Can I turn a photo into a video for free?

Yes. Every account gets 20 credits a month with no card, enough for 40 seconds of video in clips of up to 15 seconds with Seedance 2.0 Mini.

Is there a watermark?

RenderHour adds no watermark to results, on the free plan or any other.

Can I use photos of people?

Only photos you have the right to use, and never to imitate a real person without their consent. Seedance turns down photos that may show a real person; Kling 3.0 and HappyHorse 1.1 take them. See the Acceptable Use Policy.

What happens when the free credits run out?

Next month’s credits arrive on the day your account was made. If you need more before then, plans start at $10 a month for 250 credits.

Free image to video: animate a photo

Add a photo, describe how it should move, and get a clip back, paid from the 20 free credits every RenderHour account gets each month. 13 video models take a photo as the first frame on the free credits; Seedance 2.0 Mini makes the most: 40 seconds of video in clips of up to 15 seconds.

Animate a photo free See plans

Models that do it

Seedance 2.0 MiniThe cheapest way to try an ideaFrom 0.5 credits per secondFree plan: 40 seconds of video in clips of up to 15 secondsTry Seedance 2.0 Mini
Seedance 2.0 FastFaster and cheaper draftsFrom 1 credit per secondFree plan: 20 seconds of video in clips of up to 15 secondsTry Seedance 2.0 Fast
Grok Imagine 1.5 LiteLow-cost stylised clipsFrom 1 credit per secondFree plan: 20 seconds of video in clips of up to 10 secondsTry Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite
MiniMax Hailuo 2.3Six-second clips with strong physicsFrom 6 credits per clipFree plan: 3 clipsTry MiniMax Hailuo 2.3
Kling 3.0Steady motion, with or without audioFrom 1.25 credits per secondFree plan: a clip of up to 15 secondsTry Kling 3.0
Kling 3.0 TurboQuick clips from a photoFrom 1.5 credits per secondFree plan: a clip of up to 10 secondsTry Kling 3.0 Turbo

How it works

Sign up with Google. The free credits are on your balance straight away, with no card.
Open the Video page, pick one of the models below and add your photo as the first frame.
Describe the motion: what moves, how fast, and what the camera does. The price is on the Generate button.
A failed run costs nothing. The credits renew every month, counted from the day you signed up.

Tips

For a photo without people, Seedance 2.0 Mini makes the most clips for the free credits.
Describe the motion, not the photo: the model already sees what is in it.
Seedance turns down photos that may show a real person; for people, use Kling 3.0 or HappyHorse 1.1.

Questions

Can I turn a photo into a video for free?: Yes. Every account gets 20 credits a month with no card, enough for 40 seconds of video in clips of up to 15 seconds with Seedance 2.0 Mini.
Is there a watermark?: RenderHour adds no watermark to results, on the free plan or any other.
Can I use photos of people?: Only photos you have the right to use, and never to imitate a real person without their consent. Seedance turns down photos that may show a real person; Kling 3.0 and HappyHorse 1.1 take them. See the Acceptable Use Policy.
What happens when the free credits run out?: Next month’s credits arrive on the day your account was made. If you need more before then, plans start at $10 a month for 250 credits.