Genmo
FreemiumOpen-source Mochi 1 video generation model — free to run locally under Apache 2.0 or cloud-hosted with credit subscriptions
What is Genmo?
Genmo is an AI video research lab best known for releasing Mochi 1, the leading open-source video generation model. While competitors like Runway, Sora, Kling, and Hailuo keep their top models closed-source, Genmo released Mochi 1 under the permissive Apache 2.0 license in October 2024 — meaning anyone with sufficient GPU hardware can download the model weights and run unlimited video generation locally for free. This matters enormously for developers, researchers, and privacy-conscious users who want to build on top of a capable AI video model without vendor lock-in or per-generation costs. Mochi 1 produces 5-6 second clips at 480p with strong motion quality, prompt adherence, and photorealistic output that rivals closed-source competitors, though it still trails Runway Gen-4 and Sora on longer durations and highest-fidelity rendering. Genmo also offers a hosted cloud service at genmo.ai with free, Lite ($10/mo), and Standard ($30/mo) tiers, plus a faster, lower-cost Replay model (10 credits per generation vs Mochi 1's 100 credits) for rapid prototyping. For serious AI video practitioners, Mochi 1 on Genmo is a foundational tool — and the fact that it's genuinely open-source makes it one of the most impactful releases in the entire AI video category.
⚡ Quick Verdict
Developers, researchers, and privacy-conscious users who want open-source video generation
Casual creators wanting cinematic polish — Runway, Sora, or Kling still lead on quality
Free (local Mochi 1 via Apache 2.0) · Lite $10/mo · Standard $30/mo cloud
Yes — 50 credits/mo cloud + unlimited local use under Apache 2.0
Only top-tier AI video model released as open-source under Apache 2.0
Quality trails closed-source leaders; local deployment requires 24GB+ GPU VRAM
Bottom line: Genmo scores 4.3/5 — The only top-tier AI video model that's truly open-source. Use the free cloud tier to try it, run Mochi 1 locally for unlimited free generation, or subscribe to Standard ($30/mo) for easy cloud access.
Pricing
Free: 200 initial credits, 50 credits per month, watermarked output, standard queue priority, non-commercial use only, access to Mochi 1 and Replay models.
Lite — $10/month: 1,200 credits per month, no watermark, commercial usage rights, priority queue access, full access to all models.
Standard — $30/month: 5,000 credits per month, highest priority queue, early access to new models, commercial rights, priority support.
Open-Source — Free (Apache 2.0): Mochi 1 model weights available on Hugging Face and GitHub. Run locally with unlimited generation, full data privacy, and commercial use permitted. Requires 24GB+ GPU VRAM for full model (quantized versions work on 16GB).
Credit costs: Mochi 1 = 100 credits per generation, Replay model = 10 credits per generation.
Key Features
- Mochi 1 — leading open-source video generation model (Apache 2.0)
- Free local deployment with unlimited generation on your own GPU
- Hosted cloud service at genmo.ai with credit-based pricing
- Replay model — faster, lower-cost prototyping at 10 credits/video
- 5-6 second clips at 480p with strong motion and photorealism
- Text-to-video generation with detailed prompt control
- Available via Replicate and Fal AI for pay-per-generation API use
- Apache 2.0 license permits commercial use of local deployments
- Active research and model updates from Genmo's team
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Only top-tier AI video model released as fully open-source
- Apache 2.0 license allows unlimited free local use including commercial
- Strong motion quality and prompt adherence rival closed-source models
- Available on Replicate and Fal AI for pay-per-generation API access
Cons
- Output quality trails Runway Gen-4, Sora, and Kling 2.0 at the top tier
- Local deployment requires 24GB+ GPU VRAM (or quantized 16GB)
- Resolution capped at 480p on current Mochi 1 (higher-res in development)
FAQ
How much does Genmo cost in 2026?
Genmo offers a free tier with 200 initial credits plus 50 credits per month, watermarked output, standard queue, and non-commercial use. Lite is $10/month for 1,200 credits, no watermark, commercial rights, and priority queue. Standard is $30/month for 5,000 credits with highest priority and early access to new models. Mochi 1 generations cost 100 credits each. The Mochi 1 model is also released under Apache 2.0 for free local use.
What is Mochi 1?
Mochi 1 is Genmo's flagship open-source video generation model, released in October 2024 under the permissive Apache 2.0 license. It's designed to rival closed-source models like Runway, Kling, and Hailuo with strong motion quality, prompt adherence, and photorealistic output. Mochi 1 produces 5-6 second clips at 480p.
Is Genmo free?
Yes — Genmo offers a free plan with 200 initial credits and 50 monthly credits on genmo.ai. Because Mochi 1 costs 100 credits per generation, the free tier gives you 2 initial Mochi videos plus roughly 0-1 new ones per month. More importantly, the Mochi 1 model weights are open-source under Apache 2.0, so you can download and run Mochi 1 locally on your own GPU completely free.
Can I run Mochi 1 on my own computer?
Yes — Mochi 1 is open-source under Apache 2.0 and the weights are available on Hugging Face and GitHub. You need a high-end GPU (24GB+ VRAM recommended) to run the full model locally, though quantized versions work on 16GB cards. Installation requires Python, PyTorch, and CUDA. For developers with the hardware, running Mochi 1 locally provides unlimited video generation with no credit costs and full data privacy.
How does Mochi 1 compare to Runway and Sora?
Mochi 1 is the leading open-source video model and gets strong results for motion, prompt adherence, and physics, but still trails closed-source leaders like Runway Gen-4, Sora, and Kling 2.0 on photorealism and longer clip durations. Sora produces better 1080p output and longer (20+ second) clips. Mochi 1's key advantage is that it's free to use locally under Apache 2.0 — no other top-tier model offers that.
What is Genmo Replay?
Replay is Genmo's faster, lower-cost generation mode running at 10 credits per video vs Mochi 1's 100 credits. It produces shorter, lower-quality clips suited for rapid prototyping and exploring concepts before committing to a full Mochi 1 render. Replay is useful when you want to iterate on prompts quickly — generate 10 drafts with Replay, pick your favorite, then render a final version with Mochi 1.
Is Genmo good for commercial use?
Commercial use is permitted on Lite ($10/mo) and Standard ($30/mo) plans with the cloud service. The free tier does not include commercial rights. For local Mochi 1 deployment via Apache 2.0, commercial use is fully permitted without restrictions. Mochi 1's Apache 2.0 license is notably permissive.
Does Genmo offer an API?
Genmo provides API access via the Replicate and Fal AI platforms for Mochi 1, where you pay per generation without a subscription. For Genmo's own cloud service, API access is typically available on higher tiers. Developers building on Mochi 1 usually prefer hosting the open-source model themselves or using Replicate's pay-per-generation pricing.
📋 Good to know
Sign up at genmo.ai for cloud access, or download Mochi 1 weights from Hugging Face/GitHub for local GPU deployment.
Cloud use follows standard SaaS privacy. Local deployment offers full data privacy — no prompts or outputs leave your machine.
Lite ($10/mo) for commercial rights and watermark removal. Standard ($30/mo) for priority queue and more credits.
Low for cloud use. High for local deployment — requires Python, CUDA, and GPU setup experience.