VEO 3.1 Fast vs VEO 3 Fast (and VEO 3.1 Lite): What Changed in 2026

Update (Oct 1, 2026): VEO 3 Fast is retired on Viralance after fal deprecated it; VEO 3.1 Fast replaced it at the same 12 credits for 8s 720p, and requests for VEO 3 Fast now run on VEO 3.1 Fast. VEO 3.1 Fast at 1080p now costs the same as 720p (it was 8, 10 or 16 credits). The VEO 3 Fast column below is kept for reference.

Google announced Veo 3 at I/O in May 2025 and released Veo 3.1 and Veo 3.1 Fast in the Gemini API on October 15, 2025, describing richer native audio, better narrative control and stronger image-to-video (Google Developers Blog). Veo 3.1 Lite followed on March 31, 2026 as Google's lowest-cost Veo model (Google blog). This guide compares the three as they worked inside Viralance's editor, with the credit costs updated October 1, 2026.

Side-by-side on Viralance

The editor always shows the exact cost before you generate. Image-to-video on VEO 3.1 Fast is fixed at 8 seconds in the current editor, so a photo animation costs 12 credits at 720p or 1080p.

What actually differs

1080p. VEO 3 Fast ran at 720p on Viralance. VEO 3.1 Fast adds a 1080p option, which matters when you crop, zoom, show small product details or deliver to a client who asks for Full HD. Since October 1, 2026 it costs the same credits as 720p; it takes longer to generate and makes a larger file, so for a phone-first TikTok post 720p is often enough.

Price at 720p was identical. VEO 3.1 Fast and VEO 3 Fast both cost 6, 8 or 12 credits at 720p, so there was no credit saving from choosing the older model. Now that VEO 3 Fast is retired, VEO 3.1 Fast is the like-for-like replacement at the same price.

Reference-to-video. VEO 3.1 Fast accepts up to three reference images to keep a subject or product consistent. VEO 3 Fast does not offer this mode.

Model improvements. Google describes Veo 3.1 as improving audio, prompt adherence and image-to-video quality over Veo 3 (Google Developers Blog). That is the vendor's description; the quickest way to see whether it matters for your content is to run the same prompt on both.

Speed. Generation time depends on the provider queue and the settings. We do not publish a fixed speed for either model.

Where VEO 3.1 Lite fits

VEO 3.1 Lite costs roughly 40–75% of VEO 3.1 Fast at the same duration and resolution — for example 5 credits instead of 12 for an 8-second 720p clip. Google positions Lite for high-volume use where cost matters most (Google blog). A sensible workflow is to test hooks and prompts on Lite, then re-render the ones worth keeping on VEO 3.1 Fast. Compare the outputs yourself: a cheaper model is not guaranteed to look the same.

What a clip costs in dollars

Credit values depend on the pack: $0.30 per credit on Mini ($9 for 30) and about $0.18 on Business ($299 for 1,650).

How many clips fit a pack, before any bonus: the Starter pack (110 credits, $29) covers 9 eight-second VEO 3.1 Fast clips at 720p or 1080p, or 22 on VEO 3.1 Lite at 720p. Credits are one-time, with no subscription, and they do not expire.

Making a clip longer than 8 seconds

All three models stop at 8 seconds per generation. Viralance's video extension uses VEO 3.1 to add 7 seconds to a finished clip of up to 8 seconds; the cost is shown before you run it, and a clip can be extended once. For a single take longer than 8 seconds, use a model with longer durations, such as Kling 3.0 (up to 15 seconds) or Seedance 2.5 (up to 30 seconds).

Which should you choose?

• Most new projects: VEO 3.1 Fast — the same price VEO 3 Fast had, with 1080p at no extra credits when you need it.
• Full HD deliverables or product close-ups: VEO 3.1 Fast at 1080p.
• Consistent product or character across clips: VEO 3.1 Fast reference-to-video (up to 3 images).
• High-volume drafts: VEO 3.1 Lite.
• You already have VEO 3 Fast prompts that work: they now run on VEO 3.1 Fast at the same price; check the first results, since the newer model may follow them slightly differently.

A quick test you can run

Use the same prompt, aspect ratio and duration on two models — for example VEO 3.1 Lite and VEO 3.1 Fast, 8 seconds, 720p (5 + 12 = 17 credits):

A barista pours steamed milk into a latte in a sunlit café. Slow push-in from the side. Warm morning light, shallow depth of field. Gentle café ambience and the sound of pouring milk.

Compare the pour, the hands, the audio timing and whether the camera moved as asked. Keep notes; one sample is not a benchmark.

Frequently asked questions

Is VEO 3.1 Fast more expensive than VEO 3 Fast? No. Both cost 6, 8 or 12 credits for 4, 6 or 8 seconds at 720p, and since October 1, 2026 VEO 3.1 Fast charges the same at 1080p. VEO 3 Fast is now retired on Viralance, and VEO 3.1 Fast replaced it.

Can I still use VEO 3 Fast? No. fal deprecated VEO 3 Fast, so Viralance retired it on October 1, 2026. Requests for it, for example from saved presets or the API, run on VEO 3.1 Fast.

Can VEO make videos longer than 8 seconds? Each VEO generation is up to 8 seconds. On Viralance you can extend a finished clip once by 7 seconds, or choose a model with longer durations.

Do both models generate audio? Yes. VEO 3 Fast generated native audio, and VEO 3.1 Fast and VEO 3.1 Lite do too; you can switch it off in the editor.

Which is cheapest? VEO 3.1 Lite, from 3 credits for a 4-second 720p clip.

Can I try them free? New accounts get 4 free credits after email verification — enough for a VEO 3.1 Lite test, but not a 6-credit 4-second VEO 3.1 Fast clip at 720p, which needs a pack such as the $9 Mini (30 credits).

Related guides

• AI video models compared (2026)
• VEO 3 vs Seedance 2.0
• All models · Image-to-video · How it works

Last updated: October 1, 2026. Costs are Viralance credit prices, not Google API prices.