparison was checked on November 9, 2026 against Google's Veo 3.1 developer documentation, the Gemini API deprecation schedule and the NanoBananas video studio's own pricing table. Credit figures are the prices the studio charges today; Google's specifications are linked in the sources section at the end. We describe what each tier is designed for and how the studio prices it. We have not published a scored benchmark of the three tiers, so the test prompts below are there for you to run your own comparison on the shots that matter to you.
Is Veo 3.1 still available in November 2026?
Yes, but where you use it now matters. Google released Veo 3.1 and Veo 3.1 Fast on October 15, 2025, and added Veo 3.1 Lite as a lower-cost preview on March 31, 2026. On October 22, 2026 Google shut down the three Gemini API preview endpoints (veo-3.1-generate-preview, veo-3.1-fast-generate-preview and veo-3.1-lite-generate-preview). Guides that still tell you to call those model IDs are out of date.
The generally available versions on Google's enterprise platform (veo-3.1-generate-001 and veo-3.1-fast-generate-001) remain listed with a retirement date of May 4, 2027 or later. Google names Gemini Omni 1.2 Flash as the replacement. Veo 3.1 is still a supported model with a scheduled successor; it is no longer where Google is adding features.
In the NanoBananas studio all three tiers remain available through our model provider, with the same credit prices listed below. If Google's schedule changes availability, we will update this article and the Veo 3.1 Quality, Fast and Lite pages.
Quality vs Fast vs Lite: the differences that change your choice
All three tiers share the core of Veo 3.1: 24 fps clips of 4, 6 or 8 seconds, landscape 16:9 or vertical 9:16, with sound generated together with the picture. The differences are in cost, how much detail Google built each tier to deliver, and which input modes the studio offers on each.
| Quality | Fast | Lite | What it means for you | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | Highest fidelity | Speed and everyday production | Lowest cost per clip | Match the tier to the stage of the project, not to the importance of the client |
| Clip length | 4 / 6 / 8 s | 4 / 6 / 8 s | 4 / 6 / 8 s | Plan longer videos as several shots; none of the tiers goes past 8 s per clip |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9, 9:16 | 16:9, 9:16 | 16:9, 9:16 | No square or 4:5 output; crop in an editor if you need it |
| Audio | Included | Included | Included | Dialogue, effects and ambience come with every clip; there is no silent discount |
| Studio resolutions | 720P, 1080P, 4K | 720P, 1080P, 4K (4K upscaled) | 720P, 1080P, 4K (4K upscaled) | Fast and Lite reach 4K by upscaling, which sharpens the clip but cannot add detail the model did not generate |
| Text to video | Yes | Yes | Yes | Every tier works from a prompt alone |
| Animate a first frame | Yes | Yes | Yes | Lock the opening composition with an image |
| Start and end frames | Yes | Yes | Yes | Fix where the shot begins and ends, useful for reveals and transitions |
| Material reference images | No | Up to 3, 8 s clips | Up to 3, 8 s clips | Use Fast or Lite in the studio when a product or character must match a reference |
| 8 s at 1080P | 200 credits | 64 credits | 40 credits | Fast is 32% of Quality; Lite is 63% of Fast |
In the studio, 4K on Fast and Lite is produced by upscaling the generated clip, the same approach as Google's own Veo upscaling feature. Upscaling sharpens edges and makes the file suitable for 4K timelines, but it cannot add detail the model did not generate. For close-ups of faces, fabric, product surfaces or small text that must hold up in 4K, Quality is still the safer choice. For social clips and web video, an upscaled Fast clip is usually enough. The studio always shows the exact options and quote before you spend credits.
Pricing: how much each clip actually costs
The studio charges per second of output, and the rate depends on tier and resolution. Audio is always included.
| Tier and resolution | Per second | 4 s clip | 6 s clip | 8 s clip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality 720P | 22 | 88 | 132 | 176 |
| Quality 1080P | 25 | 100 | 150 | 200 |
| Quality 4K | 45 | 180 | 270 | 360 |
| Fast 720P | 6 | 24 | 36 | 48 |
| Fast 1080P | 8 | 32 | 48 | 64 |
| Fast 4K | 22 | 88 | 132 | 176 |
| Lite 720P | 3 | 12 | 18 | 24 |
| Lite 1080P | 5 | 20 | 30 | 40 |
| Lite 4K | 18 | 72 | 108 | 144 |
The gap between tiers is not constant
- At 720P, Fast costs 27% of Quality and Lite costs half of Fast. This is where drafting on a cheaper tier saves the most.
