FLUX 3 Video
Strong new video model with sound and cheap drafts, but pricier than equals. MiniMax H3 gives more per dollar.
Should you use it?
Pick it if
Creators who want a top text to video model and like to iterate with cheap drafts.
Best for: Creators who test prompts with cheap drafts before a full render (Video models Top 20)
Skip it if
Price per finished minute matters most; MiniMax H3 or Wan 3.0 rate as well or better for less.
You give up: About $17 per minute at 1080p, far above MiniMax H3; weaker at image to video
The short version
- What this is
- Black Forest Labs' first video model, from the makers of the FLUX image models. It makes clips with sound from text, images or video through BFL's API.
- Why it matters
- It is among the best-rated new video models, but costs more than rivals that rate as well, so the choice is about workflow, not quality.
- Scores 93 for video: 3rd on arena.ai text to video (preliminary), 6th on Artificial Analysis.
- $0.29 per second at 1080p, with $0.06 drafts.
- Trains on your inputs unless you email to opt out.
Good at
Our take
FLUX 3 Video is a real contender, not noise. It places third on arena.ai text to video, though on only about 1,300 votes, so the rank may move as more votes arrive s1. Artificial Analysis puts it sixth of 29 entries s3.
The catch is price. At 1080p it costs more per minute than Wan 3.0 and over three times MiniMax H3, both of which rate as well or better s3. The cheap draft mode is the reason to choose it: you can test prompts at $0.06 a second before paying for a full render s4. BFL launched it as Early Access in July s7; its model page now says it is pay as you go on the dashboard and API s6.
Score
A score from 0 to 100 per job, against everything available today. Overall 93 across 1 job, the average of the job scores.
New to this? What the scores and labels mean
- 0 to 100
- Our score for one job, like writing or coding, compared with everything else out today. 100 is the best available today. For AI models we build it from public data, such as Arena's blind votes and Epoch AI's independent tests; apps and tools are scored on our own checklist. The same tool can score differently for different jobs, and where two likely ranges overlap, we call it a tie.
- Our verdict
- Use it: a top choice for most people. Worth trying: good, and worth a go. Depends: good for some people or one kind of job. Wait: too early to tell, or not out for everyone yet. Skip: something else does the job better.
- First look
- Just released. We say what it is and whether to bother, and give it a score once public results exist.
- No score yet
- None of the public sources we use covers it yet, or the only evidence is from a source whose numbers we can't use, so we describe it in words instead.
- Best buy
- Nothing cheaper scores as well for that job.
- Best free
- The best score for that job that costs nothing, through a free plan or by running on your own computer.
- Pay as you go
- No monthly plan: you pay for each use, usually through a developer account.
- Checked
- The day we last confirmed the score and the price against the sources. Prices change often, so check the date.
- AI model
- The engine underneath, like GPT or Claude. You use it through an app or, if you code, directly.
- Open source
- Free to download and run on your own computer, so nothing leaves your machine.
#2 of the 5 we have scored for this job.
From blind votes (Arena) · Arena data, CC BY 4.0
Early, few votesData read 20 Oct
Alternatives
Better or cheaper for video, from our scores, then the ones we'd also look at. The same kind of product comes first.
- Gemini Omni Flash 1.1BetterVideo model100$4.99 a monthScores 100 in video, against 93 here; $4.99 a month. Tops arena.ai text to video. Side by side
- MiniMax H3Video model84Pay as you goRates higher on image to video at under a third of the price. Side by side
- Wan 3.0Video model89Pay as you goRates higher on Artificial Analysis and allows 30 second clips. Side by side
Evidence
Everything behind the call and the scores, folded so the page stays short. Spotted a wrong price, score or link? Report a mistake.
How we scored this
The video score is our own, built from public data: blind votes on Arena and, where they cover the job, Epoch AI's independent tests. How we combine them is our method and we don't publish it.
Public leaderboardIndependent test
Reviews are drafted with help from AI models, including Anthropic's Claude. Model scores come only from outside leaderboards and independent evaluations, by a written rule.
No one paid for this review or gave us free access, and we earn nothing if you sign up. How we score
Sources 7
- s1arena.ai Text to Video leaderboard
- s2arena.ai Image to Video leaderboard
- s3Artificial Analysis text to video leaderboard
- s4Black Forest Labs API pricing
- s5Black Forest Labs terms of service
- s6Black Forest Labs: FLUX 3 model page
- s7Black Forest Labs blog: FLUX 3
Something here out of date or wrong? Report a mistake and we will check it against the source.
History 2 changes
Every change to a rating, the price or our call, with the reason. Scores are against what exists on the day, so they drift down as better things ship. Older entries come from before we moved to scores.
- New: Video ratedReviewed: video.
- Audit: added the missing maker_disclosure field and cited the per-minute price. Rating unchanged.
Use it well 4 guides on this site
Pages on this site that help with the jobs above.