Best Sora app alternatives for iPhone in 2026
The Sora app is gone: OpenAI announced on 24 March 2026 that it was shutting it down, and on 11 October 2026 its App Store page no longer opens. To make AI videos from a photo or a prompt on iPhone now, Dora (ours) gives you several video models in one app with the coin cost shown before you generate, and Kling AI is the strongest single-model option, with clips up to 15 seconds that can be extended to 3 minutes.
If you already pay for an AI assistant, Grok (Grok Imagine) and Google Gemini (Gemini Omni, on paid Google AI plans) also make short videos inside the chat app.
At a glance
| App | Price (US) | What it makes | Account | App Store privacy label | Version (date) | Rating (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DORA · AI Video Generator Our app | Subscription: $4.99 or $9.99 a week, $119.99 a year; coin packs from $2.99 | Video from a photo or text, dance copy (Motion Control), product ads, images up to 4K | Yes; same account on doravideo.com and in Claude and ChatGPT | Data Used to Track You; Data Not Linked to You | 1.4.1 (9 Oct 2026) | 4.3 (15 ratings) |
| Kling AI: AI Image & Video Maker | Credits from $5 (330); plans $10, $37 or $92 a month | Video from text or images, up to 15 s in 1080p or 4K, extendable to 3 min | Yes | Data Used to Track You; Data Linked to You; Data Not Linked to You | 3.8.20 (11 Sep 2026) | 4.7 (31,607 ratings) |
| Grok (Grok Imagine) | SuperGrok Lite $10, SuperGrok $30, Plus $100, Heavy $300; extra credits from $5 | Images, short videos with sound, photo to video, inside a chat assistant | Yes | Data Linked to You | 1.4.51 (9 Oct 2026) | 4.9 (1,497,069 ratings) |
| Google Gemini (Gemini Omni) | Video needs Google AI Plus ($4.99), Pro ($19.99) or Ultra ($199.99), or Workspace | Cinematic videos from your ideas with Gemini Omni, inside the Gemini assistant | Google account | Data Linked to You | 1.2026.3970207 (7 Oct 2026) | 4.7 (2,330,532 ratings) |
| CapCut: Photo & Video Editor | Standard $9.99 a month, Pro $19.99 a month, yearly $89.99 | Video editing: keyframes, auto captions, effects, 4K 60fps export | Optional | Data Used to Track You; Data Linked to You | 19.7.0 (8 Oct 2026) | 4.6 (1,123,502 ratings) |
Prices are the in-app purchases listed on each US App Store page on 11 October 2026; all five are free to download. Ratings are the App Store average and number of ratings that day.
1. DORA · AI Video Generator Our app
Best for: people who want Sora-style clips from a photo or a sentence, ready for TikTok and Reels, without picking a model provider.
- Several video models in one app; each generation shows its coin cost before you tap, and failed generations refund the coins.
- Vertical 9:16, horizontal or square, up to 1080p, no watermark. Some models add sound.
- Motion Control copies the moves of a dance video onto the person in your photo.
- A video takes about two minutes, an image about one.
- 11 languages, iOS 18.6 or later, 61 MB.
Limits: it is a paid subscription, it has only 15 ratings in the US so far, and its privacy label includes data used to track you. It does not edit long videos on a timeline.
2. Kling AI: AI Image & Video Maker
Best for: longer or higher-resolution clips from one top video model.
- Native 1080p or 4K clips up to 15 seconds; Video Extension takes them to 3 minutes.
- Image generation in 4K with several reference images.
- Clone & Try: reuse a prompt from another creator's video.
- 5 languages, iOS 14 or later, 237 MB.
Limits: credits run out quickly on long or 4K clips, and the privacy label includes data used to track you.
3. Grok (Grok Imagine)
Best for: people who already use Grok and want quick clips without another app.
- Grok Imagine makes images from text or voice and short videos with sound, or animates a photo.
- Also a general AI assistant for chat, research and coding.
- 38 languages, iOS 17 or later, 186 MB. Rated 17+.
Limits: video is one feature of a chat app, without templates for social formats, and the listing does not say how many videos each plan includes.
4. Google Gemini (Gemini Omni)
Best for: people who already pay for a Google AI plan.
- The listing says Gemini Omni turns ideas into cinematic videos for Google AI Plus, Pro, Ultra and Workspace users.
- The same plans include Google storage (400 GB to 30 TB).
- 70 languages, iOS 17.4 or later, 391 MB.
Limits: video is not available on the free plan, and it is one feature of a general assistant.
5. CapCut: Photo & Video Editor
Best for: finishing an AI clip: cutting, captions, music and effects before you post.
- Trim, split and merge clips, speed curves, chroma key and stabilisation.
- Auto captions, text-to-speech, motion tracking and background removal.
- 20 languages, iOS 15 or later, 824 MB. Also on Mac.
Limits: its App Store listing describes editing tools, not generating a video from a prompt the way Sora did, so it complements the apps above rather than replacing them.
Who should use what
- You used Sora to animate photos or write prompts for short clips: Dora (ours) or Kling AI.
- You want 4K or clips longer than 15 seconds: Kling AI.
- You already pay for an assistant: Grok (SuperGrok) or Gemini (Google AI Plus or higher).
- You also use the web or Claude and ChatGPT: Dora, whose account and coins work on doravideo.com and in those assistants.
- You need to edit and caption the result: CapCut, after any of the above.
Use cases
- Bringing an old photo to life as a short video.
- A vertical clip for TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts from one sentence.
- A product video or ad for a shop or an app.
- Copying a trending dance onto your own photo (Dora's Motion Control).
How we checked
On 11 October 2026 we opened each app's US App Store page and Apple's lookup data: in-app purchase prices, version and release date, rating and number of ratings, languages, size, minimum iOS and the privacy label. What each app makes is taken from its own App Store description. We did not invent ratings or reviews.
The Sora app's App Store page (id6744034028) returned "not found" that day. The shutdown date comes from Engadget's report of OpenAI's announcement.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sora app still available on iPhone?
No. OpenAI announced on 24 March 2026 that it was shutting down the Sora app, and on 11 October 2026 its App Store page no longer opens.
What is the best Sora alternative on iPhone?
For short videos from a photo or a prompt, Dora (ours, several models in one app) and Kling AI (up to 15 seconds in 1080p or 4K, extendable to 3 minutes). Grok and Gemini also make videos if you pay for their plans.
Is there a free Sora alternative?
All five apps are free to download, but video generation is paid in each: Dora by subscription and coins, Kling AI by credits or plans, Gemini only on Google AI Plus or higher, Grok through SuperGrok plans and credits.
Can I turn a photo into a video on iPhone without Sora?
Yes. Dora, Kling AI and Grok Imagine all animate a photo into a short video.
Which Sora alternative works for TikTok and Reels?
Dora exports vertical 9:16 up to 1080p with no watermark. CapCut is useful afterwards to add captions and music.
Sources
- Engadget, OpenAI is shutting down its Sora video generation app: https://engadget.com/ai/openai-is-shutting-down-its-sora-video-generation-app-211023358.html (11 October 2026)
- Sora by OpenAI, App Store page (returns 404): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6744034028 (11 October 2026)
- DORA (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6754180384 (11 October 2026)
- Kling AI (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6738049229 (11 October 2026)
- Grok (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6670324846 (11 October 2026)
- Google Gemini (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6477489729 (11 October 2026)
- CapCut (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1500855883 (11 October 2026)