- At 1080P, Fast is 32% of Quality and Lite is 63% of Fast. Lite still saves credits, but less.
- At 4K, Fast is 49% of Quality and Lite is 82% of Fast. Lite's main advantage nearly disappears, so for upscaled 4K output Fast is usually the better value.
Price the usable clip, not the attempt
A video model rarely gets a shot right the first time. If a Quality render at 1080P takes three attempts, the usable clip cost 600 credits. The same shot drafted three times on Lite at 720P, 4 seconds (36 credits), checked once on Fast at 1080P, 8 seconds (64 credits), and rendered once on Quality (200 credits) costs 300 credits, half as much, and you only spend Quality credits on a prompt you already trust.
When is Veo 3.1 Quality worth four times the credits?
Quality is Google's full Veo 3.1 model and the only tier Google documents with native 4K. It is built for detail: fine textures, faces in close-up, small text and slow, controlled camera moves where artifacts are easy to see.
Good fits
- Final renders of a shot you have already tested on Fast or Lite.
- Close-ups of faces, hands, fabric or product surfaces, where extra fidelity is visible.
- Hero clips for landing pages, ads and client delivery, especially in 4K.
- Start-and-end-frame transitions where both frames are detailed and the in-between must hold up.
Poor fits
- Exploring an idea, testing camera moves or checking timing. Every failed attempt costs four times as much.
- Shots that need a product or character to match a reference image. In the studio, material references are available on Fast and Lite, not Quality.
- Fast-cut social edits where each clip is on screen for a second or two and the extra detail will not be noticed.
Why Veo 3.1 Fast is the default for most projects
Fast is Google's speed-optimized version of Veo 3.1. It returns clips sooner and costs a fraction of Quality, while keeping the same lengths, aspect ratios, audio and frame controls. Google positions it for business and high-throughput use, which matches how most people actually make video: many attempts, a few keepers.
- Social and short-form content. For vertical 9:16 clips viewed on a phone, Fast at 1080P is usually indistinguishable from Quality in the feed.
- Reference-driven shots. Upload up to three material images for an 8-second clip to keep a product, outfit or character consistent.
- Prompt development. Use Fast to settle the action, camera move and sound before deciding whether a Quality render is needed.
- 4K on a budget. At 176 credits for 8 seconds, upscaled Fast 4K costs about half of Quality 4K. It works well for social and web delivery; compare the two on your own shot if fine detail matters.
When Veo 3.1 Lite is the right choice
Lite is the lowest-cost Veo 3.1 tier. Google launched it at roughly half the price of Fast on its API and documents it at 720p and 1080p. It keeps text to video, first-frame animation and start and end frames, so it is a real working tier, not only a preview mode.
- Storyboards and animatics. At 12 credits for a 4-second 720P clip, you can test an entire sequence before spending on finals.
- Many variations of one idea. Generate ten takes of a hook for 120 to 240 credits and keep the strongest.
- Motion tests of a still image. Check whether a Nano Banana image animates well before rendering it on Fast or Quality.
Lite is a weak choice at 4K. You save only 32 credits per 8-second clip compared with Fast, and Lite's 4K is upscaled from a lower-resolution clip, so the detail is set by the cheapest tier. If you need 4K, upscale a Fast clip or render on Quality.
Which input mode should you use?
The tier decides cost and fidelity; the input mode decides how much control you have. Choose the mode first, then the tier that supports it.
Text to video
Best for establishing shots, abstract scenes and ideas you have not visualized yet. Describe the subject, the action, the camera move and the sound in that order. Veo follows plain sentences better than keyword lists.
Animate a first frame
Best when the look must be exact: a product shot, a brand palette or a character you already designed. Create the frame in the image studio, then describe only the motion and sound. Our image to video guide walks through it step by step.
Start and end frames
Best for reveals, before-and-after shots and transitions. Keep the two frames close in composition. When the frames differ too much, the model has to invent a large change in a few seconds, which is where warping appears.
Material reference images (Fast and Lite in the studio)
Best when an object or person must stay consistent but the composition is free. Upload up to three images and say in the prompt what each one is for, for example the sneaker from the first image on the runner in the second image. This mode makes 8-second clips.
Run the same brief on all three: three test prompts
The fastest way to choose a tier is to run one representative shot on each. At 720P and 4 seconds, a full set of three tiers costs 124 credits (88 + 24 + 12). Use the prompts below as they are or swap in your own subject, and check the listed points rather than your overall impression.
1. Product detail with ambient sound
Slow push-in on a matte black wireless speaker on a walnut desk, soft window light from the left, shallow depth of field. The speaker's fabric texture and small silver logo stay sharp as the camera moves closer. Quiet room ambience with a faint bird call outside.
- Does the logo stay readable and the same shape for the whole clip?
- Does the fabric texture shimmer or crawl as the camera moves?
- Is the ambience quiet and natural, or does it add music you did not ask for?
2. A person speaking one line
Medium close-up of a woman in her thirties in a bright kitchen, looking at the camera and smiling. She says: "Breakfast is ready in five minutes." Natural morning light, handheld camera with slight movement, realistic skin texture.
- Do the lip movements match the spoken line?
- Do the teeth, eyes and hands stay stable between frames?
- Is the voice clear, and does it match the person on screen?
3. Fast action and camera movement
Tracking shot following a cyclist racing down a wet city street at night, neon reflections on the road, spray from the tires, camera moving alongside at the same speed. Sound of tires on wet asphalt and distant traffic.
- Do the wheels, legs and pedals keep a believable motion?
- Do reflections and spray behave consistently, or do they smear?
- Does the camera keep pace with the cyclist without sudden jumps?
If Fast passes all three checks on your shot, you rarely need Quality for that kind of content. If it fails only on fine detail, such as the logo or skin texture, that is the case Quality is built for.
A cost-effective Veo 3.1 workflow
- Draft on Lite at 720P, 4 seconds (12 credits) until the action, camera move and sound read correctly.
- Check full timing on Fast at 720P, 8 seconds (48 credits). This is where you catch pacing problems that a 4-second draft hides.
- Render the final at the resolution you publish in. Use Fast for social and most web use, and Quality for close-up detail, client delivery and 4K.
- Keep the prompt fixed between steps. Change the tier, not the wording, so you are comparing models and not prompts.
Starting from an image? Create the first frame with Nano Banana, then animate it. To compare Veo with other model families, see Seedance vs Veo vs Wan.
Limits to know before you generate
- 8 seconds per clip. Longer videos are made of several shots joined in an editor. The studio does not offer Veo clip extension.
- Two aspect ratios. 16:9 and 9:16 only.
- Audio is always generated. There is no switch to turn it off at generation time; mute or replace the track when you edit.
- Write prompts in English. Google's documentation lists English as the supported prompt language for Veo 3.1. Spoken lines can be in another language, but results are less predictable.
- Watermarking. Google marks Veo output with an invisible SynthID watermark.
Sources
- Google: Generate videos with Veo 3.1 in the Gemini API: durations, resolutions, reference images, frames and watermarking.
- Google: Veo 3.1 Lite preview model page: Lite resolutions and unsupported features.
- Google Cloud: Veo 3.1 Lite and a new Veo upscaling capability: upscaling generated clips to 4K.
- Google: Gemini API deprecations: October 22, 2026 shutdown of the preview endpoints.
- Google Cloud: Veo 3.1 model reference and model versions and lifecycle: GA model IDs, retirement dates and replacement.
- NanoBananas video studio pricing table: all credit figures in this article.
Frequently asked questions
Is Veo 3.1 being shut down?
Partly. Google shut down the Gemini API preview endpoints on October 22, 2026. The GA versions on Google's enterprise platform are listed for retirement on May 4, 2027 or later, with Gemini Omni 1.2 Flash as the replacement. All three tiers are still available in the NanoBananas studio.
Do all Veo 3.1 tiers include audio?
Yes. Quality, Fast and Lite all generate sound with the video, and the credit prices above include it.
Can Veo 3.1 Fast or Lite make 4K video?
Yes, through upscaling. The studio offers a 4K setting on all three tiers; on Fast and Lite the 4K file is upscaled from the generated clip, the same approach as Google's Veo upscaling feature. Google documents native 4K generation only for the standard Veo 3.1 model, so use Quality when close-up detail must hold up at 4K.
Which Veo 3.1 tiers accept reference images?
In the studio, Fast and Lite accept up to three material reference images for 8-second clips. Quality supports text, a first frame, and start and end frames, but not material references.
How long can a Veo 3.1 clip be?
4, 6 or 8 seconds per generation on every tier. Join several clips in an editor for longer videos.
Is Quality always better than Fast?
Not for every shot. Quality has more headroom for fine detail, but on simple scenes and phone-sized vertical video the difference is often hard to see. Run the same prompt on both before paying for Quality by default.
Is Veo 3.1 Lite worth it at 4K?
Rarely. At 4K, Lite costs 144 credits for 8 seconds against 176 on Fast, and both are upscaled to 4K. Since the detail comes from the generated clip, Fast is usually the better starting point for 4K.